Sea Eagles Cherry Ripe as second half swoop downs Eels
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Sharks v Sea Eagles preview
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Remondis Stadium - Sunday 4:00pm 
Sharks strive for Top 4 berth as Manly look for miracle Finals charge.
It's the battle of the beaches on Sunday afternoon in God's country, The Shire. Cronulla are aiming for their first top 4 finish since 2008 and will wrap up 4th place with a win. It's been a funny old year for the Sharks who started the season very poorly and a top 8 finish (let alone a top 4 finish) looked rare. However to their credit they have bounced back brilliantly with some fantastic plays by rookie Jack Bird and Valentine Holmes. Their forward pack widely regarded as one of the best in the game has been rolling over teams at will and a fit and healthy Paul Gallen has Sharks fans dreaming of a successful September. The window for this current Sharks team to win a premiership is fading fast with Luke Lewis, Paul Gallen, Chris Heighington and Jeff Robson all nearing retirement age or planning to retire at the end of the season. This match against Manly will be a real test to their mettle and could prove to the doubters that the Sharks are able to stand up when counted and win the big games. Let's hope there is a large crowd at Shark Park on Sunday afternoon for what promises to be a cracking game. In a few changes for the Sharkies both Anthony Tupou and Ben Barba return on the bench for the Sutherland Shire based club.
Manly's 2015 season has ebb and flowed. Hammered by Parramatta in round 1, they reguaraly found themselves in the losers circle week after week. This led to the release of Geoff Toovey for the 2016 season and all of a sudden things started to click. The infighting at both boardroom level and in the change rooms almost ceased altogether. For a 6 week period Manly looked like the Sea Eagles of old, putting teams to the sword and fighting like Warriors till the death. Unfortunately a few stumbling blocks got in the way (mainly in the form of Parramatta and the Sydney Roosters). Manly's hopes of making the 8 are extremely distant and would need to make up 61 differential points on the Dragons and rely on them losing. Still, we have seem stranger things in Rugby League!
Regardless of whether they can make the finals or not you can guarantee that the Sea Eagles will provide a strong test for the Sharks with their bruising style of play combined with their slickness out wide. Brett Stewart has been in commanding form this year as well as young prop Jake Trobojevic who is quickly making a name for himself in the NRL courtesy of some bone jarring hits and glorious solo hit ups. This is also Kieran Foran's and Geoff Toovey's last games so Manly will desperately want to send them out on a winning note on what is sure to be an emotional afternoon at Shark Park.
In changes for Manly, Willie Mason is out through suspension and is replaced by Ligi Sao at Prop and Jesse Sene-Lefao comes onto the bench.
Last meeting: Round 17 2015 - Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 28 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16
Turn away now Sharks fans. Manly have a major hoodoo all over Cronulla. They have won 11 of their past 12 with the sole win for Cronulla coming in 2012 (17-14 at Shark Park). The Sea Eagles have also won 6 of the past 7 clashes at Shark Park and 19 of 34 matches at the venue in total. If the Sharks want top 4 football, they'll need to reverse a massive hoodoo at home.
Who to watch: Cronulla will be relying on the war horse, the veteran, captain courageous Paul Gallen for added inspiration on Sunday. Sharks fans have seen plenty of Gallen this year as he has played 15 games (more than any of the previous 3 seasons) and it has helped the Sharks get to where they are on the ladder. The go forward that the Sharks get on the back of Gallen's hit up's (he averages 23 a game) gets them valuable metres and field position. He then assists them by setting up 2nd phase play with his offloading ability usually after attracting 2 or 3 defenders. This helps out his backs and let Jack Bird, Valentine Holmes and Michael Gordon do their thing. In season 2015 Gallen has run for a massive 3,167 metres (averaging a whopping 211 metres a game!), 354 hit ups and 539 tackles (averaging 35 tackles a game). Gallen is someone you want in the trenches next to you and you can bet your bottom dollar that his team mates are delighted he is leading from the front as the Sharks push for that elusive premiership.
For Manly look at Kieran Foran to have an impact in this game considering it is his last as a Manly player. Foran has been a fantastic player for the Sea Eagles and will walk away having won 2 premiership rings. His vision when running the ball and being able to link up with players when there seems to be nothing happening is uncanny. What also gets lost is his short kicking game, which not only builds pressure through line drop outs and good field position but sets up try scoring opportunities for his outside backs. Also keep an eye out for his running game on Sunday as he targets tired Cronulla defenders and tries to improve on his average of 87 metres a game. Add to this his 12 try assists and 5 line breaks and you have a player that will be sorely missed from the Northern Beaches in 2016.
The favourite: The Sharks are riding a wave of momentum and a home game sees them as solid picks for favouritism.
My tip: In what is sure to be an emotional game for both sides (Jeff Robson's last home game and Foran and Toovey's last game with Manly) this game will be won up front in the first 15 minutes by the team that can stay composed and keep their emotions under wrap. I am picking Manly to cause the upset and keep this hoodoo going inspired by a man of the match performance by Kieran Foran. Will be a joy to see how this match unfolds. Manly by 2.
1. Michael Gordon 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Gerard Beale 4. Ricky Leutele 5. Valentine Holmes 6. Jack Bird 7. Jeff Robson 8. Chris Heighington 9. Michael Ennis 10. Sam Tagataese 11. Luke Lewis 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14. Matt Prior 15. Anthony Tupou 16. Tinirau Arona 17. Jayson Bukuya 19. Ben Barba
1. Brett Stewart 2. Jorge Taufua 3. Jamie Lyon 4. Steve Matai 5. Peta Hiku 6. Kieran Foran 7. Daly Cherry-Evans 8. Jake Trbojevic 9. Jayden Hodges 10. Ligi Sao 11. Feleti Mateo 12. Justin Horo 13. Blake Leary
Interchange: 14. Jesse Sene-Lefao 15. Dunamis Lui 16. Tom Symonds 17. Josh Starling 18. James Hasson
Referees: Ben Cummins, Alan Shortall; Sideline Officials: Michael Wise, Ricky MacFarlane; Video Referees: Steve Chiddy, Luke Patten;