NRL finals week 2 live: Cronulla Sharks vs. North Queensland Cowboys, score updates, team news
Can Cronulla put an end to their horror recent finals record? Or will North Queensland send them packing again? MATTY JOHNS breaks down where the game will be won and lost.
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The Cowboys are coming off a win after holding out Kalyn Ponga in the first elimination final, while the Sharks are picking up the pieces from a poor loss to Melbourne.
Can Cronulla put an end to their horror recent finals record? Or will North Queensland come out firing and send them packing? MATTY JOHNS breaks down where the game will be won and lost.
SHARKS: IF I AM CRAIG FITZGIBBON
WHAT I LEARNT ABOUT THE COWBOYS LAST WEEK
Don’t get into an attacking shootout; the Cowboys want this type of contest. The Cowboys come out fast, so we must try and work the majority possession our way, to take the edge off them. They are less of a threat attacking from the midfield, the main danger lies when they attack from a far edge, opening the field and space up for the big athletic back-rowers.
WE MUST SHUT DOWN
Scott Drinkwater and Tom Dearden are the players who need to be kept quiet, but their impact is a by-product of their big men winning yardage. No coincidence that the Cowboys’ creative players had a great week one, with big men Jordan McLean and Jason Taumalolo having their best performances of the season. We must stop them and Reuben Cotter.
HOW WE WIN
Once again, we need to do less. Last week, we continually try to move the ball off no forward momentum. Halves think this way, better to let our big men take one more strong power run, then calling the ball one play early. Don’t pressure yourselves trying to get the attack going with little momentum, sit back and focus on putting in a quality kick.
If we deny the Cowboys good field position, they’ll come up with errors trying to attack their way out of trouble. In defence, unless short of numbers don’t sit back and slide, close Inward to narrow the gaps and deny their playmakers time to assess and room to move .
COWBOYS: IF I AM TODD PAYTEN
WHAT I LEARNT ABOUT THE SHARKS LAST WEEK
The talk of their finals failings is weighing heavily, they are down on confidence and playing nervously. They’ll be desperate for a strong opening 20 minutes.
The criticism of Nicho Hynes has been too heavy, the Sharks’ yardage game is struggling and their powerhouse wingers who get their set rolling, are clearly battling injuries.
WE MUST SHUT DOWN
Forget about the playmakers, if we stop their back three making metres on plays one and two, the rest of their set will falter. Stop the back three and force their attack sideways. If the Sharks start winning yardage, their playmakers will start causing us big problems.
HOW WE WILL WIN
We attack from wide positions, get the ball to an edge, increasing the defensive gaps and push the football to the far edge quickly. This makes our big, athletic back-rowers, Heilum Luki and Jeremiah Nanai, difficult to handle. And with Scott Drinkwater floating behind them on sweep formations, we can play through or around the Sharks’ defence. But we must pour the same energy into our defence as we do our attack
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