CRONULLA SHARKS 31 SYDNEY ROOSTERS 18
TOM SMITH, Sharks Stadium, Friday
TIRELESS hooker Blayke Brailey guided Cronulla to a convincing win over the Roosters that could prove crucial in the run into September.
Brailey had his fingerprints all over the Sharks’ three first-half tries as they strutted to an early 20-6 lead.
The Roosters clawed back the deficit to two points before Cronulla found a second wind in front of a partisan crowd.
First-gamer Chris Vea’ila sealed the result with a try in the 67th minute, while star prop Addin Fonua-Blake celebrated his 200th game with a signature 164 running metres.
Both these Sydney clubs are finals regulars, but entered this clash outside the top eight following the Dolphins’ defeat of the Cowboys on Thursday night.
And Cronulla’s victory over another club vying for a play-off berth goes a long way to securing September action.
On a sour note, both Briton Nikora and Billy Smith failed head-injury assessments in the first half.
Seven days after Nicho Hynes led his side to a steadying home win over the Dolphins, Craig Fitzgibbon’s only change was handing a first-grade debut to centre Vea’ila in place of Jesse Ramien (hamstring).
On the Chooks’ team sheet, Trent Robinson also made only one tweak, recalling veteran playmaker Chad Townsend – who won a premiership with the Sharks in 2016 – for half Hugo Savala (wrist).
The 34-year-old teamed up with rising star Sam Walker for the first time, after the 23-year-old returned from a long ACL then thumb lay-off in last week’s victory over the Dragons.
A probing Brailey run from dummy-half attracted a six-again infringement that immediately led to Will Kennedy’s opening score under the sticks on five minutes.
Hynes added the first of four conversions, then an offside penalty handed him another two points with the kicking tee.
Towering Roosters winger Daniel Tupou flew to claim a Walker bomb in the left corner to get the Tricolours on the board.
But some lightning-fast hands by Brailey and Braydon Trindall sent Teig Wilton crashing over.
Then Brailey played provider yet again, scampering through the Roosters’ line from inside his own half to release Hynes for the Sharks’ third try.
However, the visitors refused to roll over.
Skipper James Tedesco backed up some smart build-up play by Tupou and Walker to keep his team in touch at the break.
And after Ronaldo Mulitalo failed to defuse a Townsend cross-field kick, Angus Crichton scooped up the loose ball to shave the margin to a mere two points once Walker maintained a perfect record of adding the extras.
But as the clock ticked down, the Sharks found another gear.
First Billy Burns crawled over the whitewash through the Roosters’ goal-line defence.
Then the debutant Vea’ila showed pace and power to shrug off Egan Butcher – filling in for Smith at left centre – and snare the match-clinching try.
Trindall potted a simple drop-goal in the 75th minute to make absolutely sure of an impressive win.
GAMESTAR: Blayke Brailey orchestrated the Sharks’ first-half surge and added 44 tackles for good measure.
GAMEBREAKER: Chris Vea’ila marked an NRL debut to remember with the match-sealing try with 13 minutes remaining.
MATCHFACTS
SHARKS
1 Will Kennedy
2 Sione Katoa
4 Siosifa Talakai
19 Chris Vea’ila
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)
15 Jesse Colquhoun
16 Toby Rudolf
17 Braden Hamlin-Uele
18 Billy Burns
Tries: Kennedy (6), Wilton (18), Hynes (28), Burns (58), Vea’ila (67)
Goals: Hynes 5/6
Field-goals: Trindall (75)
ROOSTERS
1 James Tedesco
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Billy Smith
4 Robert Toia
5 Mark Nawaqanitawase
6 Chad Townsend
7 Sam Walker
8 Naufahu Whyte
9 Connor Watson
10 Lindsay Collins
11 Angus Crichton
12 Salesi Foketi
13 Victor Radley
Subs (all used)
14 Zach Dockar-Clay
15 Blake Steep
16 Egan Butcher
17 Spencer Leniu
Tries: Tupou (13), Tedesco (33), Crichton (49)
Goals: Walker 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 8-0, 8-6, 14-6, 20-6, 20-12; 20-18, 26-18, 30-18, 31-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Sharks: Blayke Brailey; Roosters: Sam Walker
Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 20-12
Referee: Todd Smith
Attendance: 11,846