Cronulla’s halves crisis could be about to get worse with Braydon Trindall cutting short his night because of a hamstring strain.
The Sharks beat a second-string South Sydney 20-6, but it was hardly a performance that will worry teams come the finals.
Cameron Murray and Braydon Trindall brace for heavy contact on Saturday night.Credit: Getty Images
Cronulla had dropped six of their past eight games, and took what felt like an eternity to defeat a Rabbitohs team missing Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Alex Johnston, Jai Arrow and Campbell Graham, just to name a few.
Already without Nicho Hynes until the finals because of a serious ankle injury, the Sharks can’t afford to lose an experienced playmaker such as Trindall.
“I’ll get a scan tomorrow – hopefully it’s not too bad,” Trindall said after the game.
A trainer treated Trindall midway through the second half before he eventually left the field in the final 15 minutes.
Daniel Atkinson has done an excellent job filling in for Hynes and Trindall, but would struggle to direct the Sharks without either of those players.
Should Trindall fail to be right in six days time for the trip to the Gold Coast, Cronulla might need to look at Mawene Hiroti, or even 22-year-old former Panthers junior Niwahu Puru.
Connor Tracey and Matt Moylan would have been parachuted in last year, but both players have since exited for the Super League and Bulldogs respectively.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon will be relieved his side remained in fourth of the ladder. Hasn’t that blazing start to the year been a godsend.
They play the in-form Titans away, followed by Newcastle at home, the Dragons in Wollongong, the Warriors and Manly at Brookvale to finish the regular season. They should beat the Knights and Warriors, but who knows with the others.
The players stood in a huddle in the middle of PointsBet Stadium after full-time, and it’s doubtful they would have been praising each other.
There were still too many errors, including a completion rate of less than 60 per cent by half-time.
Royce Hunt spilled the ball, so did Kayal Iro, while Will Kennedy dropped a simple bomb that almost led to a Souths try.
Winger Sione Katoa also coughed up the ball, but received a penalty after referee Liam Kennedy ruled Souths’ debutant Fletcher Myers had clipped the winger high.
The highlight was Sifa Talakai bumping off Michael Chee Kam before putting Iro into space. Iro then passed back in-field for Trindall to score.
Cronulla had absorbed plenty of pressure on their own line, and would have conceded – regularly – against any other opposition in premiership contention.
The best player in the first half was Jye Gray, whose speed caused Cronulla plenty of trouble. On one occasion, he looked ready to emulate Dolphins’ flyer Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and scored a length-of-the-field try in the Shire, only to be cut down on the halfway line.
Souths had Taane Milne placed on report for a high shot on Jesse Ramien.
Dragons claim historic win in Melbourne
St George Illawarra duo Ben Hunt and Jaydn Su’A have overpowered Melbourne’s awesome foursome on their long-awaited return to seal a crucial two points for the Dragons.
Playmaker Hunt set up his Queensland State of Origin teammate Su’A with two crucial tries in the Dragons’ 18-16 win at AAMI Park on Saturday night, propelling them back into the top eight.
History was stacked against the Saints. The victory was their first win in Melbourne this millennium, breaking a 16-game losing streak against the Storm on the road.
It was also the league-leading Storm’s first loss this season with Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jahrome Hughes and Harry Grant starting in their spine.
Titans’ second-half surge blow Broncos away
Brisbane’s 2024 horror show has reached new depths, battered 46-18 by a rampant Gold Coast in front of a sell-out crowd at CBUS Super Stadium.
Leading 18-10 at half-time, the visitors were blown away by their south-east Queensland rivals in a one-sided second half as the Titans racked up seven unanswered tries to record their second win over the Broncos this season.
Titans centre Brian Kelly is tackled ball and all by Kotoni Staggs.Credit: Getty Images
Adding to Brisbane’s woes, Payne Haas appears to have suffered a season-ending Lisfranc injury, Ezra Mam was taken off before half-time with a busted ankle and Corey Jensen, Brendan Piakura and Kotoni Staggs were placed on report.
The Broncos’ eighth defeat in their past nine games means last year’s grand finalists are now next to no chance of even making the finals and scrambling for answers for their dramatic slide.
“The eight’s the furthest thing from my mind at the moment,” Broncos coach Kevin Walters said.
“We’ve got more issues than making the eight – not issues – but that’s disappointing there today, particularly the second 40.”
with AAP
