CRONULLA SHARKS 28 PARRAMATTA EELS 18
TOM SMITH, Suncorp Stadium, Friday
SAM STONESTREET’S second try ensured Cronulla kicked off Magic Round with a pulsating win over Parramatta.
The Sharks extended their half-time lead to 22-6 while Jesse Colquhoun sat in the sin bin for a professional foul early in the second half, before the Eels struck twice in two minutes to narrow the gap to four heading into the final quarter of an hour.
But Stonestreet completed his fourth brace of the season to shore up the Sharks’ spot in the top eight.
KL Iro – in the week he changed his forename from Kayal – drew first blood on return from a hamstring injury, courtesy of a neat cut-out by the outstanding Nicho Hynes.
Josh Addo-Carr returned serve in the left corner, then Cronulla lost damaging sub Siosifa Talakai to a head-injury assessment just a minute after entering the fray.
But a rampant Briton Nikora linked up with Hynes again to clinch the lead at the break.
Stonestreet’s first, off Will Kennedy’s deft grubber, put the Sharks in the driver’s seat, although Colquhoun’s professional foul – dragging down Dylan Brown in support of a line break – gave Parra hope.
Against the odds, Cam McInnes crashed over.
But the 16-point edge was slashed to just four before Colquhoun returned, after Addo-Carr crossed again and Brown finished a long-range move.
Ronaldo Mulitalo nearly completed a stunning aerial touchdown but ultimately Stonestreet’s brace and a late Hynes penalty-goal cemented the result.
SHARKS: 1 Will Kennedy, 2 Sam Stonestreet, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 KL Iro, 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6 Braydon Trindall, 7 Nicho Hynes, 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Blayke Brailey, 17 Thomas Hazelton, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Billy Burns, 13 Cameron McInnes. Subs (all used): 10 Oregon Kaufusi, 15 Siosifa Talakai, 16 Braden Hamlin-Uele, 20 Jesse Colquhoun
Tries: Iro (10), Nikora (38), Stonestreet (50, 72), McInnes (57); Goals: Hynes 4/6; Sin bin: Colquhoun (53) – professional foul
EELS: 1 Isaiah Iongi, 2 Bailey Simonsson, 3 Will Penisini, 4 Sean Russell, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Dylan Brown, 7 Mitch Moses, 8 Jack Williams, 9 Ryley Smith, 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Charlie Guymer, 12 Kitione Kautoga, 13 J’maine Hopgood. Subs (all used): 14 Dylan Walker, 15 Luca Moretti, 17 Sam Tuivaiti, 22 Jordan Samrani.
Tries: Addo-Carr (34, 61), Brown (63); Goals: Russell 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 12-6; 16-6, 22-6, 22-12, 22-18, 26-18, 28-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sharks: Nicho Hynes; Eels: Josh Addo-Carr
Penalty count: 8-7; Half-time: 12-6; Referee: Peter Gough; Attendance: 48,359