The St George Illawarra Dragons will meet the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks on Thursday, September 7th at PointsBet Stadium, Cronulla in Round 8 of the 2023 NRLW season. This is your game day guide.
A maiden local derby
The Dragons will meet arch-rivals the Sharks for the first time at NRLW level on Thursday night at PointsBet Stadium with both teams desperate to keep their finals hopes alive with a win.
In their first season in the premiership, the Sharks have notched wins against the Raiders and Cowboys but have won just one of their past six outings.
Tony Herman’s squad will be looking to jag a win in their final home game of the season before making the trip to the nation’s capital next week to take on the Eels.
Key Timings:
When: 7.45pm
Where: PointsBet Stadium, Cronulla
Watch: Nine, 9Now, Kayo & Foxtel
Familiar faces do battle
A number of former-Dragons will take the field for the Sharks this weekend to provide some added spice to an already fiery local derby.
Sharks NRLW squad members Emma Tonegato, Quincy Dodd, Holli Wheeler, Talei Holmes, Tegan Dymock, Andie Robinson and Cassie Staples all spent last season with the Red V whilst Tiana Penitani, Maddie Studdon, and Ellie Johnston were also Dragons earlier in their careers.
On the other hand, Zali Hopkins and Macie Carlile both spent the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership season with the Sharks before linking back up with the Red V for their NRLW campaign.
Finals race heating up
With just two rounds of the regular season remaining, the postseason picture is becoming clearer and both sides are in need of a win to keep their finals hopes alive.
With three wins from seven games, Jamie Soward’s Dragons sit just two competition points behind the fourth-place Broncos – who they are 39 points behind in for-and-against – and the fifth-place Raiders – who they are 45 points ahead of for-and-against wise.
The Sharks, meanwhile, are a further two points behind the Dragons and will be in need of two big wins if they are to play finals football in their maiden season.
The Dragons will face the Broncos at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in their regular season finale with a win this week going a long way towards setting that clash up as a do-or-die encounter.
There are several moving parts to the Red V’s finals equation, but one thing is clear – the wins need to keep coming.
Reshuffle for Red V
Cheynoah Amone is out for the Dragons due to concussion protocols with Ella Koster shifting into the centres.
Roxy Murdoch moves into the second row with Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa starting at prop.
Sarah Riordan replaces Maddison Weatherall on the interchange whilst Madison Mulhall earns another crack in the second row after a try-scoring debut in Round 7.
Biddle returns for hosts
Annessa Biddle returns from suspension to start in the centres at the expense of Kiana Takairangi.
Cassie Staples pushes out to the wing in an otherwise unchanged 17.
Emma Tonegato starts at six whilst Tiana Penitani skippers the side from the centres.
