The Cronulla Sharks’ bid for a top-eight finish just got a whole lot stronger after Melbourne Storm star Cameron Munster revealed coach Craig Bellamy intended to rest a slew of players for the two sides’ round 25 match-up.
The Sharks are currently sitting eighth on the NRL ladder after thrashing the Tigers 50-20 at the weekend.
They sit on 20-points, alongside the Titans and Raiders, but the huge win has seen them sneak into the top-eight by a differential of -32 (14 higher than the Titans on -46).
With just two games remaining, the Sharks have 14th placed Broncos and Storm left to play.
But their round 25 clash just became a whole lot easier, with Munster revealing to Nine News the Storm were planning to rest over 10 stars for the clash in preparation for finals.
“Hopefully, I’ll have a rest against the Sharks,” Munster told Nine News.
“I’m fairly sure we’ll rest probably 10-plus players. So, we’re pretty excited to get the rest.
“The old legs are struggling at the moment. I’m really excited to get a breather.”
While it’s no secret teams that have already qualified for finals tend to rest stars in the closing rounds, with the race heating up further down the ladder it’s sure to throw a spanner in the works for those still fighting to keep their season alive.
While the revelation doesn’t necessarily guarantee the Sharks will make the eight, it goes a long way in bolstering their finals hopes.
The Titans will have the Knights and Warriors to play, while the Raiders have the Warriors and the Roosters.
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