A monster clash with huge finals ramifications will bring down the curtain on the NRL Telstra Premiership regular season.
If the Knights lose to the Dragons on Saturday night, the Sharks and Raiders will be squaring off for fifth place and a home final in week one of the play-offs.
Should the Cowboys beat the Panthers and then the Knights beat the Dragons, the Raiders could drop out of the eight altogether with a loss given their inferior points differential.
The stage is set for a cracking contest in front of a full house at PointsBet Stadium as both sides look to rebound from losses and take some momentum into the finals.
When they met in Round 3 in Canberra it was the Green Machine skipping out to a 24-10 lead early in the second half before holding off a late Sharks comeback to prevail 24-20.
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Team News
Sharks: There are no further late changes after Oregon Kaufusi was added to the bench on Saturday with Matt Moylan dropping out. Nicho Hynes returns after missing the Knights game with a quad injury and is a vital inclusion. Kayal Iro is 18th man.
Raiders: Ata Mariota starts in the front row, while Hohepa Puru joins the run-on side at lock, with both Corey Horsburgh and Josh Papalii out. Jack Wighton is set to play centre again with Matt Frawley the preferred option at five-eighth, while Jamal Fogarty is good to go despite suffering a facial injury against the Broncos. Trey Mooney is included on the bench.
Match: Sharks v Raiders
Round 27 -
home Team
Sharks
away Team
Raiders
Team Lists
Backs
-
Fullback for Sharks is number 1 Connor TraceyFullback for Raiders is number 1 Jordan Rapana
-
Winger for Sharks is number 2 Sione KatoaWinger for Raiders is number 2 Sebastian Kris
-
Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse RamienCentre for Raiders is number 3 Jack Wighton
-
Centre for Sharks is number 4 Siosifa TalakaiCentre for Raiders is number 4 Matthew Timoko
-
Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo MulitaloWinger for Raiders is number 5 Nick Cotric
-
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon TrindallFive-Eighth for Raiders is number 6 Matt Frawley
-
Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Nicholas HynesHalfback for Raiders is number 7 Jamal Fogarty
Forwards
-
Prop for Sharks is number 8 Toby RudolfProp for Raiders is number 10 Joseph Tapine
-
Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke BraileyHooker for Raiders is number 9 Zac Woolford
-
Prop for Sharks is number 10 Braden Hamlin-UeleProp for Raiders is number 15 Ata Mariota
-
2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora2nd Row for Raiders is number 11 Hudson Young
-
2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Wade Graham2nd Row for Raiders is number 12 Elliott Whitehead
-
Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnesLock for Raiders is number 17 Hohepa Puru
Interchange
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Jack WilliamsInterchange for Raiders is number 8 Emre Guler
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Royce HuntInterchange for Raiders is number 14 Tom Starling
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Thomas HazeltonInterchange for Raiders is number 18 Pasami Saulo
-
Interchange for Sharks is number 20 Oregon KaufusiInterchange for Raiders is number 20 Trey Mooney
Reserves
-
Replacement for Sharks is number 18 Kayal IroReplacement for Raiders is number 19 Albert Hopoate
Match Officials
- Referee: Grant Atkins
- Touch Judge: Dave Munro
- Touch Judge: Wyatt Raymond
- Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein
Last updated:
Stat Attack
- Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes has engaged the line 202 times this season, more than any other player in the NRL.
- The Sharks and Raiders have played 48 times in the NRL era with the Raiders holding a slender 25-23 advantage.
- The Sharks have won five of their past seven games at PointsBet Stadium.
- The Raiders have won their past nine games against the Sharks.
- Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored 11 tries in his past eight games at PointsBet Stadium.
- Raiders fullback Jordan Rapana will make his 200th NRL appearance.
- Sharks centre Jesse Ramien has scored a try in his past four games at PointsBet Stadium.
Match: Sharks v Raiders
Round 27 -
home Team
Sharks
6th Position
away Team
Raiders
8th Position
Venue: PointsBet Stadium, Sydney
Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.
