The Sharks have hung on for a 2-point win over Newcastle thanks to some brilliant scramble defence, with the team turning up for each other under immense pressure.
Nicho Hynes’ perfect record with the boot also proved pivotal as the Knights outscored Cronulla 4 tries to 3, while Braydon Trindall stays atop the NRL’s try assist leaderboard after he added another two.
It was a game the Sharks couldn’t fully finish off in the second half, making for a tight finish, but the home side managed to win enough moments to seal the deal and sing the song.
The Sharks ran out in their black, blue, and neon pink kit for Women in League Round, with the name of a female loved one written on their backs instead of their last names.
The Knights would have the first real chance off the back of big metres in a set out of their own end. Dylan Brown decided to run on the last play, and found Dom Young in space, but the giant winger kicked it into touch.
An unsuccessful 1-on-1 strip attempt from Sione Katoa gave the Knights 6 more tackles in good field position. The following set saw a right-side raid, with Dylan Brown passing to a sweeping Kalyn Ponga, who beat his man and scored. Ponga missed the conversion as the Knights took a 4-0 lead after 8 minutes.
A hulking run and a brilliant 4th tackle offload from Tom Hazelton got the Sharks inside Newcastle’s twenty metres. A pinpoint Trindall kick on the next play gave opposing wingers Ronaldo Mulitalo and Young a chance to compete, and Mulitalo got the better of him, knocking the ball back where Will Kennedy was waiting, and the fullback dove over in his 151st NRL game. Nicho Hynes, fresh from kicking 11 out of 11 last week, converted the try to give Cronulla a 6-4 advantage.
Sharks centre Mawene Hiroti was a late inclusion after Jesse Ramien was ruled out with illness, and Hiroti was keen to make an impact. He combined with Nicho Hynes to produce a bone-crunching tackle on recent Origin debutant Dylan Lucas, which forced him to spill the ball on his own 50 metre line.
The Sharks couldn’t take full advantage though, and knocked on quickly after, which gave the Knights their own opportunity. Quick hands from Newcastle and a classy tap on from Bradman Best put Greg Marzhew over, but Ponga missed the conversion to only give the away side a 2-point lead.
That ignited the Sharks, and a brilliant Blayke Brailey dart from dummy half, followed by a grubber for himself, resulted in a Ponga knock on his goal-line. A slick scrum play saw Kennedy dance out to the right before dropping Sione Katoa under, and the right winger surged through the defence for another four-pointer. Katoa made sure to nail his Jai July celebration, as Hynes kept his perfect record with the boot to take a 12-8 lead.
An out-of-character Ponga knock-on gave the Sharks a glut of possession, and after a high shot on Teig Wilton Cronulla opted for the 2 points. Hynes added the extras to take the lead out to a converted try with 5 minutes remaining.
A Trindall 40/20 attempt went close but was out on the full and gave the Knights a late chance to attack. Fletcher Sharpe put Dylan Lucas through to score right on half-time, but Ponga missed his third kick of the night, sending the Sharks into the break with a 14-12 lead, despite having scored 2 tries to 3.
Cronulla were disappointed to let the Knights in late and came out fired up, especially Trindall. The Sharks' half has the most try assists in the NRL so far this season, and added a second for the night, when he produced yet another magical long ball to put Ronaldo Mulitalo over for his 50th try at Ocean Protect Stadium. Nicho nailed the kick from the sideline, his 18th straight conversion, to take the Sharks out to a 20-12 lead.
The home side went on the attack after that, but were repelled multiple times, before the momentum swung in Newcastle’s favour. Brilliant scramble defence from the Sharks held them out though.
An electric Will Kennedy kick return got the Sharks up to the Knights' 40 metre line, but they were unable to finish the Knights off with another try.
Newcastle were still only 8 points behind, but started to take risks, and they nearly had some luck when Dane Gagai caught a bomb and found Francis Manuleleua in space. The big backrower sprinted towards Cronulla’s try line as Hynes wrapped his legs up, before Katoa came from the other side of the field to hold him up and force an error.
Bradman Best nearly scored from another kick; he had an open play at the ball, but knocked on close to the line.
The bombs continued to trouble the Sharks as a drop ball handed Dom Young a try with 2 minutes on the clock. Ponga kicked this one to make it a two-point ball game.
A last-ditch Knight’s chip and chase was recovered by Trindall to finish the game and seal a crucial 2 points for the Sharks.
Cronulla climbing UP UP the ladder again, that result pushes them to equal second on the ladder.
The Sharks now have the Battle of the Beaches against Manly next Sunday afternoon at 4 Pines Park.
Sharks v Knights - Round 20, 2026
