CRONULLA SHARKS 32 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 12
TOM SMITH, Sharks Stadium, Sunday
CRONULLA blitzed North Queensland in wet and wild conditions to cement their top-eight spot in the last game of round 22.
Ronaldo Mulitalo snared a brace as the Sharks raced to a 26-0 at the break.
The Cowboys struggled to handle the slugfest, completing just eight sets to the Sharks’ 20 in the first half, before their skipper Tom Dearden was sent to the sin bin midway through the second half for a professional foul.
Siosifa Talakai (illness) and Briton Nikora (concussion) made productive returns after missing the clunky defeat of South Sydney, and Craig Fitzgibbon will be much happier with how his team looked in attack, despite the weather.
Cronulla’s fourth straight win reinforces their place in the eight, while North Queensland’s season is all but over, seven competition points adrift.
Tanzanian-born Marly Bitungane made his NRL debut off the bench in one highlight for the visitors.
Braydon Trindall grounded a Blayke Brailey grubber for the Sharks’ first, before Nicho Hynes booted a penalty-goal then sent stand-out prop Addin Fonua-Blake crashing over.
Mulitalo struck twice in five minutes – first courtesy of some quick Will Kennedy hands, then thanks to a sharp Talakai offload.
Reece Robson’s boot gave Griffin Neame the Queenslanders’ first try.
But Dearden’s cynical infringement after reeling in a runaway Trindall, then Cameron McInnes’ barge-over, made sure of the result despite Braidon Burns’ late consolation.
SHARKS: 1 Will Kennedy, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 Siosifa Talakai, 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6 Braydon Trindall, 7 Nicho Hynes, 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Blayke Brailey, 10 Oregon Kaufusi, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Teig Wilton, 13 Cameron McInnes. Subs (all used): 14 Daniel Atkinson, 15 Jesse Colquhoun, 17 Braden Hamlin-Uele, 21 Thomas Hazelton
Tries: Trindall (4), Fonua-Blake (17), Mulitalo (30, 35), McInnes (61); Goals: Hynes 6/6
COWBOYS: 1 Scott Drinkwater, 2 Robert Derby, 4 Zac Laybutt, 12 Jeremiah Nanai, 5 Braidon Burns, 3 Jaxon Purdue, 7 Tom Dearden, 8 Harrison Edwards, 9 Reece Robson, 10 Griffin Neame, 11 John Bateman, 17 Coen Hess, 13 Reuben Cotter. Subs (all used): 14 Marly Bitungane, 15 Kaiden Lahrs, 16 Kai O’Donnell, 21 Jamal Shibasaki
Tries: Neame (47), Burns (78); Goals: Laybutt 2/2; Sin bin: Dearden (59) – professional foul
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 14-0, 20-0, 26-0; 26-6, 32-6, 32-12
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sharks: Addin Fonua-Blake; Cowboys: Griffin Neame
Penalty count: 7-3; Half-time: 26-0; Referee: Adam Gee; Attendance: 6,321