Madimack Matchups - Sharks v Dragons

The Sharks must nullify the impact of some familiar faces when they venture into the Dragons' den at WIN Stadium on Sunday.

With premiership-winning former Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan at the helm and fellow 2016 history-maker Jack Bird now helping to pull the strings in the halves for the Red V, there are storylines aplenty leading into a much-anticipated local derby.

Ramping up the hype is the fact the Sharks are shooting for a fourth-straight victory in a bid to lock down an all-important top-four spot, while the eighth-placed Dragons are fighting to quality for the finals for the first time since 2018.

The head-to-head Madimack Matchups below will be key to deciding the outcome.

Madimack Matchups - Round 5

Daniel Atkinson v Jack Bird

Iceman Atkinson came up clutch twice in Cronulla's thrilling 19-18 win over the Knights last week. The playmaker first nailed a pressure sideline conversion to level the scores late in the second half, then booted a golden-point field goal. 

Boosted by having Braydon Trindall back from a hamstring injury to guide the team around the park, the unflappable Atkinson is ready to again play a steady hand.

Bird returned to St George Illawarra's NRL fold for the first time since Round 19 as a replacement for the suspended Kyle Flanagan in their last-start win over the Titans, contributing a line-break, four tackle busts and 81 metres at five-eighth.

Toby Rudolf v Francis Molo

Rudolf appears a player reborn after spending a week in reserve grade at the start of July, roaring back to top form as the enforcer of the pack in recent matches.

The front-rower appears unrestricted by the toe injury that hampered him previously, running with gusto to punch out 100-plus metres in his past four games.

Molo has been a mainstay for the Dragons this season, missing just one match and starting in all but two in helping to lay a solid platform for coach Flanagan's men.

Briton Nikora v Jaydn Su'A

Two world-class back-rowers with game-breaking ability, Nikora and Su'A will patrol the right edges for the respective teams and look to assert their dominance.

Nikora continued his hot try-scoring form against the Knights, making it five from his past eight outings. The powerful Su'A has been arguably St George Illawarra's best player in 2024, ascending back to State of Origin level for the Maroons.