Unoffical ( couldn't wait longer ) Cronulla Sharks vs North Queensland Cowboys, 5.30pm at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium

[Thresher]

I wouldn't be surprised if this happens but I hope not.

My hunch is that this is what will happen, and the reason we were allowed to add Trindall to the list.

Still honoring our original team list but with a back up for a player not long recovered from injury.

 

[Sharkyle]

Yeah my thoughts too. Maybe just being excluded from the team list will be enough of a kick up the backside for him and he could have a blinder this week.

 

[Cage]

Yeah my thoughts too. Maybe just being excluded from the team list will be enough of a kick up the backside for him and he could have a blinder this week.

WADR mate, I don't believe his legs allow him to have blinders any more. I hope common sense prevails and we go with Trindall.

 

[Super Impose]

WADR mate, I don't believe his legs allow him to have blinders any more. I hope common sense prevails and we go with Trindall.

Might not be up to what we want - might be instructed to choose from our original reserves ...

 

[Thresher]

Matt Moylan's immediate playing future is under a cloud after Cronulla coach John Morris applied for a special exemption from the NRL to replace injured halfback Shaun Johnson, who has aggravated a groin injury.

New father Johnson will miss his second straight match after re-injuring himself at training on Wednesday, putting a huge dent in Cronulla's ambition to go deep into the finals before their clash against the struggling Cowboys on Saturday.

But having dropped Moylan from his 17 after last week's crushing loss to table-topping Penrith, Morris has looked outside his initial 21-man squad for a new halfback.

The NRL on Friday approved Braydon Trindall to come into the side in lieu of Johnson.

Morris had already opted to play Connor Tracey in preference to Moylan at five-eighth and could have easily given the latter a reprieve by playing him alongside the former South Sydney utility in the halves.

But the second-year NRL head coach wanted Trindall in the organising role, casting doubt on how Moylan will force his way back into the team given first-choice No.7 Chad Townsend's return is imminent.

He's had three games there by his own standards which haven't been good enough.

John Morris
"He's had three games there by his own standards which haven't been good enough," Morris said.

"I think defensively is what he's been most disappointed with. His body hasn't allowed him to play how he would like to play. I need to make a stand for what we need to do in defence and 'Moysa' had a couple of mishaps last week.

"He's knows [that] and he's been really good. He put his hand up for it and he's been accountable.

"I just think it's a confidence thing with Matt. He hasn't quite got his game going and he just needs some time off to clear his head, work on his body, freshen up a bit and come back in hopefully having a big end to the year.

Matt Moylan faces a fight to be recalled to the Sharks team after John Morris overlooked him even after Shaun Johnson's withdrawal.


"It's just about how he responds to it. He needs to focus on a couple of areas and I've got no doubt he will be back to his best."

The Sharks can take a giant step to making it two straight years in the finals under Morris with victory over the Cowboys, who will be missing the NRL's most destructive forward Jason Taumalolo (calf).

But North Queensland will welcome back former Shark Valentine Holmes, who has been missing for more than a month due to an ankle complaint. He will make his return at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

"I do want to see a reaction this week and a response from the team," Morris said. "It wasn't good to have 38 points put against us [by Penrith] and we certainly need to tighten up our defence if we're going to do anything in the competition this year."

Morris has recalled New Zealand international Briton Nikora, who has been rushed back into the starting side to allow Siosifa Talakai to return to the bench and be part of the Sharks' middle rotation.

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/i-...n-despite-johnson-injury-20200828-p55qc3.html

This article puts forward the theory that it will be Trindall.

Could just be sensationalism though of course. It got me to click even though I only get a certain amount of SMH clicks per whatever period before it renews or you're supposed to subscribe.

 

[HaroldBishop]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/i-...n-despite-johnson-injury-20200828-p55qc3.html

This article puts forward the theory that it will be Trindall.

Could just be sensationalism though of course. It got me to click even though I only get a certain amount of SMH clicks per whatever period before it renews or you're supposed to subscribe.

I use a few different browsers for SMH. You get 30 clicks per month on each browser.

 

[Cage]

There wouldn't have been much point in bringing Trindall into the squad if there was any doubt that he he wasn't going to be allowed to play.

I hate bagging the bloke but you can see that even Moylan knows he is not up to scratch.

 

[Thresher]

I use a few different browsers for SMH. You get 30 clicks per month on each browser.

30 clicks is more than I thought, even for one browser. Cheers.

 

[Wiz]

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/i-...n-despite-johnson-injury-20200828-p55qc3.html

This article puts forward the theory that it will be Trindall.

Could just be sensationalism though of course. It got me to click even though I only get a certain amount of SMH clicks per whatever period before it renews or you're supposed to subscribe.

If those comments are from the coach like it says then it sounds pretty much certain Moylan isn’t playing and has been dropped completely.

Love it

 

[Thresher]

NRL Preview – Sharks v Cowboys
Author
Sharks Media

Sharks coach John Morris found it hard to hide his disappointment after last weekend’s match, driving home the message that the defensive attitude and mindset needs to change and it needs to change starting this weekend when his team tackles the North Queensland Cowboys.

The Sharks gave up seven tries in a 38-12 loss to the Panthers a week ago, as a result Matt Moylan lost his spot to youngster Connor Tracey and as Captain Wade Graham explains, the entire team is now on notice.


“It just shows where we are at as a team, we’re not happy with the level of consistency, our level of play, and neither are the coaching staff,” Graham offered.

“They made a decision to tweak the side so hopefully they get a reaction out of all the players and we play some better footy.

“We know our defence isn’t where it needs to be if we want to be a serious contender but we’re working hard to improve it. At this stage we’re letting ourselves down in little areas, in little moments in each game, so that’s what we’re striving to fix up.

“We’ve got to challenge ourselves to be a lot better,” he said.

Adding to the task tomorrow night the Sharks will go into the contest without key playmaker Shaun Johnson who aggravated his groin injury at training on Wednesday.

Johnson was officially ruled out prior to captains run, with youngster Braydon Trindall added to the 21-man squad. Morris has the option of including Trindall in his run on side, otherwise Graham is an option to partner Connor Tracey in the halves, the Sharks skipper having begun his career as a five eighth.

While the Sharks have plenty to play for with a finals berth on offer, the North Queensland outfit will be equally desperate in looking to end an eight-game losing streak.

Sitting 14th, North Queensland have failed to deliver through 15 rounds and while the absence of Jason Taumalolo hurts their cause, former Cowboys prop Braden Hamlin-Uele said he still believes there is enough quality in the ranks to trouble the Cronulla side.


“They’ve got representative players, Josh Maguire, (Jordan) MacLean, then Frankie Molo who is playing outstanding for them, Cohen Hess in the back row, they’ve all got talent and they all work hard for each other. We’ll have to be at our best to knock them over,” Hamlin Uele said.

And while Taumalolo is a big out, the addition of Valentine Holmes will certainly provide a boost, with the 2016 Sharks premiership winning winger set to play his first game following six weeks sidelined with injury.

In Sharks team news, local product Tracey is the man to come into the starting side in place of Moylan, Morris has a decision to make on his halves partner, with an interesting name on the extended bench that of Andrew Fifita, the NSW, Australian and Tongan representative front rower ready to return after overcoming hamstring and finger injuries.

In the head to head statistics, in 49 matches played between the two teams the Sharks hold a distinct advantage, having won 31 games as compared to 18 for the Cowboys. They have also won the past four and eight of the last 10 matches however traditionally there hasn’t been much in the final result, with 10 of the past 11 decided by 12 points or less.

In relation to games played in Sydney, the Sharks have won 15 of 20 matches against North Queensland during the home and away season.

The teams last met back in Round 4 in a match played in Townsville, the Sharks winning 26-16, with Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt and the Sharks duo of Ronaldo Mulitalo and Jesse Ramien all crossing for try-scoring doubles on the day.

The Sharks have scored the equal most tries in the NRL in 2020, the Cowboys conceding the second most tries, with only the Broncos giving up more. However, while North Queensland have some defensive issues to address, as alluded to by Graham, so to do the Sharks who are conceding the most line breaks and missing the most tackles of any side in the NRL competition.

In relation to player stats, Graham will move past club legend Steve Rogers and into eighth place for most matches played for the Cronulla club. Saturday night will be his 203rd NRL match for the Sharks.


Josh Dugan enjoys his best try scoring rate against the Cowboys, touching down for seven four-pointers in his past 10 matches against them, while Mulitalo has scored three times in two games against the North Queensland club.

Now second on the NRL leading try-scorers list with 13 on the season, Sione Katoa is yet to get across the line against the Cowboys.

Despite missing last week, Shaun Johnson still leads the NRL in try assists with 20, five clear of Tigers veteran Benji Marshall. Johnson has seven assists in his past three matches against the Cowboys.

And interim Cowboys coach Josh Hannay faces the only other club he ever played for aside from the Cowboys. Playing three matches for the Sharks under Ricky Stuart in 2007, Hannay quickly fell out of favour and infamously wound up playing park football for the Gymea Gorillas while still on an NRL contract.

The Sharks and Cowboys match kicks off at 5.30pm at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, with the two 19-man squads listed below.

Match: Sharks v Cowboys
ROUND 16 - SATURDAY 29TH AUGUST

5:30pm
Sharks
Home Team
Sharks

Cowboys
Away Team
Cowboys

Venue:Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney




Tom Opacic

https://www.sharks.com.au/news/2020...waJb208Cbeu2f0BiDLWcYy1FZWHd5F6l13Q8OqOXzOK7Q


Definitely No Moylan. This was posted by the Sharks.

 

[vicsharkfan]

I rarely get this feeling, but I feel that we are going to smash the be Jesus out of them this week..

Mmmm... not feeling it as much now.

 

[Thresher]

Mmmm... not feeling it as much now.

Ha ha. Wish I hadn't punted on them early. Rookie error. I need Sharks to win by 11.5.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Hope the refs dont **** us again this week.

 

[Thresher]

Hope the refs dont **** us again this week.

Same.

Who's reffing us this week?

 

[Cage]

Here's hoping Trindall and Tracey click, and both have blinders. I've been waiting to see this line-up for a long while. If Fifita gets a run too it will be icing on the cake.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Same.

Who's reffing us this week?

Dunno.

Do you know if Morris instructed the players to make any tackles this week??

 

[egg]

Here's hoping Trindall and Tracey click, and both have blinders. I've been waiting to see this line-up for a long while. If Fifita gets a run too it will be icing on the cake.

Yep , I'm with you .
Pretty exciting to see what they can do .
Trindall should be better for the experience last week

 

[vicsharkfan]

Sutton is our ref... is he the dude that loves a six again call?

 

[Thresher]

Dunno.

Do you know if Morris instructed the players to make any tackles this week??

Have I argued lately on whether ref decisions have cost us a game?

Under-performing teams are as entitled to fairness as anyone else. Whether they are a chance of winning or not.

 

[BlackWhiteBlue]

Have I argued lately on whether ref decisions have cost us a game?

Under-performing teams are as entitled to fairness as anyone else. Whether they are a chance of winning or not.

Mate all fans of all teams can find calls that go against their team. People on here never mention favourable decisions. From kick off its all the refs fault. Not the 30-40 missed tackles, dropped balls and stupid decisions that really determine our result. But yeah its always the ref.