With four rounds to play in the 2022 season the Sharks must keep on winning to secure a top-four spot while Wests Tigers need victories to stave off the unwanted wooden spoon.
Through the dramas of the past decade Wests Tigers have never finished last in their 22 seasons as a joint venture but Sunday's loss to the Knights leaves them precariously placed in 15th, just one win ahead of the Titans.
The Sharks, meanwhile, are sitting pretty in third spot and face teams well below them on the ladder in their final four games but coach Craig Fitzgibbon will be taking nothing for granted in the run home.
Fitzgibbon has done a remarkable job in his first year as a senior coach to return the Sharks to the top eight after a disappointing 2021 season, and he'll be ramming home the importance of a strong final month to build momentum for a shot at the club's second premiership.
Sportsbet Betting preview: Wests Tigers v Sharks
The Rundown
Team news
Wests Tigers: No further changes on game day after Luke Garner was added to the squad on Friday after a two-week neck injury, replacing Alex Seyfarth in the back row. Joe Ofahengaue shifts from prop to lock and impressive rookie Fonua Pole reverts to the interchange. With Ken Maumalo sidelined by a suspected PCL injury Starford To’a shifts to the wing and James Roberts comes in at centre for his sixth appearance of the year.
Sharks: Changes on game day with Royce Hunt promoted to the starting side in his return from a shoulder injury and Braden Hamlin-Uele going to the bench. Aiden Tolman has dropped out and his place on the interchange is taken by Jesse Colquhoun.
Centre Siosifa Talakai (shoulder) was ruled out on Friday, replaced by Matt Ikuvalu. Playmaker Matt Moylan remains sidelined with a quad injury so Braydon Trindall again fills the five-eighth role. Dale Finucane is back from suspension so Cameron McInnes reverts to the bench.
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Key match-up
Jock Madden v Nicho Hynes: Stepping in for Luke Brooks in the No.7 for the past two games Madden has done a more than handy job, running for 192 metres and looking lively in attack, particularly in the upset win over Brisbane. The 22-year-old will look to continue his development alongside in-form five-eighth Adam Doueihi and steer the Tigers away from the dreaded spoon. Hynes goes from strength to strength for the Sharks, backing up his golden point heroics against the Bunnies with a try, four goals, five tackle breaks, 146 run metres and 300 kick metres in a tense local derby against the Dragons. His composure and class can carry the Sharks deep into the finals.
Stat Attack
Barnstorming Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai sits second in the NRL for post-contact metres with 1263 metres in 18 games, so his omission could be a tough one to overcome for the visitors. The only man with more is Canberra's Joseph Tapine (1369). Against the Dragons last week, Talakai made 181 metres for the match, 96 of which were post-contact. Wests Tigers' leader in post-contact metres is forward Joe Ofahengaue (994 in 20 games), who moves back to lock this weekend.
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