Warriors duo plot to shut out Shark
In recent weeks of the NRL, the same question has surrounded any Cronulla Sharks game – how are the opposition going to stop Siosifa Talakai?
The former Kiwis junior turned Tongan international has been a revelation in the centres for the Sharks in 2022, breaking out as a full-time weapon on the left edge.
The 25-year-old isn’t new to the NRL scene; making his debut with the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2016 before bouncing around in reserve grade for a few years until joining Cronulla in 2020.
While he has been deployed as an edge forward in the past, the Sharks have unlocked potential in the powerhouse by starting him at centre from round four of their 2022 campaign, after previously using him from the bench or in the second row.
Through eight rounds, Talakai leads the league in linebreak assists – tied with teammate Nicho Hynes on 9 – while being among the top 10 in the competition in running metres (1339), tackle breaks (48), post-contact metres (486) and try assists (six).
Partner that with fellow Sharks centre Jesse Ramien, who is posting impressive offload, tackle break and linebreak assisting numbers, and the Sharks have one of the most formidable centre pairings in the NRL.
This weekend, it will be up to young Warriors duo Rocco Berry and Viliami Vailea to shut them down.
With fewer than 20 games of first-grade between them, it shapes up as an exercise in learning on the job.
“It’s a bit tough, eh?” Vailea said.
“They’re a bit bigger than us, but we’ve just got to have fun and do what we do; do our best on the weekend and see how we go.”
Through eight rounds of the season, the Warriors hold the second-worst defensive record, having conceded 202 points – though that number is blown out by the 70 they gave up to Melbourne on Anzac Day.
They have been exploited out wide, conceding 18 linebreaks to opposing centres and wings.
Of the 35 tries the club has conceded in 2022, more than 50 per cent have been scored by the centres or wings.
Defensively, the Sharks have similar holes – conceding 13 linebreaks to the men out wide.
However, they’ve more than made up for that with ball in hand.
Through eight rounds, the Sharks sit second in linebreaks with 49, and 31 of those have been made by centres and wings.
It isn’t just on the defensive end that the battle of the backs will have a major impact.
For the Warriors, 13 of their 21 tries this season have been scored in those positions, while wings and centres account for 19 of 33 tries for the Sharks. However, Cronulla have only conceded seven tries to the wide positions this season (of 21 total).
Berry isn’t expecting to completely deny his opposites, but has a plan to limit their effectiveness.
“It’s more about limiting [their] opportunities and involvements.
“We’ve got plans in place for defending their edge – because it’s the whole edge that is a threat.
“I think we just have to limit them, do our roles right and then we’ll be sweet.”