Sharks v Dolphins: Wilton nears return; Same 17 for Woolf
Plenty to work on for both these sides out of Round 2 after the Sharks were overpowered by the Panthers on Saturday before the Dolphins made heavy weather of it in a scrappy win over the Titans.
After piling on nine tries in Round 1 the Sharks were held to a single four-pointer against the Panthers and they will need to quickly rediscover their attacking mojo if they are to outpoint the normally potent Dolphins.
That renowned Dolphins dash went missing for 50 minutes at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday before Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow turned the game on its head to spark an 18-point burst that secured a valuable victory.
When the two sides clashed at Shark Park in Round 19 last year the Dolphins ran into a committed Cronulla outfit that kept its line intact for 66 minutes before Max Feagai and Herbie Farnworth scored to give the visitors a shot.
In the end it was late tries Nicho Hynes and Sione Katoa sealing a win for the Sharks who went on to play finals footy while the Dolphins were left to ponder what might have been as they finished ninth.
The battle of halfbacks Hynes and Isaiya Katoa will be one of many highlights on a night that will tell us much about whether the Dolphins are a realistic chance of cracking the top eight for the first time in their history.
Match: Sharks v Dolphins
Round 3 -
home Team
Sharks
7th Position
away Team
Dolphins
9th Position
Venue: Ocean Protect Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
Team News
Sharks: Coach Craig Fitzgibbon sticks with the same squad that went down to the Panthers with Teig Wilton listed among the reserves as he nears a return after off-season shoulder injury. Wilton's last game was the preliminary final against the Storm in September.
Dolphins: Some early-season stability for Kristian Woolf with the same starting side named to travel to Cronulla on Saturday evening. Just the one change on the six-man interchange with Sebastian Su'a replacing Brian Pouniu.
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William KennedyFullback for Dolphins is number 1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow
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Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione KatoaWinger for Dolphins is number 2 Jamayne Isaako
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Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse RamienCentre for Dolphins is number 3 Jake Averillo
-
Centre for Sharks is number 4 KL IroCentre for Dolphins is number 4 Herbie Farnworth
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Winger for Sharks is number 5 Samuel StonestreetWinger for Dolphins is number 5 Selwyn Cobbo
-
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon TrindallFive-Eighth for Dolphins is number 6 Kodi Nikorima
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Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas HynesHalfback for Dolphins is number 7 Isaiya Katoa
Forwards
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Prop for Sharks is number 8 Addin Fonua-BlakeProp for Dolphins is number 8 Tom Gilbert
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Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke BraileyHooker for Dolphins is number 9 Max Plath
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Prop for Sharks is number 10 Thomas HazeltonProp for Dolphins is number 10 Thomas Flegler
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2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora2nd Row for Dolphins is number 11 Connelly Lemuelu
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2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Billy Burns2nd Row for Dolphins is number 12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki
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Lock for Sharks is number 13 Jesse ColquhounLock for Dolphins is number 13 Morgan Knowles
Interchange
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Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Siosifa TalakaiInterchange for Dolphins is number 14 Bradley Schneider
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Toby RudolfInterchange for Dolphins is number 15 Oryn Keeley
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Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Oregon KaufusiInterchange for Dolphins is number 16 Felise Kaufusi
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Braden UeleInterchange for Dolphins is number 17 Ray Stone
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Hohepa PuruInterchange for Dolphins is number 18 Trai Fuller
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 19 Chris Vea'ilaInterchange for Dolphins is number 19 Sebastian Su'a
Reserves
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Reserve for Sharks is number 20 Jayden BerrellReserve for Dolphins is number 20 Lewis Symonds
-
Reserve for Sharks is number 21 Mawene HirotiReserve for Dolphins is number 21 Tevita Naufahu
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Reserve for Sharks is number 22 Teig WiltonReserve for Dolphins is number 22 Brian Pouniu
Sharks Ins
- Jayden Berrell
- Mawene Hiroti
- Teig Wilton
Dolphins Ins
- Lewis Symonds
- Sebastian Su'a
- Tevita Naufahu
Sharks Outs
Dolphins Ins
Match Officials
- Referee: Gerard Sutton
- Touch Judge: Phil Henderson
- Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- The Sharks have won eight in a row at Ocean Protect Stadium.
- Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has scored six tries in his last four NRL games.
- Sharks centre Jesse Ramien will play his 50th game at Ocean Protect Stadium.
- The Dolphins have won only three of 11 games played in Sydney.
- Sharks five-eighth Braydon Trindall will play his 100th NRL game.
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
