2023 NRL Round 2 Cronulla Sutherland Sharks vs. Parramatta Eels @ Bankwest stadium Friday 10th March @ 6:00pm

SF

SF

Mako Shark
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Was half-thinking of a late trip out to the ground, then looked at the ticket prices!

$65 for an adult in the away bay which is at the very top corner of the ground (thanks Parra...). $40 for the cheapest GA ticket. $110-125 for a seat in their equivalent of the Peter Burns Stand.

I'll take Shark Park...
 
egg

egg

Jaws
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Sort of disappointing Sivo vs Katoa
Ronnie would have given the BIG Preeek some stick
 
Mr Ryan

Mr Ryan

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MY PARRA SHARKS

Matthew Johns
THIS week, I’ll be previewing the Parramatta v Cronulla clash by picking a combined side from both teams.
It gives a clear indication of where a team’s strengths and weaknesses lie, and what styles of contest both will try and impose.
I’m looking forward to being branded a dope, an imbecile and biased. That’s nothing new, and besides, I think it’s only fair that I lighten the load of hate mail Buzz gets delivered every Monday.

THE PARRAMATTA SHARKS​

1 (FULLBACK): Clint Gutherson​

Gutho’s the clear-cut pick here. Organises the defence and works as an extra playmaker.

2 & 5 (WINGERS): Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo​

Tough call to leave out Maika Sivo, but I rate these Sharks as the best wing combination in the game. Great finishers and strong yardage men.

3 & 4 (CENTRES): Jesse Ramien and Siosifa Talakai​

Powerful centres. Ramien is at his peak, strong in attack, and smart defensively. When Talakai is on his game, he’s one of the league’s most damaging players and eats up metres.

6 & 7 (HALVES): Dylan Brown and Mitch Moses​

No Nicho Hynes is again a big out, but the Sharks aren’t toothless in this area. Trindall is a very good young playmaker, but Brown and Moses are a blue-chip combination.

13, 8 & 10 (MIDDLES): Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Junior Paulo and Dale Finucane​

The Sharks’ front row of Toby Rudolf and Braden Hamlin-Uele are very much on the up, but Campbell-Gillard and Paulo are a tremendous combination, proven at every level. Paulo’s clever passing is an underestimated weapon.
Finucane locks the scrum. At the veteran stage, but what a winner. That winning attitude bleeds through a football team.

12 & 11 (BACK ROW): Briton Nikora and Teig Wilton​

The back row is a serious problem for Parramatta at the moment, and that impacts Brown and Moses.
Nikora is a ballplayer’s dream, he runs beautiful lines, while Wilton is tough and plays with great energy.

9 (HOOKER): Josh Hodgson​

Tough to leave out Blayke Brailey, it’s a flip-of-the-coin decision that depends what style of dummy-half you’re after. Hodgson, if injury free, will enjoy a great season.

THE BENCH: Cam McInnes, Royce Hunt, Oregon Kaufusi, Connor Tracey​

All Sharks, and another big issue for Parramatta. The Sharks’ bench is balanced, and all four will impact the contest.

THE VERDICT​

Parramatta have a distinct creative advantage, with 9,7,6, 1, all Eels. But the shortage in the back row is a problem for them. Bryce Cartwright is a playmaker, which is surplus to their requirements.
The Sharks might not have the big-name spine, but all four are excellent footballers, and crucially, have tremendous gap runners with whom to operate.
Up front, the Eels have the yardage advantage, but the Sharks’ outside backs are great metre men.
Cronulla want to make this fast, free flowing, with little slow down, to get their backs dominating metreage.

WHO WINS​

I like Cronulla. I can see them grinding the Eels down, majoring on a fast, high completion rate and a rushing aggressive defence to frustrate Parra’s playmakers.
 
beaver2233

beaver2233

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Damn, was hoping Hazelnut would get a crack. Same team as named on Tuesday.
 
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