Adding a little extra incentive to this week’s clash, as if either team needed it as they both look to register their first wins of the 2023 season, will be a trophy honouring the memory of a man to have left a legacy at both Sydney clubs.
An Eels junior who joined the Sharks in 2009, Johnny Mannah tragically passed away in January of 2013 after losing his battle with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Aged just 23 at the time of his passing, Mannah maybe be gone, but certainly won’t be forgotten, with the two teams to again play for a Cup bearing his name this Friday night.
Contested in the first meeting between Cronulla and Parramatta each season, the Johnny Mannah Cup will be up for grabs, with the Sharks the current holders and the Eels no doubt keen to win it back.
An extremely capable front rower and a well-liked member of the NRL squad, Mannah played 24 top grade games for the Sharks over two seasons, before returning to the Eels in 2012.
The two clubs have contested the Johnny Mannah Cup on 10 occasions, with the most recent encounter resulting in a Sharks win, Teig Wilton scoring a late try, Nicho Hynes converting from a wide angle, in an 18-16 Sharks triumph.
Prior that game however the trophy had found a semi-permanent home in Parramatta, the Eels successful over the previous three seasons, however Friday night is set to break a tie, with each team having won the Mannah Cup on five occasions.
The Sharks head into the Johnny Mannah Cup match following a loss to the Rabbitohs, while the Eels went down in golden point to the Melbourne Storm in their opening round game last Thursday night.
The Sharks v Eels Johnny Mannah Cup match is scheduled to kick off at 6.00pm at CommBank Stadium on Friday.
Johnny Mannah Cup results
2022 – Round 2 – Sharks 18 - Eels 16
2021 – Round 3 – Eels 28 - Sharks 4
2020 – Round 14 – Eels 14 -Sharks 12
2019 – Round 4 – Eels 24 – Sharks 12
2018 – Round 3 – Sharks 14 – Eels 4
2017 – Round 4 – Sharks 20 – Eels 6
2016 – Round 17 – Sharks 34 – Eels 24
2015 – Round 25 – Sharks 35 – Eels 28
2014 – Round 9 – Eels 42 – Sharks 24
2013 – Round 5 – Eels 13 – Sharks 6
