Madimack Matchups - Sharks v Warriors
Emotions will run high as third-placed Cronulla host a Warriors side containing the retiring Shaun Johnson and star 2025 Sharks recruit Addin Fonua-Blake at PointsBet Stadium on Saturday night.
With the Warriors having the bye in the final round of the regular season next week, they'll be determined to farewell Johnson on a high. But Cronulla will be equally motivated to claim victory and remain in the hunt for a top-two finish.
As always, there will be battles within the battle as several world-class players prepare to square off against each other and gain an advantage for their teams.
Read on for this week's Madimack Matchups.
Madimack Matchups - Round 26
Kayal Iro v Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Flying the flag for the Cook Islands, Iro and Nicoll-Klokstad will clash in the centres with the Warriors star shifting from fullback due to Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's absence.
The ever-consistent Iro continues to deliver during a tremendous rookie season, scoring his fourth try in five games in last week's win over the Dragons while recording 198 metres (he's passed 115m in every match) and missing zero tackles.
While it's been a tough campaign for the Warriors, Nicoll-Klokstad's determination cannot be questioned, with an average of 208 metres per match (fifth-best of all players this season). How he adjusts to his positional switch remains to be seen, but he's filled the role at the international level for New Zealand.
Cameron McInnes v Dylan Walker
When Dale Finucane reached 250 games this year, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon marvelled that few other players have fit as much into a career.
The same can be said about Cameron McInnes, who will celebrate his 200th NRL appearance on Saturday night. Like Finucane, with whom he shared the captaincy before his medical retirement in April, McInnes only knows one way – one hundred miles an hour, all the time. As always, the lock will lead from the front this week.
Rival No.13 Walker has transitioned to a full-time member of the Warriors' starting pack after enjoying success as a super-sub in 2023. His stats have been strong, averaging 129 metres, 29 tackles and punching out 80 minutes last round.
Sione Katoa v Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
After a week off due to concussion protocols, flying finisher Katoa is back and needs just two tries to equal Mat Rogers (75) as the Sharks' fifth-highest all-time try-scorer. He also requires two four-pointers to equal his best haul of 16 in a season.
Katoa's tackle-breaking ability is somewhat underrated – he ranks fifth among all players this season with a total of 114 (average of six per match).
Warriors winger Watene-Zelezniak is also on the verge of a monumental milestone, sitting just two shy of 100 career tries. Having touched down seven times from his past 11 starts, DWZ will be a handful for Cronulla's defence.
