The second knockout game in the NRL finals on Saturday will see the Cronulla Sharks and a small but pharocial home crowd hand a hostile welcome to the Sydney Roosters at Sharks Stadium.
In a match that happened in this exact stage of the finals just two years ago, the Sharks will again meet the Roosters in September with the loser to be eliminated.
The Sharks have had something of a roller-coaster season in 2025.
At points, they have looked like world-beaters under the coaching of Craig Fitzgibbon. Their wins on the run into the finals, first over the Gold Coast Titans and Newcastle Knights on either side of a Round 25 bye, but then more impressively over the Canterbury Bulldogs, set them up nicely form-wise.
The win over Canterbury was one of their best, letting in just a single long-range intercept try despite being without their defensive leader Cameron McInnes who is out recovering from an ACL injury.
Defence will need to be the order of the day throughout the finals throughout the Sharks, although it has been somewhat inconsisten throughout the year.
Their defence won't have to wait long to be given a thorough test either.
While it was a shaky start to the year for the Roosters, losing six of their first seven, they have scored points for fun since then, crossing the 40-point barrier on five occasions.
More recently, they have scored 40 against the Melbourne Storm and 36 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs in back-to-back weeks, with their wingers looking what is easily the NRL's most dangerous on the back of a kicking game that is simply getting the job done from every angle.
Team news
Cronulla Sharks
1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Jesse Ramien, 4. KL Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Blayke Brailey, 10. Toby Rudolf, 11. Billy Burns, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Jesse Colquhoun
Interchange: 14. Oregon Kaufusi, 15. Siosifa Talakai, 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele, 18. Daniel Atkinson
Reserves: 22. Hohepa Puru, 21. Briton Nikora
A fair bit of intrigue here for the Sharks. There are a couple of changes, with Braydon Trindall coming back in from a rest. Thomas Hazelton is also a last-minute absence, with Daniel Atksinon added to the bench.
That is certainly not a like-for-like replacement, and it will be intriguing to see whether Craig Fitzgibbon goes for a late switch.
Adding to that layer of complexity is the fact Briton Nikora, set to return from a three-match suspension, is only on the reserves list.
He would have been expected to take the spot of Billy Burns, but the former of the ex-Dragon and Panther has been too good. Nikora could yet be added to the bench at the very least, so keep your eyes peeled for a late switch.
Sydney Roosters
1. James Tedesco, 2. Daniel Tupou, 3. Billy Smith, 4. Robert Toia, 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 6. Hugo Savala, 7. Sam Walker, 8. Spencer Leniu, 9. Connor Watson, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12. Victor Radley, 13. Naufahu Whyte
Interchange: 14. Benaiah Ioelu, 15. Egan Butcher, 16. Blake Steep, 17. Siua Wong
Reserves: 18. Sandon Smith, 19. Salesi Foketi
The Roosters were the only unchanged team this heading into this weekend.
No need to change a winning formula for Trent Robinson, and with a Roosters' outfit who are going along very nicely, it's a pretty hard job to argue.
History
Head-to-head record: Played 104, Roosters 65, Sharks 37, drawn 2
Record at venue: Played 52, Roosters 29, Sharks 21, drawn 2
Record in finals: Played 3, Roosters 3, Sharks 0
Last meeting: Round 20, 2025, Sharks 31 defeat Roosters 18 at Sharks Stadium
Keys to the game
Shutting down James TedescoJames Tedesco is a freak.
I mean that in the nicest way possible.
He has been unbelievable this year in dragging the Roosters into the top eight. Surely, another Dally M Medal awaits.
He has 11 tries and 21 try assists in 24 games, has run for 194 metres per game and made a ridiculous 158 tackle breaks.
The Roosters look dangerous every time he gets the ball in his hands, and if he has what is a typical game at this point, the Sharks will find it hard to compete.
Cronulla's kicking game
The Sharks' kicking game has been strong at times this year, but not always.
They did a good job of kicking the Bulldogs to death last weekend, and that was without Braydon Trindall, who often shoulders plenty of the burden.
Nicho Hynes' form certainly isn't what it once was during his incredible Dally M Medal winning season, but that's not to say he doesn't have that in him.
The combination with Trindall is a strong one, but it will need to be if they are going to go with the Roosters.
The aerial battle
The Roosters are outragreously talented in the air.
Whether it be in defence, in attack, or indeed defending or competing for short drop outs and kick-offs, they really do have it all.
Daniel Tupou is one of the most experienced wingers in the game, and for all his issues off the ball, Mark Nawaqanitawase has done some freakish things on it since arriving from rugby union.
Sione Katoa and Ronalo Mulitalo are strong wingers in their own right and will need to spend plenty of time doing hard yards to get the Sharks out of their own end, but if they can't find a way to compete in the air, it's going to be a very long night.
Sam Stonestreet, anyone?
Can Addin Fonua-Blake lead the Sharks middle to parity?
This could really be what decides the game.
If the Sharks middle of Addin Fonua-Blake, Toby Rudolf and Jesse Colquhoun with Siosifa Talakai, Oregon Kaufusi and Braden Hamlin-Uele can't go with the Roosters' middle of Spencer Leniu, Lindsay Collins and Naufahu Whyte with Egan Butcher and Blake Steep off the bench, you might as well call it off now.
The way the Roosters have been travelling, if they have parity in possession and territory, it's expected they will put up points.
Not to say the Sharks are a poor defensive outfit, and they will probably present a challenge greater than the Roosters have had in some time, but the tri-colours score more points than most if they have the opportunities, and it's not hard to see why.
Prediction
The Roosters have all the running here. Everything apart from home ground advantage in fact.
It's going to come down to whether they can score enough points against a Sharks defensive outfit who were excellent last week, but against the Bulldogs who aren't going along fantastically themselves.
How much that took out of the Sharks on a shorter turnaround than their opposition remains to be seen.
With the Roosters also having never lost to the Sharks in a finals match, it's hard not to take them, but this seems like it's the coin flip - and game - of the weekend in waiting.
Roosters by 2.
Key game information: Cronulla Sharks vs Sydney Roosters NRL elimination final
Kick-off: 7:50pm (AEST), Saturday, September 13
Venue: Sharks Stadium, Cronulla
TV: Live, Channel 9 and Fox League (502)
Online: Live, 9Now and Kayo Sports
Betting: Roosters $1.67, Sharks $2.20
Match officials
Referee: Todd Smith
Touch judges: Drew Oultram and Michael Wise
Bunker official: Chris Butler
