Craig Fitzgibbon has been coached by Ricky Stuart at club, state and international level, and the Sharks coach will know what he’s walking into on Thursday night. I just hope his players do, too.

It’s an old-fashioned Raiders ambush just waiting to happen. When Canberra are playing at home they are just a totally different proposition and a 10- to 12-point better team.

“Sticky” plotted and executed a physical ambush on the Broncos a few weeks ago and even though the Raiders are coming off a couple of losses on the road, Cronulla will need to pack their overalls. Because it’s going to be down and dirty in the nation’s capital.

No one is going to feel this as much as Nicho Hynes. He’s already under pressure and no coach harasses opposition halves like Ricky Stuart – which is exactly how Sticky used to play too.

His back-rowers take genuine pleasure in going after playmakers. Hudson Young is on Canberra’s left edge and his job will be terrorising Hynes with and without the ball.

And on the other edge, Braydon Trindall has the young Englishman Matty Nicholson running directly at him.

Nicho Hynes is already under pressure, and Ricky Stuart will smell blood in the water.Credit: NRL Photos

Both back-rowers will be sledging and going after the halves, and no one sledged or targeted an opponent better than Sticky – especially in defence. They’ll be hitting them. Hitting them hard. And hitting them often.

Just sit back and watch.

For the Sharks........

© Brisbane Times