League: Sharks will be 'playing for pride'

The Sydney Roosters are bracing for a Cronulla side with nothing left to lose.

They face a Sharks outfit at Allianz Stadium tomorrow night, after one of the most tumultuous weeks in the club's history.

Key playmaker Todd Carney was axed just 48 hours after one of the Sharks' greatest wins - a 24-22 comeback victory over Brisbane - with caretaker coach Peter Sharp jumping ship 24 hours later.

The Roosters are keen to bounce back strongly from their round 16 loss to premiership frontrunners Manly, but Kiwi winger Roger Tuivasa-Sheck admits they don't know what the embattled Sharks are likely to toss up.

"Our coaches have said we don't really know what to expect from the Sharks," he said. "We just work on our game and make sure we come up with the right strategy. That is the tough part, anticipating how they are going to come out, how they are going to play."

Both teams will be without their State of Origin stars with rookie three-game pivot Fa'amanu Brown to take the place of Carney in the Sharks' halves.

"They will be keen to put it behind them and concentrate on playing a tough 80 minutes," Roosters forward Frank-Paul Nu'uausala said.

"In 2009 and 2011, we had a couple of incidents and stuff got out in media and, when that happens, it is about pride and playing for pride, pride in your club and the teammates and the fans. They will be playing for themselves and for Toddy."

- AAP