Sharks set to renew Storm rivalry with big round six clash

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Fri 15 Apr 2022, 07:25 PM

The Sharks and Storm sit level in second position on the NRL ladder through five rounds, with identical win-loss records and matching differentials, throw in two of Melbourne’s favourite sons, now in Cronulla colours returning to face their former teammates, and a classic contest between evenly matched teams is almost assured.

Add the rivalry largely born in the Grand Final season of 2016 and there is plenty to look forward to in the game which kicks off at 7.30pm tomorrow night at AAMI Park in Melbourne.

Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon, despite his team winning its last four games, isn’t getting carried away at this early point in the season and realises the enormity of the challenge awaiting his team this weekend.

“It will be a difficult challenge, but one we’re looking forward to,” Fitzgibbon began. “It’s too early to get an exact form line, we’ve been improving gradually and we’ll see where we’re at.

“But it would be impossible to ignore their history and their standards. It’s going to be a hard game.”

While the Sharks have lost just once in 2022, to the Raiders in week one, similarly the Storm been on the wrong side of the ledger on only occasion as well, suffering a loss to the Parramatta Eels.

“We’ve had a good look at that game,” Fitzgibbon said of the round three match between Melbourne and Parramatta. “Two heavyweights right down to the wire. It was a standard performance for two top teams going at it.”

However throwing a twist into the Sharks and Storm match up is the form of two ex-Storm standouts in Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes, with the pair outstanding for their new club and set to face their old mates for the first time.

“I don’t feel too different at the moment,” Finucane said at his mid-week media call. “Obviously playing a team I played seven years at, there’s an element of familiarity, but it’s just another game for me."

As for passing on any hints to his current coach and teammates, Finucane wasn't convinced that would make too much difference.

“It’s one thing knowing what’s coming, it’s another thing stopping it,” he reasoned.

In the head to head stats from games between the two teams, the Storm hold a 27-15 win advantage in the 42 matches played, with Melbourne coming out on top in the past four encounters. Since the 2016 Grand Final, the Storm have won six of 10.

Interestingly, in the Melbourne team this week have just Cameron Munster and brothers Jesse and Kenny Bromwich remaining from their Grand Final side, while Cronulla has only Andrew Fifita, with skipper Wade Graham, the other player from the 2016 squad remaining at the Sharks, still sidelined with an ankle injury.

The teams last met in the final round of 2021 in a match which was won by the Storm 28-16, a result that knocked the Sharks out of Finals contention.

The Storm have won 16 of the 22 matches played in Victoria against the Sharks, who have been successful only twice in 12 attempts at Melbourne’s current home of AAMI Park, those wins coming in 2017 and 2018.

The Sharks and Storm sit in equal second place on the NRL ladder after five rounds, with four wins apiece and the identical differential of plus-65 points.

The four wins from the Sharks represents the first time since 2008 the Cronulla club has started a season at least 4-1 through five rounds, while they will be aiming to win five matches from the opening six for just the fourth time in club history.

In 1978, when they finished second before losing a Grand Final replay to Manly, in 1981 when fourth then losing the Minor Preliminary Final and in 1999 in a season where the Sharks were Minor Premiers before bowing out in a Preliminary Final loss to St George Illawarra, the only other occasions they have managed five wins from their first six games.

In emphasising that defense has been the hallmark of their recent success, the Sharks are conceding the fewest line breaks and the second fewest metres in the NRL competition so far.

From a players perspective, Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes will play their first match against the Storm since leaving the Melbourne club to join the Sharks this season.

Finucane played 152 matches over seven years for the Storm, captaining the team on 17 occasions, with Hynes playing 36 matches and scoring 164 points over three seasons in Melbourne, scoring 164 point for the club.

In team news, Briton Nikora is unavailable due to Covid, his place taken in the starting side by Cameron McInnes, while Sione Katoa is also a late withdrawal with a knee issue. Mawene Hiroti comes in the Sharks run-on team for Katoa and Braydon Trindall has been added to the interchange bench.

The Sharks v Storm match is scheduled for a 7.30pm kick off at AAMI Park in Melbourne tomorrow night, with the two 19-man squads listed below.

Round 6 - Round 6 - Saturday 16 Apr

Full Time

Storm

Sharks

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Storm is number 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy
Winger for Storm is number 2 Nick Meaney

Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo
Centre for Storm is number 3 Reimis Smith

Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien
Centre for Storm is number 4 Justin Olam

Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa Talakai
Winger for Storm is number 5 Xavier Coates

Winger for Sharks is number 19 Mawene Hiroti
Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Cameron Munster

Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Matt Moylan
Halfback for Storm is number 7 Jahrome Hughes

Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas Hynes

Forwards

Prop for Storm is number 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Toby Rudolf
Hooker for Storm is number 9 Harry Grant

Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey
Prop for Storm is number 14 Brandon Smith

Prop for Sharks is number 10 Braden Hamlin-Uele
2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Felise Kaufusi

2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton
2nd Row for Storm is number 16 Trent Loiero

2nd Row for Sharks is number 15 Cameron McInnes
Lock for Storm is number 13 Josh King

Lock for Sharks is number 13 Dale Finucane

Interchange

Interchange for Storm is number 15 Tyran Wishart

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Aiden Tolman
Interchange for Storm is number 17 Tepai Moeroa

Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Jack Williams
Interchange for Storm is number 18 Chris Lewis

Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Andrew Fifita
Interchange for Storm is number 19 Alec MacDonald

Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Braydon Trindall