Stephen Crichton will back up for the Bulldogs 48 hours after Origin as they host the Sharks at Accor Stadium on Friday night.
Cameron Ciraldo’s side are looking to put their disappointing loss to the Roosters in wet conditions last week behind them and get their push for a first finals appearance since 2016 back on track.
Standing in their way are the Cronulla Sharks who, despite an indifferent month of football remain no push over.
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Craig Fitzgibbon’s side enter the contest fresh from the bye, with the added edge of Nicho Hynes and Cameron Mcinnes not making Michael Maguire’s Blues squad for Origin Game II.
Hynes in particular will have a point to prove after a nightmare outing in Game I.
Cronulla will feel they can get on top of an undersized Bulldogs pack that was dominated by the Roosters last week, with the absences of Kurt Mann and Jacob Preston particularly painful for Cameron Ciraldo.
When these sides last met in Round 2, the Sharks ran away with a 25-6 victory, though the Bulldogs lost prop Poasa Faamausili in the first hit up of the game and had a handful of tries ruled out.
This is a very different Bulldogs outfit to the one that ran out in March, one which boasts the second-best defence in the competition and includes former Shark Bronson Xerri, who faces his former club for the first time since returning from his doping ban.
Ciraldo pulled a late switch before kick-off with Jacob Kiraz switching to fullback and Blake Taaffe going to the bench. Meanwhile Teig Wilton retruns from injury on the bench for the Sharks.
TEAMS
Bulldogs: 4. Jacob Kiraz 2. Blake Wilson 3. Bronson Xerri 23. Stephen Crichton 5. Jeral Skelton 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Samuel Hughes 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Jaeman Salmon 13. Bailey Hayward 1. Blake Taaffe 15. Josh Curran 16. Kurtis Morrin 17. Lipoi Hopoi. 18th man: 22. Harry Hayes
Sharks: 1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Kayal Iro 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Toby Rudolf 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Siosifa Talakai 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Jack Williams 15. Royce Hunt 16. Thomas Hazelton 21. Teig Wilton. 18th man: 18. Daniel Atkinson
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Source Agencies
