2024 R10 Sat - Melbourne 18-25 Cronulla @ AAMI

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2024 - Round 10
Melbourne Storm v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
AAMI Park, Melbourne / Wurundjeri (TICKETS)

Saturday 11 May 2024
NRL kickoff 7:35pm.
Broadcast live on Fox, Kayo.

1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Grant Anderson 6. Tyran Wishart 7. Cameron Munster 8. Christian Welch 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Bronson Garlick 15. Joe Chan 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Alec MacDonald 18. Kane Bradley 19. Jack Howarth 20. Dean Ieremia 21. Chris Lewis 22. Tui Kamikamica

Out: Ryan Papenhuyzen (fullback), Jahrome Hughes (halfback)
In: Grant Anderson (wing), Bronson Garlick (bench), Kane Bradley (bench), Jack Howarth (bench), Dean Ieremia (reserve), Chris Lewis (reserve), Tui Kamikamica (reserve)
Changes: Sualauvi Fa'alogo (wing to fullback), Cameron Munster (five-eighth to halfback), Tyran Wishart (bench to five-eighth)

1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Daniel Atkinson 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Thomas Hazelton 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Siosifa Talakai 16. Royce Hunt 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele 18. Tuku Hau Tapuha 19. Mawene Hiroti 20. Samuel Stonestreet 21. Kade Dykes 22. Billy Burns

Out: Toby Rudolf (bench)
In: Royce Hunt (bench), Tuku Hau Tapuha (bench), Mawene Hiroti (bench), Samuel Stonestreet (reserve), Kade Dykes (reserve), Billy Burns (reserve)

Referee: Grant Atkins
Sideline Officials: Phil Henderson, Nick Pelgrave
Video Referee: Adam Gee

---

HEAD TO HEAD - 1998 - 2023​

	TOTAL	MELBOURNE	CRONULLA	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES	45	29	16	0
AAMI	14	12	2	0

LAST FIVE MEETINGS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2021	Round 8	MELBOURNE 40-14	AAMI	10069
2021	Round 25	MELBOURNE 28-16	Cbus Super	8580
2022	Round 6	MELBOURNE 34-18	AAMI	16286
2022	Round 17	CRONULLA 28-6	Pointsbet	7868
2023	Round 15	MELBOURNE 54-10	AAMI	20253

BIGGEST WINS​

YEAR	ROUND	RESULT	VENUE	CROWD
2005	Round 22	CRONULLA 40-16	Toyota	13575
2023	Round 15	MELBOURNE 54-10	AAMI	20253

NEXT FOUR MATCHES​

	Round 11	Round 12	Round 13	Round 14
MELBOURNE	PARRAMATTA (H)	MANLY (A)	(BYE)	NEWCASTLE (H)
CRONULLA	SYDNEY (H)	PENRITH (H)	PARRAMATTA (A)	BRISBANE (A)

LAST THREE MATCHES​

	Round 7		Round 8		Round 9
MELBOURNE	SYDNEY	W 18-12	SOUTH SYDNEY	W 54-20	GOLD COAST	W 22-20
CRONULLA	NORTH QLD	W 42-6	CANBERRA	W 40-0	ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA	W 20-10

STATE OF PLAY: 2024 SEASON​

	POSITION	PLAYED	BYES	W-L-D	FOR	AGAINST
MELBOURNE	2nd	8	1	7-1-0	194	138
CRONULLA	1st	8	1	7-1-0	219	110

 

[Valheru]

I give Cronulla every chance

Melbourne has to be the most unconvincing 7-1 team I have ever seen. It's going to catch up to them at some point.

 

[Penrith fan]

Melbourne may have to play its reserves team especially in the spine.

 

[Vic Mackey]

Its still hard to take the sharks seriously considering their draw every year

Storm likely missing a few key players, but down in Melbourne they should still be too strong

 

[MrBlack]

Will be interesting to see the Sharks enter the NRL comp after nine weeks of trials

 

[moffla]

Spewing we will be a weakened spine for this one. Sharks a good chance despite not having the greatest form at AAMI

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Melbourne may have to play its reserves team especially in the spine.

Really ?

Didn’t know Munster, Hughes and Grant were out?

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Spewing we will be a weakened spine for this one. Sharks a good chance despite not having the greatest form at AAMI

You’re just referring to no Pap Smear yeah?

Yeah we’ve been down a regular spine player the past two weeks. Might not be a rep player but definitely makes our attack function more smoothly.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Will be interesting to see the Sharks enter the NRL comp after nine weeks of trials

We can’t help it if there’s so many shyte teams in the comp?

But then can you explain this?

Canbera are apparently a shyte team and we beat them 40-0 at Canberra. But then the following week they beat one of the “top 4” teams in Manly at their home ground. I guess Manly are shyte too?

We beat the Cowboys 42-6 and then the Panthers almost lose to the Cowboys.

 

[Valheru]

Its still hard to take the sharks seriously considering their draw every year

Storm likely missing a few key players, but down in Melbourne they should still be too strong

Amount of games played by each club against teams currently in the top 8 with total games in brackets

Sharks - 1 (8)
Storm - 4 (8)
PENRITH - 4 (8)
Dolphins - 1 (8)
Manly - 2 (9)
Roosters - 6 (9)
Broncos - 5 (9)
Dogs - 3 (8)

Raiders - 4 (9)
Cowboys - 5 (9)
Knights - 4 (9)
Parra - 5 (8)
Dragons - 4 (9)
Warriors - 3 (9)
Wests - 5 (8)
Titans - 3 (8)
Souths - 7 (8)

Definitely two of the current top 8 sides don't look like the rest. I think what is amazing about the Sharks draw is that it seems to break positively for them regardless of form fluctuations. Like they have played warriors and souths and it was not unreasonable to expect them to both be top 8 sides coming in to the season.

Four of their next five games are Storm, Roosters, Penrith and Broncos but they avoid a 2nd meeting against all 4 teams. The top 8 at end of round 9 is generally a good indicator of what the final 8 teams will be (usually not more than 3 changes) albeit positions within it change. Having only played a top 8 side once so far, they are only scheduled to play teams currently in the top 8 seven more times this season for a total of 8/24 games with the only repeat opponent being the Bulldogs.

It must be noted that the Dolphins whom are in the same boat are only scheduled to play eight more times against current top 8 teams with the only repeats all season being Broncos and Storm.

 

[roboshark]

We can’t help it if there’s so many shyte teams in the comp?

But then can you explain this?

Canbera are apparently a shyte team and we beat them 40-0 at Canberra. But then the following week they beat one of the “top 4” teams in Manly at their home ground. I guess Manly are shyte too?

We beat the Cowboys 42-6 and then the Panthers almost lose to the Cowboys.

That's the problem. They can't explain it. People just jump on the sharks haven't played anyone of note bandwagon because it's what all the cool kids must do

 

[roboshark]

Amount of games played by each club against teams currently in the top 8 with total games in brackets

Sharks - 1 (8)
Storm - 4 (8)
PENRITH - 4 (8)
Dolphins - 1 (8)
Manly - 2 (9)
Roosters - 6 (9)
Broncos - 5 (9)
Dogs - 3 (8)

Raiders - 4 (9)
Cowboys - 5 (9)
Knights - 4 (9)
Parra - 5 (8)
Dragons - 4 (9)
Warriors - 3 (9)
Wests - 5 (8)
Titans - 3 (8)
Souths - 7 (8)

Definitely two of the current top 8 sides don't look like the rest. I think what is amazing about the Sharks draw is that it seems to break positively for them regardless of form fluctuations. Like they have played warriors and souths and it was not unreasonable to expect them to both be top 8 sides coming in to the season.

Four of their next five games are Storm, Roosters, Penrith and Broncos but they avoid a 2nd meeting against all 4 teams. The top 8 at end of round 9 is generally a good indicator of what the final 8 teams will be (usually not more than 3 changes) albeit positions within it change. Having only played a top 8 side once so far, they are only scheduled to play teams currently in the top 8 seven more times this season for a total of 8/24 games with the only repeat opponent being the Bulldogs.

It must be noted that the Dolphins whom are in the same boat are only scheduled to play eight more times against current top 8 teams with the only repeats all season being Broncos and Storm.

Noone would of predicted south's and nz to ve outside the 8. But because they are now the sharks have got lucky. No other team has got lucky, just cronulla

 

[moffla]

You’re just referring to no Pap Smear yeah?

Yeah we’ve been down a regular spine player the past two weeks. Might not be a rep player but definitely makes our attack function more smoothly.

Sounds like Hughes will miss a week as well, though nothing confirmed from Storm I don’t think

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Noone would have predicted south's and nz to ve outside the 8. But because they are now the sharks have got lucky. No other team has got lucky, just cronulla

Yep most footy experts had the Warriors and Souths in the top 4 for this year.

We on the other hand were hardly even being mentioned as a top 8 team.

So instead of praising what we’ve been doing this season everyone has been suspicious of us.

It’s a weird world we live in.

 

[Valheru]

Noone would of predicted south's and nz to ve outside the 8. But because they are now the sharks have got lucky. No other team has got lucky, just cronulla

I mentioned that

Regardless, the numbers don't lie.

 

[Valheru]

Yep most footy experts had the Warriors and Souths in the top 4 for this year.

We on the other hand were hardly even being mentioned as a top 8 team.

So instead of praising what we’ve been doing this season everyone has been suspicious of us.

It’s a weird world we live in.

lol let's not go overboard.

Top 8 yes but not many had either top 4. PENRITH, Storm and Brisbane were almost universally picked for top 4.

I think Sharks are a good side but the oddity of the draw is relevant and well worth mentioning. They are good enough for top 4 without it but it gives them a rails run for top 2 IMO and it would be a failure if they didn't finish that high.

Playing all of Melbourne, Penrith, Roosters and Brisbane once only is undoubtedly a big advantage, only wests get the same luxury. The roosters play more games against those 4 teams and we can't play ourselves.

 

[Vic Mackey]

As a tigers fan I just struggle to take any team seriously who can’t beat us

 

[GongPanther]

Going for a 20 all draw after extra tyme.

 

[Dragon Slayer]

lol let's not go overboard.

Top 8 yes but not many had either top 4. PENRITH, Storm and Brisbane were almost universally picked for top 4.

I think Sharks are a good side but the oddity of the draw is relevant and well worth mentioning. They are good enough for top 4 without it but it gives them a rails run for top 2 IMO and it would be a failure if they didn't finish that high.

Playing all of Melbourne, Penrith, Roosters and Brisbane once only is undoubtedly a big advantage, only wests get the same luxury. The roosters play more games against those 4 teams and we can't play ourselves.

Google NRL.com and see what people picked for their top 8 you’d be surprised how many of them had Warriors and Souths in their top 4.

You’ll also see we didn’t feature much at all in the top 8 let alone top 4.

I’m not saying we haven’t had a decent draw but people are so hung up about that they’re not focusing that the team is actually playing some very decent footy with a powerful pack of forwards.

 

[JamesRustle]

I mentioned that

Regardless, the numbers don't lie.

Nor do the results in finals... and I guess that's where all the soft draw talk comes from.

We all complain about the vagaries of the draw, and that will be forever more (until we have H&A). So the validity of Sharks having a soft draw can be judged by how they go in finals.

I'm happy to confirm they have enjoyed soft draws for 7 years going back to 2017. BTW - the comp was the softest in history in 2016, so I'd suggest we'll be calling it a decade after completion of this season).