Friday night footy: Sharks v Roosters; Panthers v Rabbitohs

Prop star: Naufahu Whyte went the full 40 for the Roosters and led the way in the middle with 10 runs for 100 metres. He also got through 25 tackles in a typically wholehearted display.

Half-time: The Sharks take an eight-point lead to the sheds after a highly entertaining first half that produced five tries. Blayke Brailey was the catalyst for the Sharks with two try assists, a line break, 94 run metres and 19 tackles. The Sharks had 19 tackle breaks to seven and six more sets in attack but the Roosters are well and truly in the contest.

36 min: The Sharks let a bomb bounce and almost pay a heavy price but Rob Toia knocks the ball on as he tries to control it.

35 min: Roosters centre Billy Smith is ruled out after failing a HIA.

33 min: The Roosters conjure a long-range try through James Tedesco after some brilliant lead-up from Egan Butcher, Daniel Tupou and Sam Walker, who adds the conversion to cut the margin to eight. Sharks 20-12.

32 min: A penalty against Connor Watson for an escort hands the Sharks another attacking set but Braden Hamlin-Uele puts the ball down.

28 min: Blayke Brailey is having a night out and he sets up Nicho Hynes for the Sharks' third try when he breaks the line and races 40 metres before putting the ball on a platter for his halfback. Hynes adds the extras. Sharks 20-6.

24 min: Briton Nikora has failed his HIA and won't return.

23 min: The Roosters get a shot at a second try on the back of the Sharks' ill-discipline but a forward pass by Chad Townsend takes the air out of the balloon.

21 min: Blayke Brailey goes on report for a lifting tackle and in the following set Addin Fonua-Blake is placed on report for a shoulder charge.

18 min: Braydon Trindall takes the ball to the line and puts a rampaging Teig Wilton into a hole, beating Rob Toia who slipped over and James Tedesco who had no chance of stopping the back-rower on the tryline. Nicho Hynes adds the extras. Sharks 14-6.

13 min: Briton Nikora is forced from the field for a HIA after a collision with Naufahu Whyte. The Roosters go to the right side with a Sam Walker kick for Daniel Tupou to soar through the air and come down with a try. That takes Tupou to 175 career tries. Walker converts from wide out. Sharks 8-6.

11 min: Now it's Addin Fonua-Blake's turn to be pinged for a roll ball and the Roosters get a shot to hit back.

11 min: The Roosters are caught offside out wide and Nicho Hynes takes a shot at penalty goal from wide out on the left. He strikes it sweetly. Sharks 8-0.

8 min: The Roosters make a blunder coming out of their own end when Billy Smith fails to play the ball correctly and the Sharks are in the Red Zone again.

6 min: Blayke Brailey scoots out of dummy half and catches the markers offside before offloading to William Kennedy who plunges over next to the posts for the opening try. Nicho Hynes converts. Sharks 6-0.

5 min: The Sharks get rolling on the back of a six-again call against Victor Radley for a ruck infringement.

Late Mail

Sharks: No further changes on game day after centre Jesse Ramien was ruled out with hamstring tightness on Thursday and replaced by 22-year-old debutant Chris Vea'ila. A change on the bench as well with Billy Burns again brought in to replace Daniel Atkinson, who drops to 18th man. Addin Fonua-Blake will play his 200th NRL game.

Roosters: The Roosters are 1-17 with no late changes. Chad Townsend plays his first NRL game since Round 5 after being named to replace the injured Hugo Savala (wrist) at five-eighth. Ethan King is 18th man.

Numbers Game

• The Sharks have lost their last four games against top-eight opposition.
• The Roosters have won nine of their past 11 games against the Sharks.
• Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo is on a five-game tryscoring streak against the Roosters.
• Roosters winger Daniel Tupou requires two tries to move to equal fifth on the all-time premiership tryscoring list.
• Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey plays his 121st consecutive match.

Panthers v Rabbitohs at CommBank Stadium