MATCH CENTRE
MATCH CENTRE
ROUND 14, 2017

SHARKS

V

STORM

StormMEL WIN BY 5
13
FT
18
Southern Cross Group Stadium
2017-06-08T09:50:00Z

Preview

Well, where do we begin?

It doesn't get any bigger than this to open round 14.

The Sharks enter round 14 off the back of a bye, with their Origin representatives getting plenty of rest coming into the clash with their arch-rivals.

The Storm, meanwhile, carved up the Knights quite easily last week, priming themselves for a crack at overturning a recently rough run of results against the reigning premiers.

Let's start at the back and work our way up.

Billy Slater against Valentine Holmes is a mouth-watering matchup in itself, with the two Queenslanders vying for a berth in the upcoming Maroons squad as both are in exceptional offensive and defensive form.

Origin centres Jack Bird and Will Chambers will go head to head once again in a show of strength and speed.

The battle of the halves - as in any game - will be a key with Origin counterparts James Maloney and Cooper Cronk matching up. The Sharks have successfully nullified Cronk's impact in recent meetings and will look to do so again this week.

The battle of the forwards will where the game will be won, with both packs in excellent form in 2017.

Andrew Fifita is arguably the best in the game along with Jesse Bromwich, who made a solid return last week following suspension. Cameron Smith's apparent sternum injury won't keep him out of Thursday's clash as he prepares to renew hostilities with Paul Gallen while in-form duo Felise Kaufusi and Tohu Harris come up against the battle-hardened pair of Luke Lewis and Wade Graham.

It's been Cronulla physically imposing defence that has caused issues for the well-organised Storm in recent times, winning three of their past four encounters, however, the Storm are a different side with Billy Slater, and particularly the form that he is in.

The Storm are 6-0 away from home in 2017 and while the Sharks have a poor home record, both of those stats will count for little.

The bookies can't split them, and neither can we.

90-minute draw, anyone?

Sharks by 2.

Team Lists

Team Stats


Sharks

Storm

All Runs
MATCH
198.4
2025 AVG.
992
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
177.3
2025 AVG.
709
2025 TOTAL
All Run Metres
MATCH
1758.4
2025 AVG.
8792
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
1649.5
2025 AVG.
6598
2025 TOTAL
Line Breaks
MATCH
5.2
2025 AVG.
26
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
6.3
2025 AVG.
25
2025 TOTAL
Offloads
MATCH
7.8
2025 AVG.
39
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
10.3
2025 AVG.
41
2025 TOTAL
Kick Metres
MATCH
623.2
2025 AVG.
3116
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
432.3
2025 AVG.
1729
2025 TOTAL
Forty Twenty Kicks
MATCH
0.4
2025 AVG.
2
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
0
2025 AVG.
0
2025 TOTAL
Tackles Made
MATCH
349.6
2025 AVG.
1748
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
304.5
2025 AVG.
1218
2025 TOTAL
Missed Tackles
MATCH
24.6
2025 AVG.
123
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
25.5
2025 AVG.
102
2025 TOTAL
Penalties
MATCH
4.8
2025 AVG.
24
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
5.8
2025 AVG.
23
2025 TOTAL
Errors
MATCH
11.4
2025 AVG.
57
2025 TOTAL
2025 AVG.
2025 TOTAL
13
2025 AVG.
52
2025 TOTAL

Player Stats



Summary

 

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