Official Trial 2 vs Sharks Team List and Discussion Thread

Cronulla Sharks vs Canterbury Bulldogs​

Kick-off: Monday, February 28, 6:00pm (AEDT)
Venue: PointsBet Stadium, Cronulla
Telecast: Fox Sports / Kayo LIVE

Monday's clash will see Nicho Hynes and Dale Finucane in a Sharks jersey for the first time, with Braydon Trindall afforded another opportunity in the halves alongside him after a poor effort last week.
The Sharks appear to be relatively close to full strength, with Will Kennedy at the back, Connor Tracey in the centres, and Wade Graham, Jesse Ramien, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Blayke Brailey also playing their first game for the year.

The Canterbury side looks fairly similar to what will trot out in Round 1, with Matt Burton and Tevita Pangai Junior named to make their first starts for the club in the halves and second row respectively.
Burton will be joined in the halves by Jake Averillo, while Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Dufty, Brent Naden and Paul Vaughan are among the other recruits to be named. Jack Hetherington will play in the second row, with Josh Jackson at lock, while Brandon Wakeham, Kyle Flanagan and Josh Cook - in contention for spine positions - are on a long interchange bench and will get a chance at some point.

​

Cronulla Sharks​

1. Will Kennedy
2. Sione Katoa
3. Connor Tracey
4. Jesse Ramien
5. Ronaldo Mulitalo
6. Braydon Trindall
7. Nicho Hynes
8. Toby Rudolf
9. Blayke Brailey
10. Braden Hamlin-Uele
11. Briton Nikora
12. Wade Graham
13. Dale Finucane

Interchange
14. Matt Ikuvalu
15. Teig Wilton
16. Andrew Fifita
17. Siosifa Talakai
18. Royce Hunt
19. Luke Metcalf
20. Lachlan Miller
21. Tom Hazelton
22. Jayden Berrell

​

Canterbury Bulldogs​

1. Matthew Dufty
2. Jayden Okunbor
3. Aaron Schoupp
4. Brent Naden
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Matt Burton
7. Jake Averillo
8. Luke Thompson
9. Jeremy Marshall-King
10. Paul Vaughan
11. Jack Hetherington
12. Tevita Pangai Junior
13. Josh Jackson

Interchange
14. Brandon Wakeham
15. Chris Patolo
16. Max King
17. Corey Waddell
19. Khaled Rajeb
20. Braidon Burns
21. Lipoi Hipoi
22. Paul Alamoti
23. Ava Seumanufagai
24. Bailey Biondi-Odo
25. Declan Casey
26. Kyle Flanagan
27. Joe Stimson
28. Jackson Topine
29. Josh Cook

 

[spiritofaslan]

First grade additions from last week: Brent Naden, Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton, Jack Hetherington.
Other player additions from last week: Braidon Burns back from injury, Khaled Rajeb, Lipoi Hipoi, Jackson Topine.

Okunbor up against either of those wingers is a dead set disaster if he has a repeat performance, but thankfully Casey / Burns / Alamoti there as backup.

Rajeb is an up and coming halves player, who has already seen success in lower grades. I think hes playing Flegg this year.
Hopoi has been with the club some years and is a tough, no nonsense ball running lock.
Topine played NSW Cup last week before the NRL game.

RFM and Doorey still remain injured.

 

[boxer]

Why Okunbor why I don’t get it.

 

[spiritofaslan]

Why Okunbor why I don’t get it.

Final chance I'm guessing. We have Burns, Naden, and JAC back in the side plus Burton and Hetho. If Okunbor still has a shit of a game, I'd say he's NSW Cup in Round 1.

 

[spiritofaslan]

Game brought forwards 1hr to 6pm live on Monday.

 

[boxer]

Final chance I'm guessing. We have Burns, Naden, and JAC back in the side plus Burton and Hetho. If Okunbor still has a shit of a game, I'd say he's NSW Cup in Round 1.

His had 50 chances, he is terrible.

 

[Captain Ibis]

One thing that was evident from game one is defence has improved. The structure and movement is better, and its more aggressive and resilient. Hopefully they can keep it up.

Dufty must be getting the full 80 as I don't see Creedence Toia on the list. I'd of put him in for Okunbor.

 

[Captain Ibis]

Did you guys watch the game? A pretty average showing I'm hearing

 

[boxer]

Did you guys watch the game? A pretty average showing I'm hearing

Nope didn’t watch it but saw the highlights, we looked very soft in defence.

 

[spiritofaslan]

Did you guys watch the game? A pretty average showing I'm hearing

Was doing the lawns and missed the first part. Went back and pretty much watched most of the game.

Sharks first 2 tries came off mistakes close to our line (Okunbor was one). They then scored 2 rapid fire tries in about 8 minutes before half time (no thanks to a brain explosion by Pangai-Jr which might see him suspended).

Our only try was from a nice show and go from Burton. We did go over a second time through a wonderful bit of work by Burton putting a flying Naden over, but it was disallowed due to a bullshit obstruction call.

Okunbor once again caught out in defence, Jackson looks absolutely shot too.

Thompson was trying hard out there and making good metres. Averillo and Burton showed good signs at times, and Burton is going to be huge for us. Dufty looked threatening out there too at times.

Wakeham played the entire second half at hooker and didn't go too badly either.

 

[boxer]

Jmk and Okunbor seriously need to be kicked off the team.
Also I looked at the stats 7-1 penalties in the first half and 9-5 at the end of the game.
Now you can see the blow out in the first half 24-6 and second half 6-0.
Ref really played his part.

 

[BomberBurton]

Band-Aid Barrett's new recruits have not hidden his inability to coach a side effectively.

 

[Captain Ibis]

So did Cook get any game time? BBO?

 

[Captain Ibis]

a mixed team really needs an experienced coach.. Shane Flanagan is the obvious choice and I reckon he'd get the best out of Kyle too

 

[Captain Ibis]

Do you guys get the sense that we have 3 good cop coaches but no bad cop?

I reckon Trent is gonna start upping the ante knowing he won't last long under Gus if things don't change.

 

[spiritofaslan]

So did Cook get any game time? BBO?

Wakeham played hooker in second half. Casey, Toia, Kiraz and Rajeb got some game time as did Flanno right at the end. Only thing Flanno did was knock the ball on with his first touch.

 

[BomberBurton]

Wakeham did more than Flanno at least.

 

[Captain Ibis]

So was the team that much worse than last week? the score suggests so.. I thought they showed more resolve last week but this week it appears Cronulla were having a training session

 

[spiritofaslan]

So was the team that much worse than last week? the score suggests so.. I thought they showed more resolve last week but this week it appears Cronulla were having a training session

Tough call.. it was a strange game and the first with a full strength side.

Sharks scored first off a Bulldogs mistake. Then we hit back to level the scores, before conceeding another try from a mistake a few sets later. That made it 12-6 to Sharks. Then a TPJ brain explosion occured and they scored twice quickly (one from a piggy back of penalties). That made it 24-6 at half time, and we struggled to get back into it from there.

Had 1 or 2 tries disallowed though (one to JAC and another to Naden).

 

[Captain Ibis]

Tough call.. it was a strange game and the first with a full strength side.

Sharks scored first off a Bulldogs mistake. Then we hit back to level the scores, before conceeding another try from a mistake a few sets later. That made it 12-6 to Sharks. Then a TPJ brain explosion occured and they scored twice quickly (one from a piggy back of penalties). That made it 24-6 at half time, and we struggled to get back into it from there.

Had 1 or 2 tries disallowed though (one to JAC and another to Naden).

Ahh k one of those games. It's going to be tough with TPJ and Hetherington going forward, hopefully JJ can bring them into line.