The Cronulla Sharks aren’t exactly heading in the 2020 NRL season with huge expectations, however when at their best, they arguably have the most underrated halves pairing in the competition.

New Zealand International Shaun Johnson has admitted he didn’t have the best 2019. The move to a new club and having an injury riddled season did not exactly help Johnson find his feet in the Shire.

We all know what Johnson is capable of tho. Now he’s fully recovered from injury and has a season under his belt at the Sharks, there’s a good chance we will see the 29-year-old start to return to his old self.

Then you have Chad Townsend who arguably had his best season in 2019. He proved that he can not only play the five-eighth role, but can also take control of a side and steer them around the park.

https://t.co/1sAcOcj8gL pic.twitter.com/8axcvBiRM7

— Chad Townsend (@chadtownsend10) February 24, 2020

Townsend was rightly named the 2019 Sharks Player of the Season, keeping the team afloat when they were dominated by injuries to star players.

Overall in 2019 Townsend would score 6 tries, provide 13 try assists, 11 line break assists and make 481 tackles for an efficiency rate of 84.6%.

If Johnson can find his form of old and Townsend can continue to perform as consistently as he did in 2019, this halves pairing could be the best in the NRL.