S5, R4: Gamblers vs. Sharks - Completed

%srgamblers

Benny Read
Aaron O'Neill
Wes Welker
Morgan Burridge
Jack Dempsey
Simon Humble
Alex O'Driscoll
Brett Gemmell
Ben Hornby
Ben Taylor
Luke Tyson
Jazman Eightyfour
Adam Vago
Ben Herd
Haydos Bots

16. Reframe
17. Lewis
18. Chance
19. Hall
20. Popovic
21. Starris
22. Lee

%sharks

David Dafter
Eddie Morris (C)
Shane Masters
James McDougal
Samual Yates
Lee Sweetman
DJ Edwards
Keith Rask
Sam Bakkum
Matthew Scoble
Zac MacDonald
Michael Edwards
Sam Graham
Chris Devonshire
Regan Hutchinson

Substitutes

16. Soumyanil Das
17. Niru Gurupur
18. DH Mulray
19. Dexter Astele
20. James Hughes
21. Matt James
22. Paul Adams

 

Two injury ravaged teams here.

Gamblers missing Logan, Sharks missing Veri and Zaka.

Those injuries really costing both teams heavily.

 

Preview.

This shapes up as an incredibly important game for both teams as the Gamblers host the Sharks. The Sharks are coming in off an important win at home to the Vikings, whilst the Gamblers were pushed out by the Hurricanes. Those results leave the Gamblers languishing at the bottom of the table, and with the Sharks not far above them.

Fancied pre-season, the Gamblers need to take away at least 4 points from this game to keep their season on track.

Comparing the two teams makes for an interesting exercise. Both teams have excellent looking front rowers. Representatives litter the lower numbers, but it's fair to say that the Gamblers have the form here. Even makeshift hooker Aaron O'Neill seems to be in good form at the moment and has arguably been outperforming opposite number Eddie Morris.

In the second row, the Sharks would normally have vast superiority. This time around, however Sam Verigotta's injury means chances could arise for Gamblers pairing Morgan Burridge and Jack Dempsey to make some handy line out steals against a man with no second row experience - Samuel Yates.

Again, the back rows would normally be closely contested but injuries have wrought significant damage to the Sharks. With Yates shifted to the 2nd row, and Simon Laing injured, Lee Sweetman, DJ Edwards and Keith Rask shift to the starting line up. However, Dexter Astele should be aggrieved not to make the starting line-up as a largely successful New Zealand representative.

The back lines have similar issues. Solid half back options are coupled with first-fives whose future at this level is in doubt. That said, despite a lack of training this season Matthew Scoble is still performing adequately, but Ben Taylor on the other hand continually seems to have selectorial question marks over him so he'll be looking for a better contribution in this match.

On the wings, the Gamblers are oozing quality in speed merchant Ben Herd and the reliable hands of Luke Tyson. This is an area where the Sharks have struggled, however. Zac MacDonald is still making small strides at this level and Chris Devonshire has caused massive controversy for the club after being caught hawking tickets for Sharks home matches on eBay.

In the centres, Sam Graham still provides a quality attacking option for the Sharks despite showing signs of ageing. It is here where the Gamblers are hit by injury, having to pair Jaz Eightyfour with Adam Vago due to Jordan Logan's early injury from the match against the Hurricanes. Experienced Utility Haydos Bots gets an opportunity at full back and is bound to be tested by opposite number Regan Hutchinson who may look to pepper him with high balls.

All in all, this match looks to be a mouthwateringly tight contest. The bookies have the Sharks down as pre-match favourites, but with their skewed balance, I have this one down as a fifty-fifty call.

Predicted Result: A narrow win for one team or the other. This one'll be under 7 points and I expect the end winner will walk away victorious by less than 3. If I had to stick my neck out, I'm picking the Gamblers, but it really is a marginal call.

 

Yeah will back the Sharks again. Think Rego will fancy his chances against Bots. Game of the round for sure tho.