Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen says he and fellow NSW star Greg Bird owe it to their Sharks teammates to lead from the front against the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday night after putting in a shocker on their last return from Origin.

Gallen admitted he and Bird were disgusted with their efforts in Cronulla's 30-22 loss to the Bulldogs in round 11, that game coming five days after their pair had starred in NSW's 18-10 Origin I win.

Now, having been part of the Blues squad belted 30-0 in game two on Wednesday night, the Gallen said it was up to him and Bird to give the Sharks an emotional and physical lift against the Warriors after the Sharks did the job without the duo against Penrith last weekend.

"Against the Bulldogs and we were pretty ordinary - we owe it to the club and the team to come back after this one and play like rep players, play like leaders," Gallen said.

"It was an off game for everyone, it probably wasn't mine and Birdy's best game especially - the Bulldogs out-enthused all of us that night, it was pretty disappointing.

"We haven't played that bad for two years.

"We're up there on the ladder, the boys did the job last week without us so now we need to go back them and reward them I suppose by playing as well as we can.

"The boys that you play with probably look up to you a bit as well for some leadership, that's what me and Birdy have got to do for Cronulla on Saturday night."

While the Sharks will obviously be keen to avoid a repeat of the Bulldogs debacle, they will also be hoping their meeting with the Warriors isn't a case of deja vu following their 2007 fade out.

Heading into last year's round 14 clash between the two sides at Toyota Stadium, the Sharks were riding high in fifth spot with the struggling Warriors mired in 13th.

The Warriors upset the home side 12-2 that night, the loss sparking a seven-game losing streak for the Sharks which saw them drop out of finals contention while the Warriors won six of their next seven to eventually finish in fourth spot on the ladder.

Entering this year's clash, the Sharks are again in fifth and the Warriors again 13th, Gallen knowing the visitors will be fired up after being beaten by wooden-spoon favourites South Sydney last Friday night.

"As soon as I read that they lost I thought they will be stinging for a big one this weekend," Gallen said.

"We just need to make sure we are up for it as well."

The match will represent the first meeting between Sharks halfback Brett Kimmorley and Warriors skipper Steve Price since their controversial get-together in Origin III last year.

That game was the last Kimmorley played in 2007, Price damaging the veteran playmaker's knee as he dived at Kimmorley's legs attempting one of his trademark chargedowns, with the incident igniting a war of words between Bird and Price.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP