Reynolds Kicks Cowboys to loss
100 mins ago | Andrew Ferguson
Up up Cronulla! And like the rest of the Sharks team they're the only words of the song I remember because it's been so long between drinks. But what a way to end the drought! The Sharkies travelled into the nest of the premiership favourites and ruffled their feathers from the get go. Paul Gallen was inspirational, Luke Lewis looked as if he hasn't missed and Jeff Robson once again led the team without grabbing the headlines.
Then there was one Jackson Bird. How good was that boy. We heard rumours all off season that the Sharks had poached a special player from the Dragons system in the off season, and they weren't wrong! His performance was simply special considering he hasn't played five-eight for some time and was up against the likely Blues halves in Mitchell Pearce and James Maloney. Valentine Holmes also had a blinder at fullback and its no wonder that Shane Flanagan has had to name Ben Barba on the bench this week after unearthing two gems.
It was a battle of the birds for the award this week. Both the Roosters and Sea Eagles turned in uninspiring performances as favourites and payed the full price. The Roosters just didn't look as hungry as the Sharkies from the first whistle and put in a very average performance barring a late stir in the last 15 minutes. On the other hand, it looks as if all of the negative media headlines surrounding Manly over the last month have finally caught up with them. The Raiders are far from a dominant forward pack and their halves in Sam Williams and Blake Austin aren't exactly proven first grade performers.
But they simply ripped the wings off the Sea Eagles on the weekend. Austin in particular was gritty again and is shaping as the bargain buy of the season. Manly need grunt in the middle desperately. Brett Stewart and Daly Cherry-Evans also need to look as if they want to be there. Finals might be a stretch this year for them…
In the build up to the game there was a lingering sense of an upset brewing, but the punters didn't think it would be so emphatic. The Dragons completely shut the Knights out of the match on Saturday night with defence that brought back memories of Wayne Bennett's era in charge of the Red V. Newcastle had 60 tackles in the Dragons 20 metre zone and to be honest, never looked like scoring. The Dragons kept turning up for each other in waves and worked bloody hard to ensure a shut out. Not a noted defender, even Benji Marshall was inspirational defending his try line, racing out and shutting down the Knights play with numerous one on one clutch tackles.
Bulldogs fans, lift your game. Enough has been written about the incident so I'll leave it at that.
Gerard Sutton, take a bow. In one of the most controversial finishes in rugby league history the man with the whistle was flawless in the dying stages. As 40,000 people around the stadium and thousands more at home, including this columnist, were left angry and dumfounded with his decision to award the Rabbitohs a penalty in front of the goal posts, the whistle-blower was spot on.
In the emotion driven world of professional sport, fans and players are the first to pounce on referees when they are wrong. We need to remember ref's have the hardest job in the world and are human; mistakes will never be eradicated from officiating. Cowboys fans didn't throw cans at Johnathon Thurston when he started the season well off the pace… and look how he is playing now. Sutton should be in the spotlight for all the right reasons this week, well done sir.
If only @robbiefarah looked like Bray Wyatt we'd have a WWE Tigers front row!!!