Round 9: Sharks v Dragons preview
Premiership-winning coach Shane Flanagan will return to the Shire in rival colours for the first time when the Cronulla Sharks host the St George Illawarra Dragons on Sunday afternoon.
Sitting atop the premiership ladder as one of the in-form teams of the premiership, the Cronulla Sharks will be looking to continue their winning run to five straight matches.
Accounting for the Raiders last Sunday with a 40-0 shutout in Canberra, the Craig Fitzgibbon coached side will be hoping to score 40 points in three consecutive matches for the first time since 1999 and only the second time in Cronulla history.
Winning nine of their past ten clashes against the Dragons, including the past seven in succession, the Sharks have named Toby Rudolf on the bench with Tuku Hau Tapuha reverting to the extended squad in an otherwise unchanged line-up.
The Sharks hold an impressive record at PointsBet Stadium with 18 wins from 25 matches at the venue during Fitzgibbon's tenure as coach.
The St George Illawarra Dragons will be looking to reverse recent history with a bounce-back result in the wake of a disastrous performance on ANZAC Day.
Conceding 60 points for only the second time in the history of the joint venture following a 60-18 thrashing at the hands of the Roosters last Thursday, coach Flanagan has recalled Mikaele Ravalawa to replace Moses Suli (concussion) in the backline; Luciano Leilua has been included in the extended squad.
The Dragons haven't won at PointsBet Stadium since 2018 and hold a historically poor record at the venue with eight wins from 22 appearances.
Having guided the Sharks to their long-awaited maiden premiership eight years ago, Flanagan will have no shortage of motivation in his return to Shark Park after being barred from holding a head coaching role for breaching the conditions of an NRL-imposed suspension.
Last meeting: Round 18 2023 - Sharks 52 Dragons 16
Who to watch: Going from an impactful interchange player to one of the Sharks' best forwards over the opening third of the season, Tom Hazelton has thrived in his elevation to the starting side. Averaging over 100 running metres and 26 tackles in 40 minutes of game time each week, the 25-year-old front-rower has reaped the rewards as a try-scorer in back-to-back matches over the past fortnight.
Currently contracted on a club option for next season, look for Hazelton to secure an upgraded deal if recent performances continue.
While much of the attention will be centred on his coach ahead of Sunday's local derby, premiership winning centre Jack Bird will have no shortage of motivation as he lines up against his former club. Set to make his 150th appearance in first grade nine years on from his debut, the 29-year-old has shown tremendous resilience in a career that has featured representative honours and multiple long-term injuries.
Benefitting from the consistency of locking down a position after years of shifting between the backline, halves and forward pack, Bird last scored at PointsBet all the way back in 2016.
Favourite: It should come as little surprise to see the Sharks favoured in a contest pitting the best defensive team against one of the worst in the league.
My tip: All the signs point to the Sharks getting the job done on Sunday afternoon - and there's little to dissuade from that position! Sharks by 20.
