Cronulla Sharks

After losing to the out-of-sorts Broncos in round 25, the Storm returned to their absolute best in Saturday's first-versus-second showdown in front of 24,135 people at AAMI Park.

The Sharks, meanwhile, could fall from second to third and lose their rights to a home final in the opening week of the playoffs if the Raiders beat Wests Tigers on Sunday afternoon.

Sitting atop the NRL Telstra Premiership ladder for the first time since Round 2, 2000, Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said while the team was aware of their table-topping status they hadn't made a great deal about it. 

An inconsistent Bulldogs outfit threatens Cronulla's eight-game winning streak, and Flanagan expects Des Hasler's squad to be on song this week.

Flanagan also confirmed New South Wales Origin trio James Maloney, Andrew Fifita and skipper Paul Gallen would all be fit to face the Bulldogs.

A methodical recruitment drive over the past few years has seen the likes of seasoned campaigners James Maloney, Luke Lewis and Michael Ennis join the club to link up with some of the game's brightest talent to form one of the best-rounded squads in the NRL.

The result? Eight straight wins to have locals thinking twice about turning the porchlight on for Harold Holt. 

Their success in 2016 is incredible when you consider where the club was positioned two years ago. 

An anomaly in the draw – caused by a postponed game in Round 3 – meant this was the second time in the space of 14 days that these sides met, with the Sharks able to reverse the 22-16 defeat they suffered at Brookvale Oval a fortnight ago.  

The Sea Eagles started both halves with plenty of vigour but couldn't maintain the pressure as they remain last on the ladder through 11 rounds. 

Holmes' quadruple of tries was the second-biggest try-scoring haul in Sharks' history and the first since Nathan Stapleton in 2014.

The Knights – hosting seven players who were 20 or younger – had no answers for the Sharks who ran 11 tries past Newcastle's fleeting defence to produce their seventh-straight win.

Before a ball had even been kicked the Knights were dealt a terrible card when winger Nathan Ross (hamstring) was ruled out in the warm-up, replaced by Cory Denniss.