Nicho Hynes has been prolific in the second half as the Sharks extend their margin over the Bulldogs, leading 30-14 after 65 minutes at Accor Stadium.
Hynes recorded his second try assist of the game when putting Sione Katoa for an easy try in the 56th minute.
“As soon as they hit the go button, the Bulldogs didn’t have the answer,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.
“That’s so easy, isn’t it?”
MATCH CENTRE: Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Cronulla Sharks live scores
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Earlier in the half, Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo tapped down a “pinpoint” Nicho Hynes kick and found a wide open Matt Moylan who crossed for one of the easier tries he will score.
“Mulitalo has been scoring them, now he’s laying them on and Moylan strolls over in the corner,” Dan Ginnane said on Fox League.
“That was a classy bit of play.”
In the final minutes of the first half, Bulldogs winger Declan Casey went over for his second career try and Matt Burton knocked over the tough sideline conversion to bring the margin back to four.
Earlier in the first half, Kennedy took advantage of some soft defence, with a simple dummy close to the line fooling the Bulldogs to complete a rare first half hat-trick in just 23 minutes.
“That’s a hat-trick for Will Kennedy, and he’s done it in three different ways,” Fox League’s Dan Ginnane said.
“Incredible stuff isn’t it…It’s put the Dogs back in their place,” Greg Alexander said.
63RD MINUTE
Nicho Hynes continues his hot second half, delivering a textbook legs tackle on Declan Casey to save a potential try.
“Nicho Hynes does it defence as well…He’s made a couple of key tackles on defence tonight,” Ginnane said.
37TH MINUTE
Declan Casey does well to reel in a less-than-perfect pass and stylishly ground the ball in the corner to give the Bulldogs life.
“They needed that try badly. Declan Burns goes over for his second career try,” Greg Alexander said.
23RD MINUTE
Will Kennedy completes a first half hat-trick in just 23 minutes, slicing through some ordinary Dogs defence.
10TH MINUTE
Kennedy scores his eighth try of the season, and second of the game, athletically reeling in a Nicho Hynes bomb.
MATCH PREVIEW
Cameron Ciraldo’s Bulldogs have been hampered by injuries in recent weeks and are without several key players for their clash against the Sharks.
Fa-amanu Brown, Jacob Kiraz, Franklin Pele, Chris Patolo, Josh Addo-Carr, Luke Thompson and Viliame Kikau are all sidelined.
Meanwhile, Braidon Burns and Declan Casey have slotted into the backline with Matt Burton and Kyle Flanagan switching jerseys.
Ciraldo explained the move was to get the ball in Burton’s hands more often as the Bulldogs square off against Dally M Medallist Nicho Hynes.
Craig Fitzgibbon’s side scored a big victory over the Roosters in Round 7, beating the Tricolours 22-12.
Three sin bins hurt Trent Robinson’s side, however Cronulla delivered in a big way after the bye in Round 6.
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