ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 22 CRONULLA SHARKS 14
TOM SMITH, Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah, Saturday
SAINTS skipper Clint Gutherson led the red vee to an upset win over Cronulla in their local derby.
Gutherson bagged the only try of the second half as St George Illawarra clung to their half-time lead to produce their second boil-over in as many weeks, following their shock win over Canberra.
Nineteen-year-old centre Hayden Buchanan enjoyed a dream NRL bow, scoring a try then assisting Gutherson’s, alongside fellow debutant Jacob Halangahu.
Moses Suli produced an explosive half before limping off at the break with a knee issue.
This result snaps the Sharks’ four-game winning streak, as well as a ten-game run in this local rivalry.
Prop Emre Guler grounded a Damien Cook grubber from dummy-half to open the scoring, but Cronulla quickly steadied.
Nicho Hynes sent Braden Hamlin-Uele steaming over before the Bunker awarded a controversial penalty try to Teig Wilton, who was tackled in the air by Tyrell Sloan after snaffling a Braydon Trindall bomb.
Sloan made amends courtesy of Suli’s sharp hands, then after the two teams traded penalty-goals, Lyhkan King-Togia and Gutherson handed Buchanan his debut try.
Leading by just two at the break, the Dragons stretched the lead once Buchanan popped a perfect offload for Gutherson in the left corner.
Solid defence, another penalty-goal and Briton Nikora’s late sin-binning for a high tackle made sure of Saints’ surprise win.
DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Tyrell Sloan, 3 Moses Suli, 18 Hayden Buchanan, 5 Corey Allan, 6 Lyhkan King-Togia, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 8 Emre Guler, 9 Damien Cook, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Luciano Leilua, 15 Hamish Stewart, 13 Jack De Belin. Subs (all used): 14 Jacob Liddle, 16 Hame Sele, 17 Blake Lawrie, 21 Jacob Halangahu
Tries: Guler (5), Sloan (21), Buchanan (37), Gutherson (47); Goals: Flanagan 3/6
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, 17 Braden Hamlin-Uele, 11 Briton Nikora, 12 Teig Wilton, 13 Cameron McInnes. Subs (all used): 15 Toby Rudolf, 16 Thomas Hazelton, 18 Billy Burns, 20 Hohepa Puru
Tries: Hamlin-Uele (11), Wilton (16); Goals: Hynes 3/3; Sin bin: Nikora (77) – dangerous tackle
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 6-12, 10-12, 12-12, 12-14, 16-14; 20-14, 22-14
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Clint Gutherson; Sharks: Addin Fonua-Blake
Penalty count: 8-7; Half-time: 16-14; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 11,861