Source : the age
The Sharks force a dropout and a chaotic second half comes to an end in fitting fashion as Luke Brooks’ dropout doesn’t go close to making the 10 metres. That will be full-time.
Strange game. Cronulla were excellent in a first half filled with set restarts, which may have taken a toll on the fatigue levels of both sides as the second half was very scrappy in attack and defence at both ends.
The Sharks will be happy with the win but nervously await confirmation of whether captain Blayke Brailey has suffered a broken arm.
Full-time: Sharks win 28-22
Manly try what might be the last throw of the dice with a half-break down the right, but when the ball finds Jason Saab his rival winger Jason Saab drives him over the sideline once again. Both teams come together as Saab and Billy Burns exchange words, but that is probably going to do it for this contest.
Sharks 28, Sea Eagles 22 with 90 seconds left
Braydon Trindall puts up a dangerous bomb, Lehi Hopoate drops it but there’s also a penalty against Luke Brooks for an escort that looks pretty harsh on first viewing. The officiating has been nothing if not thorough tonight.
Mawene Hiroti takes this penalty goal and he makes no mistake. And Manly compound their error with a short kick-off that goes out on the full.
Sharks 28, Sea Eagles 22 with 3 minutes left
The Sea Eagles are looking the more enterprising team now, sending the ball wide and throwing offloads while the Sharks are keeping things simple through the middle. But now it backfires for Manly, Reuben Garrick passing to Jason Saab who is driven over the sideline by Sam Stonestreet near the halfway line.
Cronulla go on the attack, and they again play it safety-first, Niwhai Puru running it on the last and brought down five metres from the Manly tryline.
But the Sharks produce a big defensive play in the next set with Toby Rudolf driving Saab backwards, and the winger loses possession.
Can Cronulla score the match-winner here?
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 22 with 6 minutes left
Jamal Fogarty drives a 40-20 attempt towards the sideline, a great kick, but Will Kennedy does superbly to jump over the sideline and fling the ball infield. He chases it into the in-goal and takes the ball out of his own end, but the touch judge has his flag up and has ruled he went over the sideline. Looks like a tough call, and the crowd watching the replay on the big screen isn’t happy.
Manly have a great chance to take the lead here, but Kennedy defuses Fogarty’s last-tackle grubber and gets out of the in-goal.
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 22 with 17 minutes left
What a turnaround this has been. At half-time Cronulla were on top of the world, but three Manly tries and a suspected broken arm for their talismanic No.9 Blayke Brailey has just about ruined their evening. It’s bad news for NSW Origin as well.
And now Ronaldo Mulitalo is limping after Jamal Fogarty landed awkwardly on his leg in a tackle.
Cronulla need to regain the momentum of this one somehow, though they at least still have the lead.
Sharks 22, Sea Eagles 22 with 19 minutes left
This is getting a little ridiculous. Luke Brooks takes an offload, runs around Sharks prop Tom Hazelton and bursts clear. Brooks passes towards Jamal Fogarty in support and Cronulla’s Hohepa Puru gets his hand to the ball – but Fogarty kicks ahead and touches down for a long-range try.
In terrible news for the Sharks, their star hooker and recent NSW Origin debutant Blayke Brailey has gone off with a suspected broken arm.
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 22 with 21 minutes left
Defence is taking a back seat in this second half. Jamal Fogarty puts up a booming bomb on the last, Sharks winger Sam Stonestreet doesn’t really get close to it, the ball bounces over his head and into the arms of the chasing Jason Saab who scores one of the easiest tries of his career.
What started out as a bit of an old-fashioned grind has turned into a bit of a tryfest, and Reuben Garrick’s conversion reduces the deficit to 10 points.
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 16 with 24 minutes left
Ben Trbojevic hurt his left shoulder in the act of scoring that try and it’s proved costly immediately, Cronulla getting down the other end fast and Braydon Trindall running past Trbojevic to score himself. Trindally has been excellent tonight, but he misses yet another conversion.
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 10 with 28 minutes left
Manly camp out in Cronulla territory for a few sets in a row – Mawene Hiroti attempts an intercept but knocks on, Niwhai Puru is pinged for a slow ruck, and Jesse Colquhoun is penalised for having a foot in the ruck at the play-the-ball – and the pressure is too much for the Sharks defence as Ben Trbojevic carries a couple of defenders over the line.
They’re only a couple of converted tries behind now and still well and truly in this game.
Sharks 22, Sea Eagles 10 with 31 minutes left
