Evolved Sharks hold nerve to eliminate Chooks
Scott Bailey |
Craig Fitzgibbon claims Cronulla are a different finals team to what they have been before, after knocking out the Sydney Roosters with a 20-10 sudden-death win.
Often derided for their poor September record, Cronulla overcome an early deficit and then hung on late to claim victory in a Saturday night elimination-final bellringer.
In doing so the Sharks ended the run of a red-hot Roosters side, who had come into the finals threatening to go deep as one of the form teams of the competition.
Cronulla will now travel to face the loser of Canberra and Brisbane next weekend off the back of eight wins in nine games, for a do-or-die semi-final.
The victory marked just Cronulla’s second finals win in their past 10 outings, a run that stretches all the way back to 2018.
But after finishing the season in fifth there were few signs of finals jitters from Fitzgibbon’s men on Saturday night, in a match that lived up to the billing.
“Everyone’s story or journey has some highlight moments, but it has some pain in it. We’ve experienced a fair bit of pain in the past few years,” Fitzgibbon said.
“I think we’re different. I don’t think anyone has noticed, but we’ll shut our mouths and get ready for next week. It’s not over yet.
“If we were ever going to get flustered then we would have tonight. We were nowhere for a long period there.
“Nothing went our way, no field position, no good ball. But we just didn’t flinch. And they didn’t either.”
Ronaldo Mulitalo scored twice to win his highly anticipated bout with Mark Nawaqanitawase, with the latter also crossing once early in the match.
Braydon Trindall was superb in the Sharks halves as he set up both of Mulitalo’s tries, while Sam Walker had plenty of good touches for the Roosters.
But ultimately the difference was Cronulla were able to make the most of their chances, as both sides had long patches of territorial dominance.
After Nawaqanitawase stepped outside Mulitalo for the Roosters’ first try, it was a double blow from the Sharks winger that put Cronulla back on top.
With the Roosters having controlled the first half, Trindall sent Ronaldo over for Cronulla’s first in the 35th minute when Nawaqanitawase rushed out of the line.
The Sharks were then in again moments later after a Roosters error, when Trindall sent Mulitalo over with a loopy cut-out ball to make it 12-4.
“He felt the pinch of Mark scoring, don’t worry about that,” Fitzgibbon said of Mulitalo.
“But that’s Ronnie, that’s why we love him so much. He’s not scared. If Ronnie takes on an opponent and they get him, he gets them back.
“He’s combative in that way. But he’s also just an out-and-out Shark. He loves the Sharks, he loves his teammates.”
And while a smart Walker grubber for Angus Crichton got the Roosters back within two shortly after half time, the Tricolours couldn’t convert their chances in the last 20 minutes.
Instead it was Toby Rudolf who sealed it at the death for the Sharks, barging through three defenders in the final five minutes.
For the Roosters this will be a season that could well set up their next era, after a mass exodus of experienced players last year.
After starting slowly they unearthed several young stars, had Walker mature as a No.7 on return from a ruptured ACL and had several Nawaqanitawase highlights.
And while there were signs of all that on Saturday night, their season is ultimately over.
“We weren’t in a rush this year to find our identity about who we want to be,” coach Trent Robinson said.
“You can talk about it but you can’t force it. You have to live it and play it.
“We re-established some really key things that will make you a great team.
“There are some things to finish off, but it’s a pretty good platform for the team you want to be.”
AAP
