DOLPHINS 0 CRONULLA SHARKS 66
CALLUM WALKER, Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe, Saturday
IN one of the shocks of the season, Cronulla walloped the Dolphins on their own patch with a club-record win to leap above them on the NRL ladder.
It was a scoreline that was barely believable as Nicho Hynes converted all eleven tries and scored two of them himself to register 30 points – also a new Sharks record.
There was little to choose between the two sides in the opening quarter before the Sharks hit the Dolphins with four tries in 15 minutes.
Oregon Kaufusi set the ball rolling on 17 minutes before KL Iro, Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo made it 24-0 just after the half-hour.
The Dolphins had to score first after the break to have any chance of mounting a comeback, but a quickfire Iro and Jessie Ramien double made sure there was no way back.
Still, no one would have foreseen the demolition that followed as Hynes dotted down on the hour with Katoa grabbing his second moments later.
Tom Hazelton got in on the act with nine minutes to go before Hynes notched his second of the evening.
And there was still enough time for Ramien to complete his brace.
DOLPHINS: 1 Trai Fuller, 2 Jamayne Isaako, 3 Jake Averillo, 4 Herbie Farnworth, 5 Tevita Naufahu, 6 Kodi Nikorima, 7 Brad Schneider, 10 Francis Molo, 9 Jeremy Marshall-King, 24 Tom Flegler, 11 Connelly Lemuelu, 12 Kulikefu Finefeuiaki, 13 Morgan Knowles. Subs: 8 Felise Kaufusi, 14 Kurt Donoghoe, 16 Tom Gilbert, 17 Sebastian Su’a (not used), 18 Brian Pouniu (not used), 23 Max Plath
SHARKS: 1 Will Kennedy, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 KL Iro, 5 Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6 Braydon Trindall, 7 Nicho Hynes, 8 Tom Hazelton, 22 Blayke Brailey, 16 Oregon Kaufusi, 11 Billy Burns, 12 Teig Wilton, 13 Cameron McInnes. Subs: 9 Jayden Berrell (not used), 14 Hohepa Puru, 15 Siosifa Talakai, 17 Tuku Hau Tapuha, 18 Mawene Hiroti (not used), 23 Addin Fonua-Blake
Tries: Kaufusi (17), Iro (23, 49), Katoa (27, 62), Mulitalo (32), Ramien (52, 79), Hynes (58, 74), Hazelton (71); Goals: Hynes 11/11
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24; 0-30, 0-36, 0-42, 0-48, 0-54, 0-60, 0-66
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dolphins: Trai Fuller; Sharks: Nicho Hynes
Penalty count: 6-4; Half-time: 0-24; Referee: Todd Smith; Attendance: 10,023