Match Preview: NRL Round 13 vs Sharks

Author: Manly Media
Timestamp: Wed 27 May 2026, 12:38 PM

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles take on the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks on Friday night in Round 13 of the NRL Telstra Premiership.

The Sea Eagles head to the Shire high on confidence after winning seven of their past eight games, a run of form that has been built on rock-solid defence.

The numbers don’t lie. The team has conceded on average only 13.75 points per game during this eight-week stretch.

By comparison, the Panthers, who lead the ladder and have conceded by far the fewest points this season, have had an average of 17 points per game scored against them over this corresponding period.

As they say, defence wins games of footy.

The Sharks enter this game having not played since their 38-16 defeat of the Bulldogs in Magic Round and are one of three teams who have already had two byes.

Ronaldo Mulitalo bagged two tries in his first game of the season in Magic Round

It’s been a bit of an up and down season so far for the Sharks with five wins and five losses, but when playing in the Shire, they’ve won three from four.

Two of those victories at their recently rebranded home ground, Ocean Protect Stadium, saw Cronulla post 50 points or more against both the Titans and Tigers.

Like Manly, Cronulla also has players on Origin duty with prop Addin Fonua-Blake and hooker Blayke Brailey lining up for the Blues, and edge forward Briton Nikora on the bench for the Maroons.

Big Numbers: Four tries and five try-assists for Clayton Faulalo in his past five games

Manly’s record against Cronulla over the years is impressive to say the least with the Sea Eagles winning 68 of 101 matches played since 1967, and 24 of the 41 games played at Shark Park.

The Sharks have fared better more recently, winning seven of the past 10 matches, including two victories last season, at 4 Pines Park and Optus Stadium in Perth.

In team news Manly is largely unchanged from last weekend’s win over the Titans with Lehi Hopoate returning from suspension to replace Blake Wilson on the wing. Haumole Olakau’atu and Tolu Koula will line up for the Blues in Origin I and have been included in the extended squad.

The Sharks have named their three Origin players in their run-on side, but this could change on game day. Nicho Hynes is missing due to a calf injury, with debutant Niwhai Puru named in the No.7 jersey.

Manly's last win against Cronulla was at Shark Park in 2023

Round 13 - Round 13 - Friday 29 May

10:00 am

Sharks

Sea Eagles

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 William Kennedy

Fullback for Sea Eagles is number 1 Clayton Faulalo
Winger for Sharks is number 2 Samuel Stonestreet

Winger for Sea Eagles is number 2 Jason Saab
Centre for Sharks is number 3 Jesse Ramien

Centre for Sea Eagles is number 3 Josh Feledy
Centre for Sharks is number 4 KL Iro

Centre for Sea Eagles is number 4 Reuben Garrick
Winger for Sharks is number 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo

Winger for Sea Eagles is number 5 Lehi Hopoate
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Braydon Trindall

Five-Eighth for Sea Eagles is number 6 Luke Brooks
Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Niwhai Puru

Halfback for Sea Eagles is number 7 Jamal Fogarty

Forwards

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 8 Taniela Paseka
Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Blayke Brailey

Hooker for Sea Eagles is number 9 Jake Simpkin
Prop for Sharks is number 10 Toby Rudolf

Prop for Sea Eagles is number 10 Kobe Hetherington
2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Briton Nikora

2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 11 Jackson Shereb
2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Teig Wilton

2nd Row for Sea Eagles is number 12 Ben Trbojevic
Lock for Sharks is number 13 Cameron McInnes

Lock for Sea Eagles is number 13 Jake Trbojevic

Interchange

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Jesse Colquhoun

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 14 Brandon Wakeham
Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Siosifa Talakai

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 15 Nathan Brown
Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Billy Burns

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 16 Ethan Bullemor
Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Thomas Hazelton

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 17 Simione Laiafi
Interchange for Sharks is number 18 Hohepa Puru

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 18 Blake Wilson
Interchange for Sharks is number 19 Oregon Kaufusi

Interchange for Sea Eagles is number 19 Joey Walsh

Reserves

Reserve for Sharks is number 20 Braden Uele

Reserve for Sea Eagles is number 20 Hugo Hart
Reserve for Sharks is number 21 Jayden Berrell

Reserve for Sea Eagles is number 21 Haumole Olakau'atu
Reserve for Sharks is number 22 Riley Jones

Reserve for Sea Eagles is number 22 Tolutau Koula
Reserve for Sharks is number 23 Mawene Hiroti

Blayke Brailey
Cameron McInnes
Niwhai Puru
Oregon Kaufusi
Riley Jones

Haumole Olakau'atu
Lehi Hopoate
Tolutau Koula

Nicholas Hynes

Match Officials

Referee: Todd Smith
Senior Review Official: Chris Butler

Last updated: 5/27/2026 11:54:21 AM

Stat Zone

The Sharks have won six of their last seven games against the Sea Eagles.
The Sea Eagles have won only three of their last 14 games at Ocean Protect Stadium.
Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored seven tries in his last seven games against the Sea Eagles.
Reuben Garrick needs 15 points to move past Jamie Lyon into second place on Manly’s the all-time points scorers’ list.
Sea Eagles centre Tolu Koula has scored five tries in his last four games against the Sharks.
Sharks co-captain Cameron McInnes will play his 100th game for the club.