Sharks dominate bland Cowboys

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North Queensland Cowboys v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

The Sharks dominated a flat and one-dimensional Cowboys outfit in a match that confirmed the Sharks are one of the competition heavyweights, while the Cowboys looked more like a wooden spoon contender.

The Sharks opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Kayal Iro scored a powerful solo try where he was fending off several Cowboys defenders while almost flat-footed before barging over through several defenders to score. Nicho Hynes' conversion attempt struck the upright and was waved away.

Fifteen minutes later, Briton Nikora took a crash run near the Cowboys line and dunked the ball over the line for a strong try. Hynes converted.

The Cowboys got on the board after their one-dimensional attack finally bore fruit, with a large dollop of fluke. Another cross-field kick on the last was contested by Sam Stonestreet and Murray Taulagi. The ball appeared to bounce off the Cowboy wingers head, bounced forward into the Sharks in-goal and towards the posts where Jaxon Purdue claimed a try. Scott Drinkwater converted.

Ten minutes before the break, Will Kennedy executed a lovely draw and pass to put Stonestreet over in the corner untouched. Hynes' sideline conversion curled back a long way and sailed perfectly through.

The Cowboys looked to have scored just 3 minutes before the break when Taulagi got into the Sharks in goal with the smaller Kennedy trying to halt him, but the Sharks fullback managed to twist the Cowboys winger around, forcing him to step into touch. The Sharks went into the break with a 16-6 lead, but had looked far more composed and threatening.

Just 5 minutes into the second half and the Cowboys continued with their mediocre last play tactic of putting in uncontested kicks. This time though Hynes took it clean under the posts, raced to the 20 metre line, took a quick tap and then put Stonestreet on a long run downfield, before Purdue brought him down 10 metres shy of the Cowboys line. Purdue then hung on too long and was sent to the sin bin.

The Sharks very nearly scored 10 minutes later when Braydon Trindall tried to burrow over for a try but was stopped short. Somehow, amongst all the arms and bodies, he got an offload away which popped straight up where Blayke Brailey caught it and dived over to score. The Bunker ruled that the pass went forward.

Shortly after, Kennedy made another break, linked with Stonestreet, the break helping to march the Sharks 60 metres downfield. On the next play, the Sharks spread the ball from right to left for Teig Wilton to score on the left wing. Hynes converted superbly.

The Sharks crossed again in the 62nd minute thanks to a simple catch and pass movement which got the ball to Kennedy, who sent Ronaldo Mulitalo in untouched. Hynes converted from out wide again.

Cronulla almost scored again 5 minutes later when Trindall put up a bomb to the left corner. Mulitalo batted it towards the posts in the Cowboys in-goal area where Trindall fell on it for a try. The Bunker though ruled that the ball went forward off Mulitalo.

Sharks did score again in the 74th minute when they created the extra man with some nice draw and pass plays before Trindall threw a nice cut-out ball to Stonestreet, who dived over in the corner. Hynes failed to convert from out wide.

From the restart, Mulitalo dropped the ball, Jordan McLean recovered, passed to Scott Drinkwater, who broke through three tackles and then scored a magnificent solo try. He then converted.

The Sharks managed to add more points, just 2 minutes before the siren when Iro strolled throw two edge defenders to score a good try on the left edge. Siosifa Talakai in game 100 was given the shot at goal. His kick was low, hit the upright and was waved away. The Sharks cruised to a dominant 36-12 victory.