The Toyota Forklifts Canberra Raiders will host the Cronulla Sharks on Thursday night at GIO Stadium in their second clash of the Pre-Season Challenge.
Match: Raiders v Sharks
Round 2 -
home Team
Raiders
9th Position
away Team
Sharks
1st Position
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
The Raiders kickstarted their season with a 22-16 win over the Penrith Panthers. Canberra will be aiming to finish their pre-season on a high note before they fly away to Vegas for the season opener.
Meanwhile, the Cronulla Sharks shared the points with the New Zealand Warriors after a dramatic finish, drawing 12-all last Friday night.
Talking points:
- Coach Ricky Stuart has named a more experienced lineup with regular NRL players returning for their first hit-out of 2025.
- Matty Nicholson has been named to start in the backrow with Zac Hosking recovering from a calf injury sustained in the pre-season.
- Jamal Fogarty will captain the side in his first match of the 2025 season alongside halves partner Ethan Strange.
- Both Jed Stuart and Micheal Asomua make way to the bench for Xavier Savage and Savelio Tamale who will make his first appearance in green on the wing.
- Addin Fonua-Blake will make his club debut for the Sharks alongside returning regulars Nicho Hynes, Cameron McInnes, Blayke Brailey and Briton Nikora.
Last time they met
In round 8 last year, the two sides faced off in ANZAC Round with the Cronulla Sharks securing a 40-0 win over the Raiders at GIO Stadium, Canberra.
Key Matchups
Jamal Fogarty v Nicho Hynes
The matchup between the two superstar halfbacks will be an important one in determining the outcome of the game.
The experience, leadership, and attacking threats of both Jamal Fogarty and Nicho Hynes will be influential for both teams in this matchup.
Jamal Fogarty will captain the side in Thursday night’s trial, where Raiders fans will be excited to see Fogarty’s leadership on display.
Fogarty’s kicking game will be important against the Sharks after averaging a staggering 541 metres per game in 2024, compared to Hynes’ 300 metres per game.
Nicho Hynes will be looking to set a statement for Sharks fans this week as the star returns to the field having 13 try assists and having an average of 106 run meters in 2024.
Both Hynes and Fogarty had a disrupted 2024 season with injury and will both set their sights on having a strong season.
