Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks – Regular Season – Preview & Prediction | NRL 2022
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THE FACTS
When is Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks on and what time does it start? Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks will take place on Friday 11th March, 2022 – 07:00 (UK)
Where is Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks taking place? Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks will take place at GIO Stadium in Canberra, Australia
Where can I get tickets for Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks? Click here for ticket information on 2022 NRL matches
What channel is Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
THE TEAM NEWS
CANBERRA RAIDERS
- Canberra Raiders were one of the most underwhelming teams in the NRL last season as they missed out on the finals and head coach Ricky Stuart will be under pressure to guide his side back to the top eight this time around.
- The roster at his disposal does not look as strong as recent years, at least for this opening round, and there will be a lot resting on the shoulders of Brad Schneider who has been given the nod in the halfback role after off-season recruit Jamal Fogarty suffered a serious knee injury.
Starting 13: Nicoll-Klokstad, Cotric, Schiller, Timoko, Valemei, Wighton, Schneider, Papalii, Hodgson, Tapine, Young, Harawira-Naera, Whitehead – Interchanges: Starling, Guler, Elliott, Hosburgh – Reserves: Sutton, Frawley, Mooney, Rushton, Croker, Savage, Williams
Unavailable: Jamal Fogarty, Harley Smith-Shields, Peter Hola, Sebastian Kris, Jordan Rapana
CRONULLA SHARKS
- Cronulla Sharks will hope that new head coach Craig Fitzgibbon can give them a new lease of life but his first game in charge of his new club has been marred after testing positive for COVID-19 so he will not be in attendance.
- Nicho Hynes was Cronulla’s marquee signing during the off-season and he will line-up at halfback with Dale Finucane another eye-catching addition but there is no place for skipper Wade Graham after he suffered an injury in a pre-season trial.
Starting 13: Kennedy, Katoa, Ramien, Mulitalo, Ikuvalu, Moylan, Hynes, Rudolf, Brailey, Hamlin-Uele, Nikora, Wilton, Finucane – Interchanges: Tolman, Talakai, Hunt, Fifita – Reserves: Metcalf, Colquhoun, Miller, Taumoepeau, Berrell, Lualua, Hazelton
Unavailable: Franklin Pele, Connor Tracey, Cameron McInnes, Braydon Trindall, Wade Graham
THE PREDICTION
Canberra Raiders and Cronulla Sharks will both have high hopes of making the finals this year but it is the Sharks that will be the more confident of the two. They have changed things up with Craig Fitzgibbon taking charge and he has made some impressive signings ahead of his maiden season. The Raiders on the other hand look weaker on paper than they have in recent years and with their backline in particular lacking quality, the Sharks are favoured to edge this opening contest.
