The Sharks have beaten the Dolphins 66-0 to move into the NRL’s top 4, as they broke the club’s record for biggest winning margin, and Nicho Hynes claimed Cronulla’s record for most individual points in a game.
Hynes was perfect with the boot; he converted 11/11, had 2 tries, and 3 try assists. While his halves partner Braydon Trindall added three assists as well to now lead the league in that stat, and all on his 26th birthday.
Will Kennedy and Oregon Kaufusi celebrated their 150th NRL games in style. Kaufusi crashed over for a four-pointer, and Kennedy had a hand in two. Kennedy has never lost a milestone match, winning on his debut, his 50th game, his 100th and now his 150th.
It was almost the perfect start to the game for Cronulla; they received back-to-back penalties and set restarts to march upfield. The Sharks looked threatening from the get-go, as Kennedy poked his nose through a gap and reached out to plant the ball down, but upon further review, the fullback was pulled up for a double movement.
Neither side struggled to make metres and find their way upfield, which led to some razzle-dazzle 4th- and 5th-tackle options and plenty of attacking kicks.
Dolphins five-eighth Kodi Nikorima almost crashed over from a sweeping play to the left side, but a last-ditch tackle from Nicho Hynes kept him out, and a wayward offload landed in Jesse Ramien’s lap.
The Dolphins were on the attack again soon after, when Cronulla’s Billy Burns was penalised for a disruptor tackle, but the backrower made amends for it with a try-saving tackle on Thomas Flegler, which dislodged the ball.
Some clever work by Blayke Brailey set up Sharks' milestone man, Oregon Kaufusi. The 26-year-old prop barged over from close to the line to celebrate his 150th NRL game. Hynes added the extras to take a 6-0 lead in the top 8 battle of the big fish.
Oregon Kaufusi Try
The Dolphins continued to look dangerous, throwing the ball around, but the adlib play led to an obstruction penalty, which put the Sharks in attacking range, and Braydon Trindall took full advantage, setting up his 21st try of the season so far, as KL Iro touched down in goal from a pinpoint grubber. Iro’s 10th try of the season was right on the sideline, which made it a tough kick for Hynes, but he bent it like Beckham to take Cronulla out to 12-0.
Hynes blocks out Dolphins crowd to slot a beauty
Minutes later, a brilliant kick chase from the Sharks saw them drive Jamayne Isaako over the sideline in his own danger zone. This time, it was Mr. 150 Will Kennedy kicking for a black, white and blue four-pointer. Sione Katoa got to the ball first to score and copped a shot to the head in the process. Hynes continued his perfect record with the boot, slotting it from the right sideline on this occasion.
The Sharks manhandle Isaako into touch
A good defensive read from Teig Wilton forced a Phins’ fumble and gave Cronulla another crack inside the final 10 minutes of the first half. Kennedy made a half break and juggled the ball before he regathered and was tackled metres from the try-line. The next play was pure poetry, Brailey to Hynes, Hynes to Trindall, and Trindall with a magic cut-out pass to put Ronaldo Mulitalo over. Another sideline try, another Nicho conversion to make it 24-0.
Ronaldo Mulitalo Try
A Sharks error coming out of their own end gifted the Dolphins an opportunity with 5 minutes on the clock. Quick hands from the home side had Tevita Naufahu staring at the try line in open space, but the cover defence, led by Hynes, hammered him into touch.
What power from Hynes to stop the try
The Dolphins came out fired up in the second half, hoping to cut into the Sharks' 24-point lead.
Sione Katoa copped the brunt of it, andwas in some pain after an aerial duel with Herbie Farnworth. The Sharks winger wouldn’t quit though, and came up with a try-saver on Trai Fuller 5 minutes in. Will Kennedy and Sifa Talakai followed him up with another special effort to deny the Dolphins soon after. Cronulla withstood multiple repeat sets on their own line before Hynes pounced on a grubber, and the momentum swung.
Kennedy and Talakai muscle up
Katoa again got in on the action as he sprinted away for the first line break of the half to give the Sharks their first attacking chance. On a set play to the left, Trindall superbly picked up a pass off his boot laces and found Hynes, who double pumped to perfection, before sending Iro through for his second of the afternoon. Hynes added a 5th goal to his tally to go along with the try assist, to make it 30-0.
KL Iro 2nd Try
They didn't do too badly from the restart either. Cronulla rolling up the field with ease, and with some razzle-dazzle footy on fifth play, they switched it from the right to the left, and back right again before Kennedy sent a long ball to Ramien with some work to do. The Sharks' right centre beat three defenders to score his first of the afternoon and topped it off with a Jai July celebration.
Jesse Ramien Try
A Katoa knock on from the kickoff gave the Phins a chance, but the scramble defence from Cronulla was incredible. Both the left and right edges were tested, but neither would crack.
Trindall and Hynes combined for the next try. A bomb from the birthday boy was tapped back by Mulitalo for Hynes to pick up and dive over. The Sharks' halfback then made it 7 from 7 goals to take his side out to 42 points with 22 minutes remaining.
Back-to-back penalties kept Cronulla on the attack, and they’d find a way over again. From a right-side play, a Hynes’ bullet pass to a flying Ramien, ended with the centre drawing and passing with precision for Sione’s second of the day. Another difficult conversion, no worries for Nicho as the Sharks inched two points closer to a half-century.
Sione Katoa 2nd Try
Just when it looked like Cronulla may have taken their foot off the gas, as Jamayne Isaako made a break from a scrum play, Trindall pulled off a huge tackle to stop a certain try and force an error. The birthday boy’s efforts were celebrated like a four-pointer; as the Sharks again kept the Dolphins out.
Isaako can't get past a desperate Trindall
Then his halves partner did the damage at the other end. Hynes put Tom Hazelton through to cap off a big week for the recent Ken Stephen Medal nominee. That try brought up the half century, and Hynes slotted it from in front to make it 54-0.
After Hynes' third try assist for the half, he wanted more. The number 7 burst through himself this time to score his second of the afternoon and also kicked the goal to bring up 60.
Nicholas Hynes 2nd Try
A Herbie Farnworth break got the Phins on the attack in the final minutes, but again the relentless Cronulla defence hung on. Hazelton countered and broke through, then he sent Cam McInnes on his way before a last-ditch Dolphins tackle. The Sharks wouldn’t be denied, though, as Hynes threw another perfect long ball to set up Ramien for his second try and break the club’s record for biggest margin of victory. Going past 62 points, which Cronulla cracked in 2005 and 2016.
Jesse Ramien 2nd Try
Hynes lined up the conversion from the right sideline with another record in sight. The Sharks’ most individual points in a game, held by Brett Kimmorley. Like he had all day, the Sharks' halfback slotted it to crack 30 individual points and claim the Sharks’ outright record and increase the club’s biggest winning margin record out to 66 points, all this as the seconds trickled down to full-time.
The 66-0 win moves Cronulla into 3rd on the NRL ladder, with other games still to play, and sends the side into a 6-day turnaround on a high.
The Sharks play Newcastle next Friday night at Ocean Protect Stadium, which is scheduled a 6pm kick-off.
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