Cronulla Sharks 2022 draw snapshot

Here is all you need to know about the Cronulla Sharks' 2022 Telstra Premiership draw.

The Lowdown

Teams they play twice

Storm, Sea Eagles, Knights, Titans, Raiders, Dragons, Warriors, Wests Tigers, Bulldogs

Teams they play once

Panthers, Rabbitohs, Roosters, Eels, Broncos, Cowboys

Day-by-day breakdown

Thursday 4; Friday 3; Saturday 11; Sunday 6.

Opening month

A tricky trip to Canberra opens Cronulla's season before a long-awaited return to Pointsbet to host the Eels in round two. The Dragons away then Knights at home round out an opening month that on paper could just as easily finish 0-4 as 4-0. Expect to learn plenty about the Sharks over this period.

Toughest stretch

Round 17 to 20 sees the Sharks host minor premiers Melbourne before flying to Townsville, travelling out west to face premiers Penrith then returning home to host runners-up South Sydney in a gruelling month of footy.

Make it count

Things ease up straight after that with the Sharks hosting the Dragons in round 21 then playing the Tigers at Tamworth in round 22. Manly at 4Pines in round 23 is easily the toughest game of the run home before the Sharks finish by hosting the Bulldogs then heading up to the Hunter to face the Knights. If Cronulla are a strong finals candidate when that run starts they should be winning at least three if not four of those games.

Storyline to watch

How will former Dragon Cameron McInnes fit in to the jigsaw puzzle under new coach Craig Fitzgibbon? The Sharks already have an 80-minute hooker in Blayke Brailey and star recruit Dale Finucane arrving to presumably play lock, although he could play prop and allow McInnes to play big minutes at No.13. Fitzgibbon has plenty of quality at his disposal and it'll be intriguing to see how he pulls it all together.

• see the NRL 2022 draw here