Here is all you need to know about the Cronulla Sharks' revised 2020 Telstra Premiership draw.
The Lowdown
Teams they play twice
Dragons, Titans, Panthers, Cowboys, Warriors.
Teams they play once
Rabbitohs, Storm, Wests Tigers, Bulldogs, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Eels, Knights, Roosters, Raiders.
Day-by-day breakdown
Friday - 3 games, Saturday - 11, Sunday - 6
The restart
The Sharks get underway against Wests Tigers at Bankwest before a trip to Townsville in round four then the Dragons at Campbelltown in what they will view as three winnable games.
Five key match-ups
Wests Tigers (Round 3, Bankwest Stadium): Cronulla used to pilfer so many Wests players, punters took to calling them the Cronulla Tiger-Sharks. While the likes of Chris Heighington, Beau Ryan and Blake Ayshford have moved on, Andrew Fifita is still around to fly the flag. More immediately, the crucial round-three points on offer and the lingering feeling from last year's round 25 winner-takes-all Leichhardt clash make this one to watch out for.
Cowboys (Round 4, Queensland Country Bank Stadium; Round 16, Venue TBC): The return of Valentine Holmes from the NFL to North Queensland makes this one a beauty - not everyone at the Sharks was impressed with the timing of his exit last year. Cronulla's rough treatment dished out to Johnathan Thurston and Michael Morgan has also raised the temperature of these clashes in recent years.
Dragons (Round 5, Campbelltown Stadium; Round 11, Venue TBC): Cronulla were due to call the Dragons' Kogarah base home in 2020, but this first match in the local derby will now be played out of south-western Sydney. The Sharks will be looking to consign their rivals to more pain after downing the Red V twice last year.
The best are coming back
Sea Eagles (Round 7, Central Coast Stadium): The Sharks will be smarting from their last start in the Battle of the Beaches. A finals flop in Manly against a severely depleted Sea Eagles side which ended Paul Gallen's career.
Panthers (Round 9, Bankwest Stadium; Round 15, Venue TBC): Matt Moylan somehow saves his best for his old Penrith teammates. Coincidence? Sure, believe what you want. Usually pretty tight games too. Cronulla have won seven of their last eight against the Panthers, but four of those have been by a try or less.
It's game on
Toughest stretch
Rounds 19-20. With the Bunnies and Storm already in the rearview mirror, the Sharks don't have many oppressive runs in their remaining draw but the double-whammy of Roosters and Raiders in the last two rounds will make sure they're finals hardened if they're good enough to make it.
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