GAME ONE: Cronulla-Sutherland v North Queensland
Round 19 BIG LEAGUE 2019 37
ATTACK
DEFENCE
MATCH AVERAGES
HEAD-TO-HEAD
AT POINTSBET STADIUM
WINNING FORM
PAST8 CLASHES
2019 –
2018 –
2017 –
2016 –
BIGGEST HEAD-TO-HEAD WINS
NEXT CLASH
CASUALTY WARD
DATE:THURSDAY,JULY 25
VENUE:POINTSBETSTADIUM
KICK-OFF:7. 5 0 P M
REFEREE:MATTCECCHIN
ASSISTANTREFEREE:JONSTONE
TOUCHJUDGES:DAVIDMUNRO& PHILHENDERSON
SENIORREVIEWOFFICIAL:STEVECHIDDY
REVIEWOFFICIAL:BENGALEA
CHANNEL9 & FOXLEAGUE:7.30PM
LIVERADIO: ABC, TRIPLE M,NRLNATION
COWBOYS
13th(16 )
285
354
47
79%
30
11
5
62
37
21
4
3
4
17
21
181
324
1574
9
10
3
71%
SHARKS
11th(16 )
340
349
62
72%
37
16
6
54
40
8
6
4
3
20
21
175
329
1536
10
11
4
68%
HEAD-TO-HEADLEADERS
AVERAGE METRES
Josh McGuire 156
Jordan McLean 135
AVERAGETACKLES
Jake Granville 36
Jayden Brailey 35
Josh McGuire 31
LINE-BREAKS
Bronson Xerri 8
Josh Dugan 7
STATS
PointsBetStadium
Thursday7.50pm
Form:TheSharkshave
sevengameslefttoextricate
themselvesfromthesizable
holetheyhavedugsince
Round14.Aftera runoffive
winsfromsevengames,the
Sharkshadclimbedtosixth
andwithseveralplayersdue
backfrominjury,theywere
considereda darkhorsefor
thepremiership.Butinstead
ofmakinga chargeforthetop
four,theSharkshaveslumped
to11thaftera frustrating
runoffive-straightlosses.
Theirinjurysituationhasnot
improvedbutwithfiveoftheir
remainingsevengamesat
PointsBet Stadium it is not too
lateforthemtomakea late
charge.TheCowboyshavebeen
forcedtodealwiththeirown
injurywoes,whichhavegrown
moreacuteastheseasonhas
progressed.They’velostfour
oftheirpastfivegames,most
bynarrowmargins,andsit
13thontheladder.They’restill
closeenoughtoforcea placein
theeightbutit’slikelytotake
sixwinsfromtheirfinalseven
gamestoseala play-offberth.
History:TheSharkshave
establisheda dominanceover
theCowboyssince2016,
winningsixofthepasteight
encountersandthepastfour
atPointsBetStadium.Cronulla
wereemphatic42-16winners
earlier this season, with Chad
TownsendandJoshMorris
bothcollectingtwotries.
Dangersign:Despitescoring
moretriesthantheiropposition
andlosingforthefourthtime
intheirpastfivegames,the
Sharkswerenotletdownby
goalkickingagainsttheWarriors
lastFridaynight.ShaunJohnson
bootedthreefromthreein
difficultconditions,aneffort
thatshouldlifthisconfidence.
BestBet?Lookforthe
Sharkstomaintaintheirrecent
supremacyovertheCowboysto
posta winby1-12points.
Money-spinner:Playersto
considerforFirstTryscorer
areSosaiaFekiandKyleFeldt,
orforvalue,looktoSharks
second-rower Briton Nikora.
byDAVIDMIDDLETON
NRLPreview @Middleton_David
Sharks, Cowboys desperate for form reversal
SCOTT DRINKWATER
3
tackle-
breaksin
Round 18