NRL $10,000+ Sharks v Cowboys Line-Up

It’s a repeat of the preliminary final last season, with the Sharks and the Cowboys facing off on Sunday afternoon. This year, though, they meet in an elimination final, with both team’s seasons on the line. The Cowboys have struggled with injuries and have lost five of their last six matches, including in round 24 to the Sharks. The Sharks haven’t been overly convincing either, but will take plenty of confidence from that recent victory.

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Here is a team you may consider for the NRL $10,000+ Sharks v Cowboys competition

Front Row Forward

Jason Taumalolo ($17,450)

Taumalolo has really stepped up in the last few weeks. His teammates have been dropping like flies, but that has not stopped the big Kiwi from dominating games through his incredible running. In the last four weeks, he’s run a total of 817 metres, broken 31 tackles and made eight offloads; he’s averaging a whopping 72.7 Draftstars points in that time. Against the Sharks in round 24, he ran 158 metres, made seven tackle breaks and 30 tackles in a performance that is incredibly becoming commonplace for Taumalolo.

Scott Bolton ($10,950)

Bolton and Taumalolo are the yin and yang that keep the Cowboys pack ticking. Bolton may not break tackle or make offloads like Taumalolo (he’s broken two tackle in the last six weeks and has made just three offloads all year), but he does the dirty work better than anyone. He’s averaging 131.3 metres gained and 31.3 tackles per game this season, which just shows how effective his uncompromising style has been. The Sharks have some of the best middle forwards in the game, but Bolton will be ready for the challenge.

Hooker

Jake Granville ($10,500)

With Ben Hampton back on the bench and James Segeyaro playing less and less each week, the choice at hooker comes down to rookie Jayden Brailey and the more experienced Granville. In this case, experience wins out, with Granville’s performances in big games getting him the nod over Brailey – who will be playing his first final on Sunday. Granville was poor last week against the Broncos, making two errors, but he will be looking to bounce back this week against his inexperienced counterpart.

Second Row Forward

Shaun Fensom ($11,300)

The move north has done wonders for Fensom, who is enjoying a renaissance season off the bench. His tackling has always been brilliant, and that hasn’t changed recently, with Fensom averaging 32.4 tackles per game in the last five weeks. A move back to the bench a fortnight ago hasn’t impacted his scoring, with Fensom pumping out a 43.4 and a 39.1 in the last two weeks respectively. With a lack of cheap options, Fensom is worth a chance at a reasonable price.

Jayson Bukuya ($10,250)

An ankle injury against the Knights stopped Bukuya from finishing the game, with the utility forward playing just 28 minutes. In his short time on the park he was good, though, ending up with 75 metres and 15 tackles. Given he usually plays around 50 minutes per game, he should be a safe bet to improve his production this week.

Centre

Jack Bird ($11,150)

Bird returns to the side for the first time since round 22, but that time off shouldn’t impact his performance this week. Bird has had a slow recover and should be fit and firing come Sunday, where he will be relied on to produce plenty of attack for the Sharks. His relentless running enables him to rack up tackle breaks, line breaks and metres, while his passing game has seen him assist on plenty of tries this season as well. The Cowboys are shaky out wide and Bird will be looking to exploit and overlaps in the defence.

Half

James Maloney ($10,850)

Maloney was best on ground against the Cowboys in round 24, ending the game with two line breaks, two try assists and two tackle breaks. His ability to set up his teammates came from his running game, with a brilliant step on Jason Taumalolo resulting in a try for Paul Gallen. Since that game he hasn’t been at his best, but if there is one man who will step up in the finals, it’s James Maloney, who was one of the best players in the finals last season.

Wing/Fullback

Javid Bowen ($10,000)

Bowen has been fantastic since returning to first-grade in round 23, giving the Cowboys plenty of thrust in attack. His running game has been phenomenal, with Bowen racking up over 150 metres in four of the five game since his return. Last week he broke six tackles, showing that he can rack up points in plenty of different ways. The options at the back aren’t great in this one, so Bowen’s consistency and upside make him an intriguing option.

Gerard Beale ($7,350)

Beale has been the topic of plenty of conversations recently in regards to which jersey he’ll be wearing next season. Currently, though, he’s a Shark, and he’s one of the only decent cheap options for our Draftstars sides. When they played the Cowboys last, he ran 139 metres, made five tackle breaks and a line break. He has more upside than Coote, Feki and Winterstein, and he’s significantly cheaper than Holmes and Feldt. The options are poor in the outside backs, but Beale seems like one of the best.

The Line Up

FR-F: Jason Taumalolo ($17,450)

FR-F: Scott Bolton ($10,950)

HOOK: Jake Granville ($10,500)

2R-F: Shaun Fensom ($11,300)

2R-F: Jayson Bukuya ($10,250)

C: Jack Bird ($11,150)

HALF: James Maloney ($10,850)

W/FB: Javid Bowen ($10,000)

W/FB: Gerard Beale ($7,350)

Salary Remaining: $200