The 4th-placed Sharks have been beaten 22-16 by the last-placed Dragons, an eerily similar scenario to last season’s round 23 match-up at Jubilee Stadium.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon acknowledged that complacency crept in but is hopeful the loss will be a wake-up call for his team with 4 games remaining in the regular season as they hunt a top 4 finish.
To rub salt in, the Sharks lost star centre Jesse Ramien to a pectoral injury, as well as handing over the Monty Porter Memorial Cup to their local rivals.
Sharks: Round 23
Nicho Hynes looked threatening early, setting up Sione Katoa in the right corner with a lovely long ball in the 5th minute.
Hynes then lined up for his 33rd straight conversion in a row but missed it to the left to be tied with Nathan Cleary for the equal second greatest goal-kicking streak in the NRL.
Braydon Trindall did well to save a Dragons chip and chase play from a linebreak, then a Hynes’ low one-on-one tackle on Hamish Stewart close to Cronulla’s line forced a fumble.
St George eventually broke through with Sharks 2016 premiership winner, now Dragon’s centre Valentine Holmes, pouncing on a grubber and converting his own try to take a 6-4 lead after 15 minutes.
Minutes later Sharks’ fans thought they’d taken the lead back in the derby when Hynes sliced through, but the halfback was ruled to be held up.
Hamish Stewart wouldn’t be denied for the hosts though, scoring from another kick, and Holmes converted it to give them a 12-4 advantage.
A Jesse Colquhoun ankle tap stopped another Dragons left-side raid, before a brilliant one-on-one tackle from Jesse Ramien held them out.
Those efforts stalled St George’s momentum, and minutes later the Sharks capitalised with Brailey setting up Billy Burns, who barged down the front door. Hynes converted from right in front to narrow the gap to two points and they’d go into half-time at 12-10.
The Dragons were tested straight after the break but kept Cronulla out, then they marched up-field and Tyrell Sloan scored in the left corner. Holmes missed the conversion as the score remained 16-10 after 6 minutes.
With the game on the line, Trindall willed the Sharks over; he charged towards the line carrying two defenders as he off-loaded for Ramien, who was perfectly placed to slide over, and it was all level at 16-all when Hynes converted.
Back-to-back errors from the Sharks put them under pressure, and a penalty 10 metres out gave the Dragons a two-point lead through Holmes after 20 minutes.
A pec injury for Ramien forced Cronulla into a reshuffle, and just as they’d used all four bench players, meaning Briton Nikora had to play at right centre.
From bad to worse soon after, when Sharks Origin prop Addin Fonua-Blake was sent to the sin-bin for a high shot on Hamish Stewart.
To rub salt in, Dragon’s winger Setu Tu ran around Cronulla’s defence in the 77th minute to finish the game off, with Holmes converting to make it 24-16, which would be the final score
The Sharks now have 6 days to turn it around before they host the Raiders at Ocean Protect Stadium next Saturday at 3:00pm.
Dragons v Sharks - Round 23, 2026
