A near 10/10 performance from Cronulla's halves helped the side pick up a 48-12 win over Manly, their 5th straight victory at 4 Pines Park, and one that keeps the Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy in the Shire for another year.
Nicho Hynes had a try, 2 try assists and kicked 8/8 goals to extend his streak to 26 straight, and Braydon Trindall furthered his lead atop the NRL’s try assist leaderboard adding three more to take him to 26 so far this season.
The Sharks middles dominated the Sea Eagles with Addin Fonua-Blake and Siosifa Talakai racking up big metres, while their wingmen were on song again; Ronaldo Mulitalo scored his third straight double against Manly.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon was extremely proud of his team and praised his unheralded backrower Teig Wilton for keeping Sea Eagles star Haumole Olakau’atu quiet.
The Sharks did well to take the sting out of the game early, with Manly celebrating Old Boys’ Day in front of a packed 4 Pines Park.
There were multiple set restarts for both sides in the opening 10 minutes, but neither could make the most of them until Sharks chief energy officer Ronaldo Mulitalo made his mark. The winger barged straight through, sprinting away only to be brought down 20 metres short of the Sea Eagles line. Braydon Trindall followed it up with a clever short ball for Teig Wilton to storm through for the first try of the day. Hynes kicked his 19th straight conversion to make it 6-nil.
Teig Wilton Try
Manly had their chance soon after, if not for a brilliant KL Iro 1-on-1 tackle to force an error from Haumole Olakau’atu close to Cronulla’s line.
The following set, the Sharks produced a special four-pointer. A Nicho Hynes bomb was knocked back by Sione Katoa on the right touchline and landed perfectly for a waiting Blayke Brailey, but the hooker was ankle-tapped close to the line before off-loading to Hynes, who found Jesse Colquhoun, who then connected with his fellow front-rower Oregon Kaufusi, who finally delivered the ball for Will Kennedy to score his 9th try of the year. Hynes added the extras to make it 12-0 after 17 minutes.
William Kennedy Try
The Sea Eagles would hit back soon after from a Jamal Fogarty kick to the left corner, which Reuben Garrick caught, and was able to offload, while held by defenders, for a waiting Tolutau Koula to score. Fogarty then converted to make it a 6-point game.
Cronulla were quick to stamp out any Manly momentum, and were back on the board not long after, thanks to a Hynes bomb, which was put down by Lehi Hopoate. Then Trindall produced what’s become his weekly magic cut-out pass, finding Multialo in space as the winger went over untouched. The score was 18-6 after Hynes kicked it from the sideline.
Ronaldo Mulitalo Try
Mulitalo also spoiled the Sea Eagles next attacking chance, with a great bit of defence, teaming up with his centre Iro, to take Jason Saab over the sideline close to Cronulla’s try line.
Off the back of a barnstorming Sifa Talakai run, Hynes found Addin Fonua-Blake, sporting a new haircut, and he surged close to the line but lost the ball reaching out to score.
The highlights kept coming for Cronulla playing great football. A clever run from Briton Nikora coming out of his own end, as he drew in multiple defenders before setting Jesse Ramien on his way. The Sharks centre then tried to chip and chase the fullback, which resulted in a line drop out. The next set, Blayke Braiey worked his magic off a quick Fonua-Blake play-the-ball, as Hynes steamed into a gap to bag his first four pointer. The Sharks halfback converted his own try to make it 24-6.
Nicholas Hynes try
Manly kicked out on the full off the restart, and Cronulla marched up-field again. This time the right edge got in on the action, Will Kennedy gliding across the field on a sweeping play, then threw a pin-point pass for Briton Nikora in space; he drew in the opposition winger and passed to Katoa, who scored in the corner. Hynes converted his 10th from his past 11 shots from the sideline to make it 30-6.
Sione Katoa Try
Cronulla’s first attacking chance after the break resulted in another amazing try. On a set play to the left, Fonua-Blake found Hynes, who had a defender beaming down on him, but the halfback nimbly stepped inside and threw a missile pass that hit Mulitalo on the chest, and the Sharks left winger strolled in for his third straight double at 4 Pines Park. Hynes kicked it again from the sideline to make it 36-6.
Ronaldo Mulitalo 2nd Try
Cronulla’s spine was humming, and Hynes wanted another assist. This time he made the line break, slicing through from the Sea Eagles 40-metre line before linking with Talakai, who scored under the posts. Hynes kicked his 25th straight conversion and 7th for the night, making it 42-6 after 50 minutes.
Siosifa Talakai Try
Then Talakai was replaced by Hohepa Puru, but Puru’s night was quickly over after a brutal head clash which resulted in a category 1 concussion for the Sharks’ bench forward.
Trindall's third try assist may have been a lucky one, with Manly fullback Lehi Hopoate hoping Trindall’s grubber would go dead but Iro pounced on it for his 12th try of the season. Hynes, from 5 metres in from the left touchline, curled his kick back beautifully from right to left to add his 8th of the night, making it 48-6.
KL Iro Try
Joey Walsh scampered over for a consolation try to give the Manly crowd something to cheer about, but the game would finish 48-12.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon picked up his 5th straight win against Manly, and the Sharks 8th win in 9 games, keeping the Steve Rogers Memorial Trophy in the Shire for a third straight year.
Cronulla now host the Rabbitohs at Ocean Protect Stadium next Sunday afternoon at 2pm. Get your tickets here.
