Sharks stumble as Dolphins stay in NRL’s vital top four
Darren Walton |
Cronulla have blown a huge opportunity to move back into the NRL’s top four with a painful and potentially fatal 24-20 loss to lowly Canberra.
Star Sharks playmaker Braydon Trindall also suffered a dislocated shoulder as the Dolphins held on to the all-important fourth spot with three rounds remaining before the finals.
Cronulla will rue not finding a match-winner, despite being camped on Canberra’s line, set after set, for the final 10 minutes.
But the Sharks’ mounting injury toll will be of equal concern for coach Craig Fitzgibbon, who has now watched his faltering side fumble and bumble their way to consecutive losses to sides well out of finals contention.
Trindall lasted less than 10 minutes before trudging off.
Initial reports were promising, with the shoulder quickly put back in.
But with the Sharks leading 8-0 and looking strong, Fitzgibbon opted not to risk their key playmaker any longer.
It may have been the wrong move as the Raiders wrestled back control and momentum.
Already without suspended forward enforcer Addin Fonua-Blake and injured centre Jesse Ramien, suddenly the Sharks were looking significantly understrength and vulnerable.
The afternoon had started brightly enough for Cronulla, with a Nicho Hynes penalty preceding a lovely chip-and-regather try for Trindall in the fifth minute.
But from 8-0 up, the Sharks lost their way after Trindall was forced off.
First, winger Xavier Savage steamed on to a beautiful long ball from Kaeo Weekes, then Owen Pattie wriggled his way over to suddenly put Canberra ahead 12-8 after 15 minutes.
Things were looking grim for the Sharks when winger Jed Stuart collected a double cut-out pass from Ethan Strange to stroll over and extend the Raiders’ lead to 10 points.
But with their top-four hopes – and history would suggest – title prospects on the line, the Sharks regrouped with a much-needed reply from Teig Wilton off a short ball from Nicho Hynes.
The hosts should have snatched the lead after the halftime siren, only for Briton Nikora to ignore a three-on-one overlap on the right edge.
The Sharks, though, were first to score after the break when Will Kennedy swooped to score, before handing the momentum back to Canberra through a soft Joseph Tapine try under the sticks.
There was a huge moment with seven minutes remaining when video replays looked to have shown Ronaldo Mulitalo contorting his body and planting the ball down for a match-levelling try.
But The Bunker went with referee Gerard Sutton’s on-field “no try” call.
The near-miss proved Cronulla’s last chance as consecutive defeats to last-placed St George Illawarra and now Canberra leaves the Sharks likely needing to beat Gold Coast, Parramatta and Melbourne to earn a double-chance in the play-offs.
No team has ever won the NRL premiership from outside the top four.
AAP