Flegg Sharks, Jets to share stage as finals begin
Cronulla's Jersey Flegg youngsters and NSW Cup feeder team the Newtown Jets will feature back-to-back as they kick off their finals campaigns at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday afternoon.
First up at 3pm is a sudden-death clash with the Knights for the red-hot under-21 Sharks, who claimed the last spot in the five-team Flegg playoffs on the back of a seven-match winning streak in which they racked up six scores above 40.
Straight after that fixture, the Jets will face the Raiders at 5pm for a spot in a grand final qualifier against first-placed North Sydney, having earned a finals double chance by finishing second – just one competition point behind the minor premiers.
Andrew Dallalana's Flegg side will be bolstered by the inclusions of NRL training squad members Siteni Taukamo and Michael Gabrael. Taukamo will line up at fullback after playing on the wing for the Jets in their past two games, with electric centre Gabrael returning from a one-match suspension for high contact.
Match: Knights v Sharks
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Knights
4th Position
away Team
Sharks
5th Position
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
Other key players like flying winger Kristian Dixon and rampaging props Salesi Ataata and Felix Faatili have benefitted from stints with Newtown this year, while halfback Riley Pollard (pictured at top) has trained extensively with the NRL team.
Though the Sharks demolished Newcastle 40-16 at McDonald Jones Stadium to spark their winning run in Round 20, the Knights were missing star halfback and captain Liam Sutton and front-rower Sebastian Su'a due to NSW Cup duties.
Still, the dominant performance will provide a shot of confidence for Cronulla, who will aim to emulate the feats of Parramatta last season in surging deep into the finals from fifth place as they chase the club's second Flegg premiership.
The George Ndaira-coached Jets, meanwhile, have defied the trickle-down effect of injuries and suspensions to the NRL squad throughout the year to maintain their strong form with a rotating cast of talented players, winning 15 of 24 games.
Match: Jets v Raiders
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Jets
2nd Position
away Team
Raiders
3rd Position
Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Sydney
A host of Sharks NRL training squad members, including emerging fullback Liam Ison, wingers Sam Stonestreet and Tom Rodwell, centre Chris Vea'ila, halfback Niwhai Puru, hooker Jayden Berrell, prop Tuku Hau Tapuha and back-rower Billy Burns, have been central to Newtown's success and loom as key figures again.
Stonestreet returns to the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for the first time since Round 17, fresh off scoring consecutive doubles for Cronulla's NRL side.
Jets playmaker Puru is set to square off against his brother Hohepa, who will start at lock and captain the Raiders. Newtown drew with third-ranked Canberra 28-all in Round 4 before suffering an injury-plagued 42-12 loss in Round 8.
For those unable to make it to Leichhardt Oval, Saturday's Jersey Flegg and Knock-On Effect NSW Cup finals will be livestreamed on NSWRL TV.
