Week 1 Semi Final 4 Sharks v Rabbits

Sharks v Rabbits - SUN 13 SEPTEMBER, 4.10PM, ALLIANZ STADIUM | BUY TICKETS

Sharks
1 Michael Gordon
2 Sosaia Feki
3 Gerard Beale
4 Ricky Leutele
5 Valentine Holmes
6 Jack Bird
7 Jeff Robson
8 Chris Heighington
9 Michael Ennis
10 Sam Tagataese
11 Luke Lewis
12 Wade Graham
13 Paul Gallen (c)

Interchange
14 Ben Barba
15 Anthony Tupou
16 Andrew Fifita
17 Jayson Bukuya
18 Matt Prior
21 Tinirau Arona
22 David Fifita

Coach: Shane Flanagan

Rabbitohs
1 Greg Inglis
2 Alex Johnston
3 Dylan Walker
4 Kirisome Auva'a
5 Bryson Goodwin
6 Luke Keary
7 Adam Reynolds
8 Thomas Burgess
9 Cameron McInnes
10 David Tyrrell
11 Glenn Stewart
12 Chris McQueen
13 Kyle Turner

Interchange
14 Jason Clark
15 Paul Carter
16 Chris Grevsmuhl
17 Tim Grant

Coach: Michael Maguire

Sharks v Rabbitohs Elimination Final preview
Allianz Stadium Sunday 4:10pm

http://www.nrl.com

It's a tale of a team with no Premierships taking on the most successful club in the game's history, but the Sharks come into this clash with no injuries while South Sydney are limping into the finals.

In Cronulla you have a full strength team - with Andrew Fifita named to return from suspension - which has had their ups and downs leading into the finals – no down being bigger than their 14-12 loss to the Sea Eagles last Sunday that cost them a spot in the top 4.

But really that's the tip of the iceberg for their opponents South Sydney who enter the finals on the back of three-straight losses and with no George Burgess, John Sutton and Issac Luke available.

Their starts have been abysmal with two 22-0 deficits against the Bulldogs and Broncos before being shut out 30-0 by the minor premiers Roosters in recent weeks.

They will however welcome back Greg Inglis at fullback with Alex Johnston returning to the wing in place of Joel Reddy, while Dave Tyrrell comes into at prop for Burgess.

Cronulla will be boosted by return of Fifita and Ben Barba on their bench – at the expense of Matt Prior and Tinirau Arona – for what is Jayson Bukuya's 100th NRL game.

Watch out Sharks: Inglis has confirmed his status as an absolute certainty to play the Sharks. The captain's return should offer a huge boost, and it will allow Alex Johnston and Dylan Walker – who have replaced Inglis over the past fortnight – to return to the roles they have been developing all season long.

Watch out Rabbitohs: Fifita is back on the bench and surely keen to rip and tear into the weakened Rabbitohs pack. While his six week suspension was born from shameful reasons, his return nonetheless couldn't be timelier, he's averaged 170 metres and 30.4 tackles per game.

Key Match-Up: Jeff Robson v Adam Reynolds. The reason why this key match-up is so vital is because both men need to stand up and be counted. Sure it's hard to command the ball away from Michael Ennis and Paul Gallen but that's exactly what Sharks' halfback Robson needs to do. For a playmaker to appear in every game this year and only produce five try assists shows how much the team relies on Ennis specifically. His Rabbitoh counterpart is a completely different prospect. After a huge start to the season Reynolds has since had an injury-ravaged year and hasn't returned to his early-season form. His nine try assists aren't the worst but without Sutton, Luke and Burgess about he needs to take more responsibility.

The History: Played 83; Sharks 43, Rabbitohs 37, Drawn 3. Since 2011 the Sharks and Rabbitohs have been trading wins. Currently at four wins and four losses each in this time, Cronulla's 18-10 victory in the infamous Sharknado game back in Round 7 means history suggests a South Sydney win.

What are the Odds: Sportsbet punters can't decide who'll win this game with money split 50-50 between the two sides in the head-to-head market. Both sides have been backed to win by 1-12 but Valentine Holmes is the one they want from a first try scorer perspective. Latest odds at Sportsbet.com.au

Match Officials: Referee: Matt Cecchin. Assistant Referee: Ashley Klein. Sideline Officials: Steve Carrall and Adam Reid. Video Referees: Shayne Hayne and Henry Perenara.

Televised: Channel Nine (Live) – 3:30pm

The Way We See It: Considering the Rabbitohs' recent form and who they are missing you have to think the Sharks will be too good. With Fifita back in the mix they are a completely healthy team going up against another who is missing three key forwards. Sharks by 10 points.

Really hoping Souths can regain some form and luck.

Week off fuels McQueen's fire

Jack Brady Sun 13 Sep, 2015, 6:00am
By Jack Brady*, National Correspondent, NRL.com

Missing out on playing in the Rabbitohs' 47-12 loss to the Broncos a fortnight ago couldn't have been the worst thing, but for South Sydney back-rower Chris McQueen it was absolute torture.


Given the week off by coach Michael Maguire, putting rumours to bed he had been dropped to Souths' NSW Cup feeder team the North Sydney Bears, McQueen took the opportunity to motivate himself and fire up for the business end of the season.

Watching on from the sideline as the Brisbane ran eight tries past his beloved Rabbitohs, McQueen feels he is now primed for a big one in Souths' elimination final clash with the Sharks on Sunday.

"It was a moment for me to put things into perspective. Obviously sitting there and watching the Brisbane game from the sideline wasn't pretty, it wasn't easy and it wasn't a good feeling," McQueen told NRL.com.

"Knowing I was just sitting there and couldn't do anything [was terrible]. It's reignited that fire within now to get out there and rip in for my teammates."

McQueen's going to have to as well in the absence of teammates and fellow forwards George Burgess, John Sutton and Issac Luke.

Admitting there is an onus on every one of the 17 men throwing on the cardinal and myrtle jersey to lift, McQueen was hopeful his team can reverse their recent defensive woes having conceded 109 points in their last three games.

"We have leaked far too many points the past month so we have been working hard at it and if we can get that right then we'll definitely be competitive," McQueen said.

"It's not so much bashing ourselves into submission but it's more about getting our technique right and I guess committing your body to the tackle.

"In saying that the past three weeks don't matter, you play for 26 rounds to make the finals and we have done that.

"It's definitely refreshing and especially with it being sudden death we know what we have to do is play football. We don't have to worry about other results."

Of the Sharks, McQueen knows Souths have to be better if they are to peg back their 18-10 loss to the men from the Shire back in Round 7.

A renowned game, mainly for the atrocious conditions that wreaked havoc at Remondis Stadium McQueen noted Cronulla are serious contenders to take out their maiden premiership.

"I think a few people have been surprised this year by the Sharks but we aren't surprised because they have some great players," he said.

"They had to play in those conditions back then as well and we're not going to play in anything like it this weekend, though they beat us so we have to better."

Sharks end Rabbitohs' title defence

Jack Brady Sun 13 Sep, 2015, 6:01pm
By Jack Brady*, National Correspondent, NRL.com

Last year's wooden-spooners Cronulla Sharks ended the premiership defence of the South Sydney Rabbitohs with an impressive 28-12 victory at Allianz Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

In a season that will be remembered for their faulty finish and not their World Club Challenge, Auckland Nines and Charity Shield wins – with Souths ending their year with four-straight losses – it would be their opponents instead who'd bounce back in the best way imaginable after missing out on a top four berth last weekend.

The Sharks will now head to Townsville to face the North Queensland Cowboys in the semi finals this Saturday night, though will have some concerns with Michael Ennis on report and Valentine Holmes carrying a suspected corked quadriceps.

The 27,000 strong Allianz Stadium crowd also ensured a week one finals attendance record, with 131,794 fans making attending four games over the weekend.

While they won big by game's end there was concerns Cronulla would have to make do with 16 men when Andrew Fifita headed up the tunnel with back spasms before a ball was kicked. After coming out twice for mini fitness tests in the 18th and 26th minute, Fifita finally ended his six-week suspension exodus in the backend of the first stanza.

As Fifita was furiously getting worked on by club doctors, the opening stages of the game was all South Sydney who were out to reverse the past three weeks of shutout starts. Luke Keary was placed on report for a possible eye gouge on Shark Paul Gallen.

The first try of the match came midway through the first half when Sharks five-eighth Jack Bird took it upon himself to score. Handed the ball for an apparent backline movement, Bird pushed past Kirisome Auva'a and outpaced Greg Inglis to eventually put the ball down.

A high shot on Sharks winger Sosaia Feki by Inglis in the 31st minute presented Cronulla a chance in good territory which they took a minute later when back-rower Wade Graham freakishly caught a Jeff Robson grubber one handed before bringing it back into both hands to score his side's second of the match.

A 35th minute forward pass from the play the ball by winger Alex Johnston in their own half saw Cronulla forward Anthony Tupou score his second try of the season. After hooker Michael Ennis held up defenders Tim Grant and Paul Carter, his well-timed pass allowed Tupou to slice through and power over Inglis to cross under the black dot.

Keary looked to have pegged one back for South Sydney in the 50th minute after gathering an Ennis grubber in-goal and racing 105 metres to apparently score under the posts. Ruled no try initially, it was exactly that, after Jason Clark obstructed Robson as Keary began his run downfield.

In an eight point turnaround Gordon's penalty goal moments later secured Cronulla a 20-point lead which was furthered when prop Sam Tagataese forced his way past the terrible defence of Carter and Chris Grevsmuhl to score in the 60th minute.

Inglis was placed on report for a careless swinging arm on a concussed Gallen after the Sharks skipper made a memorable 35 metre run through South Sydney's turnstile defence, which saw Gordon step up again four minutes later to kick another penalty goal.

Rabbitohs centre Dylan Walker pegged one try back in the 67th minute while Grevsmuhl made the scoreline more respectable in the 76th minute but by then it was far too late for the reigning premiers.

Cronulla Sharks 28 (Jack Bird, Wade Graham, Anthony Tupou, Sam Tagataese Tries; Michael Gordon 6 Goals) defeated South Sydney Rabbitohs 12 (Dylan Walker, Chris Grevsmuhl Tries; Adam Reynolds 2 Goals) at Allianz Stadium. Crowd: 27,031. Half-time: Sharks 18-0. On Report: Luke Keary (Rabbitohs) – 7th minute; Greg Inglis (Rabbitohs) – 64th minute; Michael Ennis (Sharks) – 68th minute.