The Sharks are back in the winner’s circle, hanging on to beat a fast-finishing Broncos side 28-16.
Cronulla’s backline were brilliant in getting the team out of trouble and made the most of attacking opportunities with Sione Katoa scoring a hatrick.
The Sharks defence also impressive stopping a desperate Brisbane outfit, to move into 5th on the NRL ladder.
Cronulla had the first real attacking chance of the game, Jesse Ramien drawing and passing for Sione Katoa down the sideline, but the right winger couldn’t gather it in.
Katoa would get another chance not long after though when a wayward Broncos offload out of trouble landed in Billy Burns lap. The Cronulla backrower took off towards the stunned defence and burst through before passing off to Sione for the first four pointer, but Nicho Hynes couldn’t convert from the sideline.
Two play the ball errors in the space of a few minutes had the Broncos frustrated, especially on their first visit to the Sharks end of the ground.
Cronulla would then march up field and accept a penalty goal. Hynes improving the score to 6-0 on the 20-minute mark.
The Sharks number seven then came up with something special, putting Burns through a gap inside their own half. The backrower then found Ramien who made a mad dash down field before being tackled by the fullback 30 metres out.
The next play Hynes identified the missing man at the back and put a nifty kick through for Katoa to grab his second try of the night. The Sharks taking a 10-0 lead with Hynes missing the conversion.
Several penalties gave the Broncos opportunity, but some staunch Sharks defence stopped a rampaging Xavier Willison on the try line.
Back-to-back raids eventually saw Cory Paix dive over from dummy half and the extras were added to make it 10-6 with 5 minutes remaining in the half.
A brilliant shot from Teig Wilton forced a Broncos knock on, but Hohepa Puru was hurt in the process and sent for a HIA, which he would later pass and return to the field.
A late tackle on the kicker penalty gave Hynes another shot at penalty goal. His attempt hit the right upright and bounced back into the hands of Wilton giving the Sharks one last chance before the break, but the Broncos would hold on.
Cronulla started the second half with a 4-point lead as both sides went set for set, neither willing to give an inch.
The Sharks threatened to break the game open when Katoa took a bomb with a foot in his in goal and took off for a 7-tackle set, as he got to the Broncos defensive line he passed to Hynes steaming through, but a Broncos hand knocked the ball down to stop a certain line break.
Then the home side had a wave of attacking possession but couldn’t capitalise, as Cronulla’s defence stayed strong.
A Broncos error from a Hynes bomb gave the Sharks a sniff, and a pinpoint pass from Trindall sent Katoa over for his third of the night. Hynes found his range from the right touchline and added the extras to make it 16-6.
Not long after that, the night of Katoa’s life continued. He picked up a kick on his own 20 metre line and went straight through, before being tackled 35 metres out from the Broncos line. Will Kennedy made the most of the momentum and sliced through for a try at the end of the set. Hynes converted off the post and in, again from the right sideline to go 22-6 in front.
The Broncos wouldn’t go away though, Hayze Perham snatched a grubber out of Wilton’s hands to score. Brisbane’s fullback then put his winger over to make it a 6-point ball game with 5 minutes on the clock.
A penalty gifted the Broncos a chance to try and level the score, but a ball bouncing up off Kotoni Staggs chest landed in Trindall’s breadbasket, and the Queensland Shark sprinted away to finish off the game at Suncorp Stadium. Hynes added the extras, this time from the left sideline, to make it 28-16.
That win pushes Cronulla to 5th on the ladder, equal on points with next week’s opponents the Dolphins.
The Sharks will return to Brisbane for that battle scheduled for 3pm next Saturday at Kayo Stadium.
