The Sharks unleashed their full array of attacking weapons in a 52-16 win over arch-rivals the Dragons at PointsBet Stadium on Thursday night.
Cronulla have now won their past seven clashes with the Dragons but they found themselves behind early after a mistake by Briton Nikora invited the Red V into the red zone and Mikaele Ravalawa scored. Zac Lomax converted from the sideline for a 6-0 lead.
The Sharks steadied the ship and hit back in the eighth minute when Nicho Hynes ran a great angle off a Matt Moylan pass and the scores were locked 6-6.
Four minutes later the Sharks got across the line again through Ronaldo Mulitalo but desperation defence from Tyrell Sloan and Lomax denied the winger.
A penalty against Sharks lock Dale Finucane for a dangerous tackle handed the Dragons another opportunity and they sent the ball wide to the left for Tautau Moga to score and the visitors led 10-6.
Nicho to Nikora
Sharks edge forward Briton Nikora powered onto a Hynes pass in the 25th minute to grab his sixth try of the season and Cronulla had the lead for the first time.
Come the 32nd minute and it was Jesse Ramien getting his name on the scoresheet for the Sharks when he flew high to pull down a Moylan bomb and the home side led 18-10.
Another air raid in the next set drew a mistake from Moga and the Sharks had four sets on the Dragons' line before Thomas Hazelton took an inside ball from Hynes and crashed over for his second try in as many weeks.
Sloan goes all the way
Trailing by 14 at half-time the Dragons struck first after the break when Sloan produced a spectacular 90-metre solo try before Mulitalo answered for the Sharks with a trademark dive into the corner.
When Siosifa Talakai powered his way to the line in the 68th minute the Sharks were well and truly home at 40-16 and the Dragons were consigned to a 12th loss of the season.
Talakai then turned provider with a deft grubber kick for Mulitalo to grab his second and the margin was out to 30 points for Sharks.
With three minutes to play the Sharks brought up their half century when Nikora poured into a hole to complete his double. Hynes' conversion made it 52-16 to Craig Fitzgibbon's men.
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Match Snapshot
- Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey and Dragons back-rower Ben Murdoch-Masila both racked up their 100th NRL appearance.
- Sharks skipper Dale Finucane was placed on report in the 20th minute for a dangerous tackle on Blake Lawrie, who left the field for a HIA which he passed.
- The Sharks had 25 sets in the first half compared to the Dragons' 15. By full-time it was 40 sets to 22.
- Nicho Hynes controlled the game for the Sharks with three try assists, three line break assists, 118 run metres and a personal haul of 20 points.
- Dragons fullback Tyrell Sloan ran for 178 metres and had five tackle breaks.
Hynes talks Beanie Round
- The Dragons have not won at PointsBet Stadium since Round 2, 2018.
- Sharks prop Braden Hamlin-Uele failed to return for the second half after succumbing to a rib injury he suffered in the game's opening tackle.
- Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored 22 tries in 21 games at PointsBet Stadium and ran for 191 metres on the night.
- Sharks fullback Will Kennedy enjoyed another outstanding night with 214 running metres, six tackle breaks and his 13th try of the season.
- The Dragons have conceded 20 points or more in seven consecutive matches.
- Dragons winger Tautau Moga went on report in the 80th minute for a dangerous tackle.
Hustling Hazleton stretches out
Play of the Game
The Sharks have plenty of weapons in attack and it was Matt Moylan's boot that provided a try for centre Jesse Ramien in the 32nd minute. Moylan's kick was pinpoint and Ramien's aerial skills spectacular but it's a replay Dragons winger Mat Feagai won't want to see after he made no attempt to catch the ball and was used as a step ladder by Ramien. The Sharks centre now has seven tries for the season and 43 for his career and continues to be a target for his playmakers whether by hand or foot.
Ramien lifts off
What they Said
"I thought the scoreboard flattered us at half-time. I thought the Dragons were stronger than that in a lot of ways, in the physical nature of the game. I thought they really took it to us there early. The most pleasing thing was we were patient and we stuck at it and we earned the right later in the game to play a bit more footy. We weren't searching for that too early, we just knuckled down in trading sets and kept asking the question and earned the right. I'll be more pleased about earning the right than what the scoreboard said at the end. I thought that contest was a bit harder than what the scoreboard said to be honest." - Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon
Sharks: Round 18
"I thought we were really brave for long periods there but then we had one set inside their 20 within the second half and we came up with a bad play there and they picked the ball up and made a line break off a kick and that turned the momentum. You give any NRL team 60 play-the-balls inside your 20 and I reckon there is going to be some points scored. It's fact. The six-again calls were seven to one [against us] so that's going to make it hard for us too, I just couldn't visually see that we were that much worse." - Dragons interim coach Ryan Carr
Dragons: Round 18
What's Next
The Sharks open Round 19 with an away clash against Wests Tigers at CommBank Stadium while the Dragons are at home to the Raiders in Wollongong.