The Cronulla Sharks are staring down the barrel of a number of changes for Thursday's clash with the Manly Sea Eagles as the club grapple with a five-day turnaround and multiple injuries.
After a bruising encounter with the Melbourne Storm on Saturday evening, the club are now set to be forced into a five-day turnaround before taking on the Manly Sea Eagles in the battle of the beaches.
It's understood that Dale Finucane and Braden Hamlin-Uele will both be ruled out of the clash.
The Daily Telegraph are reporting that under concussion rules, Finucane won't have enough days to make his way into the team for the match after being ruled out by the NRL's bunker doctor in the opening minutes of the game against Melbourne.
While he is understood to have not failed a HIA test, the reports suggest the Sharks have officially ruled him out.
Hamlin-Uele, on the other hand, suffered a pectoral muscle on the weekend and is also unlikely to play, while Sione Katoa is also no sure thing to return after being ruled out of the weekend's clash.
In far better news for the Sharks, captain Wade Graham is reportedly set to be named as he makes his way back from a syndesmosis injury.
Graham was injured during Cronulla's second trial against the Canterbury Bulldogs, with the club confirming at the time he would need surgery and be ruled out for a period of around six weeks.
It could be a completely changed second row too, with Briton Nikora to return from coronavirus. The second rower is due to return to training on Tuesday.
That likely means Cameron McInnes will move from the edge to lock in coverage for Finucane, while Teig Wilton will fight with Graham for the second starting spot alongside Nikora on the edge. Aiden Tolman or Andrew Fifita will be in contention for the vacant starting spot in the front row, with Cronulla to then take a slightly smaller bench thanks to an extra second rower being included in the side, after Craig Fitzgibbon played three middle forwards alongside Braydon Trindall last week.
The Sharks have traditionally struggled against Manly, winning just 25 of their 94 matches. They have also lost 12 of the last 14 against the Sea Eagles, dating back to 2008.
The clash, to be played in the Shire, will kick-off at 7:50pm (AEST) on Thursday, with teams to be announced at 4pm (AEST) on Tuesday.
