There’s mixed news for the Sharks on the eve of their preliminary final against the Panthers, with Kayal Iro cleared to play while fellow centre Jesse Ramien is in major doubt as he continues to battle an ankle injury. Reports earlier in the week suggested that Iro was racing the clock to be fit for Saturday’s showdown with the premiers, but Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon confirmed on Friday morning that the left centre was good to go. “He’s fine,” he declared.
“Kayal has had a slight wrist injury for a number of weeks, but he’s good to go.” The news on Ramien isn’t as encouraging, with the strike centre needing to prove his fitness on Friday if he’s any chance to face Penrith. Ramien missed the qualifying final loss to the Storm but returned last week and starred against the Cowboys with 122m, four tackle busts and a glorious flick pass to set up a Braydon Trindall try.
He was spotted in a moon boot this week and hasn’t trained, with the Sharks unlikely to risk him if he’s hobbled. “He’s still up against it but I haven’t seen him this morning and I haven’t had the medical review of yesterday, so we’ll see where he’s at,” Fitzgibbon said. “He did a really good job to get ready and play last week, so that’s the risk you’re looking at with the same sort of risk this week.
“He’s tough. He barely ran a step for a couple of weeks. He looked after himself, he’s a good professional.
He did such a good job for us (last week) and just.
