Sharks savage tragic Knights

Embed from Getty Images

Newcastle Knights v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks

The Cronulla Sharks have continued a strong record over the Easter weekend with a 34-14 victory against the Newcastle Knights.

Posting their eighth win from nine matches contested during Easter since 2015, the Sharks made light work of their opponents, scoring six tries to three, to silence the 24,248 supporters in attendance at McDonald Jones Stadium.

The loss was another bleak showing for the Knights, who slumped to their fourth straight loss with two tries in the final ten minutes lifting their average attacking record to 10 points per game.

In an error-riddled opening which saw the Knights fail to find touch and concede multiple penalties of their own, the Sharks made the hosts pay with Oregon Kaufusi (12th minute) crashing over underneath the posts for his first try of the season.

The Knights looked to level the scores moments later when Fletcher Sharpe raced away only for the bunker to rule Tom Cant obstructed Nicho Hynes, creating the space for Sharpe to illegally exploit.

The disappointment of the bunker ruling was further exacerbated for the Knights when Addin Fonua-Blake (17th minute) finished off a strong passage of second phase play in the following set to score alongside his front-row partner.

A right-side shift allowed Sam Stonestreet (22nd minute) score in the corner to put the Sharks up 16-0.

Following a run of penalties close to the Sharks' line, Greg Marzhew (30th minute) muscled his way over to get the Knights on the scoreboard - the first time in a first half since Round 2 - to narrow the halftime deficit to two converted tries.

A desperate tackle early in the second half from James Schiller to deny Mawene Hiroti resulted in the Newcastle winger being sent to the sin bin; the Sharks needed little time to capitalise against their 12-man opponents with Jesse Ramien taking an intercept and finding Stonestreet (46th minute) in support and Blayke Brailey threading through a grubber for Will Kennedy (49th minute) to blow the score out to 28-4.

A blockbusting charge by Marzhew from inside his own half, finished off by Sharpe (70th minute), provided the Knights with a fleeting moment of respite that was quickly extinguished when Hiroti (74th minute) crossed to push the visitors beyond 30 points.

Newcastle finished with a consolation four-pointer to Schiller (79th minute) as the 34-14 result extended the Sharks' record over the Knights to five wins from six matches during Craig Fitzgibbon's tenure.

Next week, the Knights will travel to Christchurch for an ANZAC Day clash against the Warriors, while the Sharks will face the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday afternoon.