The Sharks have been written off as not a critical menace to the title in some quarters however they’re lurking within the shadows, mendacity in wait, able to strike after rising to 3rd spot with Sunday’s 38-10 thrashing of St George Illawarra in a lopsided native derby at WIN Stadium.
Regardless of being with out Dally M Medal winner Nicho Hynes and prolific wingers Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo, the depleted Sharks dominated the Dragons to monster them within the center and race round them out large.
The Roosters barely obtained out of second gear in cruising to a 48-22 conquer the Gold Coast at Cbus Tremendous Stadium to additionally leapfrog Penrith, snaring second spot on the ladder, with one more ban for Jared Waerea-Hargreaves the primary concern for Trent Robinson heading into the ultimate two rounds.
In his comeback from a four-game bane, the veteran Kiwi hit former teammate Sam Verrills excessive and if the match evaluate committee comes down onerous, his poor judiciary report may lead to a season-ending ban which might carry down the curtain on his NRL profession.
1. Sharks slice and cube Dragons
They are thought-about toothless by their critics however that’s doing the Sharks a disservice.
Their sport is constructed on energy operating by means of the center with a faculty of hungry outdoors backs able to assault the second there may be blood within the water.
Even with out Hynes for the previous six weeks whereas he has been rehabbing his ankle damage, Cronulla have for essentially the most half been adventurous on the offensive finish somewhat than the conservative fashion which has turn into their ill-deserved status.
Their forwards manhandled their pink and white rivals in Wollongong, placing the defence on the again foot with charging runs and fast play-the-balls.
In defence, the Sharks had been bloodthirsty with inent of their line pace to get within the grill of the Dragons.
The house aspect was gradual off the mark and their pedestrian efforts had been by no means going to be sufficient in a typical NRL sport, not to mention a heated derby showdown.
Tyrell Sloan is tackled. (Photograph by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Pictures)
Jesse Ramien stood up Mat Feagai for the primary attempt to after Jack Hen put the Dragons up when he backed up a Max Feagai break, the Sharks had been up 10-6 when Braydon Trindall put Kayal Iro over.
Ramien was sin-binned halfway by means of the primary half however the Dragons did not generate any momentum and when Sam Stonestreet stepped previous a number of ineffective tackles, within the thirty third minute, the Sharks took a 14-6 lead into the break.
The Dragons gave themselves a sniff when Christian Tuipulotu touched down to cut back the hole to 4 however Will Kennedy flew above opposing fullback Tyrell Sloan for a superb attempt for a 10-point lead.
Briton Nikora killed the competition when he raced over halfway by means of the second half and Stonestreet was fortunate to get a second attempt when the contact choose was too targeted on whether or not his toes touched the sidelined and missed a blatant ahead cross.
“You simply don’t wish to get caught in worrying about who you don’t have,” Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon stated when requested about Hynes, his wingers and Sisosifa Talakai (calf) being out. “Similar as each different crew, there’s at all times a bunch of accidents and challenges. On the finish of the 80 minutes that’s not going to be an excuse for us.”
2. Dragons’ ache is quartet’s acquire
In the event you may hear cheering from the north and south-west of WIN Stadium on Sunday, that was coming from Brisbane, Newcastle, Canberra and The (in any other case often known as Redcliffe) the place the Dolphins reside.
St George Illawarra’s loss means they continue to be simply two factors away from the chasing quartet with two rounds left and the Broncos and Dolphins have a significantly better for-and-against report so that they solely have to equal them on the ladder.
The 2 Brisbane sides face off subsequent Saturday at Suncorp Stadium, simply after the Dragons journey to Parramatta. The Knights ought to be capable to topple the Titans at residence whereas Canberra have to upset the Roosters within the later sport on Sunday to remain within the race.
Regardless of their listless efficiency towards the Sharks, Shane Flanagan’s aspect continues to be in pole place for eighth spot – with the Raiders their final-round opponents at Kogarah.
For a crew that has constructed its sudden success on staying within the contest, the Dragons’ effort towards Cronulla was deflating for his or her sell-out crowd.
They’ve thrown up a number of turkeys this season, which is why their differential is so dangerous, and this was one in all them.
“It was disappointing. Too many errors, too many penalties within the first half. We gave them possession, subject place and it cooked us. We had been simply too drained in the long run. It was what we did to ourselves,” Flanagan stated.
“They had been simply higher than us, confirmed extra intent.
“Consistency in the course of the season has been an issue for us. And that’s why we’re within the place that we’re in. I’ve obtained a crew that may play semi-final soccer however we’ve obtained to go and show it.”
Flanagan stated a missed attempt alternative when a Ben Hunt cross hit Ashley Klein when it may have despatched Zac Lomax to the stripe was unlucky and a momentum killer for his crew within the second half however was no excuse for his or her late collapse to lose by 28.
In the event that they sneak into the finals, it begins and ends with their forwards. The pink and white pack was embarrassed by the boys in black, white and blue with second-rowers Briton Nikora and Teig Wilton carving them up on the sting after the center forwards rumbled up the centre.
Blayke Brailey had a subject day operating out of dummy-half because the St George Illawarra tender underbelly was uncovered.
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3. Suaalii damage not critical as Roosters rumble to straightforward win
Second spot with a house sport towards the Raiders then the struggling Rabbitohs to complete the season – pleased days for the Roosters.
Penrith going backwards with their greatest participant sidelined, it’s all developing Milhouse for the Tricolours.
They may even match up within the first spherical of the finals towards Cronulla, a crew they eradicated in final yr’s playoffs, to earn automated entry into the preliminary closing stage.
With Connor Watson (concussion) and Brandon Smith (calf) set to return subsequent week, their solely concern is a shoulder damage to Joseph Suaalii, who failed to complete the 48-22 stroll within the park towards the Gold Coast.
Suaalii injured his left shoulder in tackling David Fifita within the 18th minute and was hauled off to the sheds together with his arm tucked into his jersey in a makeshift sling.
Robinson stated it was “a extremely dangerous stinger” and Suaalii is an opportunity to swimsuit up towards the Raiders subsequent weekend.
It didn’t halt the Roosters’ momentum a lot in any respect – they led 26-10 at half-time with two items of brilliance from Khan-Pereira, together with a contender for particular person attempt of the yr, saved the Titans theoretically within the contest.
In actuality, they had been no probability and that was confirmed 5 minutes into the second stanza when James Tedesco dummied previous dumbfounded defenders.
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4. Tedesco may very well be in Kangaroos body
James Tedesco didn’t let anybody down when he crammed in for NSW in Origin I and his Check profession is probably not over regardless of falling behind Dylan Edwards within the fullback pecking order.
The Roosters veteran was his sometimes busy self in Sunday’s cruise to victory over the Titans, racking up extra metres than anybody else on his crew (202), scoring a attempt early within the second half and snuffing out one other one to Alofiana Khan-Pereira.
Edwards is the odds-on favorite to get the Australian No.1 jersey however Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has not closed the door on Tedesco retaining his spot within the squad which is able to tackle Tonga and New Zealand within the Pacific Championships in October.
Reece Walsh regarded a certainty to additionally get the nod forward of Tedesco earlier within the season at Check stage however he has gone off the boil with a drop in type coinciding with a hand damage.
Latrell Mitchell is out of the operating on account of his foot damage and off-field points, leaving Tom Trbojevic as the primary rival to Tedesco for the back-up fullback spot within the squad.
Trbojevic will probably begin within the centres for the Kangaroos if he’s match whereas one other near-certain choice, Valentine Holmes, may additionally act as cowl for fullback if wanted so that can damage Tedesco’s possibilities of making the reduce.
If he doesn’t get the gig, it will likely be attention-grabbing to see who inherits the captaincy – Maroons skipper Daly Cherry-Evans can be an choice however provided that Nathan Cleary is out injured, NSW captain Jake Trbojevic would additionally solely be a short-term choice and he’s no assure to make the crew both.
Cleary, if match, may very well be named as a long-term appointment with the 2026 World Cup in thoughts or Meninga has different choices like Isaah Yeo and Cameron Murray who’ve loads of management expertise.
5. Titans a byword for mediocrity
Two weeks left within the season and the Gold Coast are in acquainted territory – thirteenth spot with an 8-14 report and one other summer time of soul looking on the horizon.
Six weeks in the past they regarded a smokey to make the playoffs however they’ve received simply two video games since then – an upset over the Dolphins and a stirring win over the bumbling Broncos.
Their 4 losses have been stinkers – 38-8 to Manly, 44-0 to Cronulla, 32-16 to the Dragons and one other rout, conceding 48, on Sunday by the hands of the Roosters.
The membership lacks an id aside from being famend for being fragile.
Aside from the 2 seasons once they completed within the prime 4 below John Cartwright in 2009-10, the Titans have completed eighth or decrease each different yr, dropping their qualifying closing within the two instances they really made the playoffs.
Des Hasler solely has three years to show he can cease the rot and he will likely be fortunate to see out the ultimate season of his contract if 2025 is much like 2024.
The return of Tino Fa’asuamaleaui will give the crew much-needed bodily and psychological power however nearly as good as he’s, the skipper is only one participant and can’t carry a whole crew.
Hasler wants extra skilled, hardened first-graders to make sure he sees out his contract and will get one other one however the membership most likely must put money into youth as a result of quite a lot of their present gamers are doing little greater than filling a roster slot with out providing a lot that contributes to the successful of soccer video games.
“I’m sick of creating excuses for them,” a clearly agitated Hasler stated within the post-match media convention. “We’ve simply obtained to be stronger.”
The Kick: JWH a legal responsibility who’ll clearly by no means study
Surprisingly, not likely, Waerea-Hargreaves was sin-binned for a excessive hit on Verrills, his former premiership-winning teammate, within the twelfth minute of the Roosters’ 26-point victory.
Regardless of his trademark look of bemusement as he was being marched, it was a sin bin daily of the week (until a Friday in Auckland evidently, judging by Stephen Crichton being spared towards the Warriors).
“I don’t suppose I can speak an excessive amount of on that. It was disappointing for him to go to the bin however I’d maintain it at that,” Robinson stated.
He’ll cop a cost from the match evaluate committee on Monday and with the Roosters probably solely enjoying 4 extra matches, there’s a probability he has performed his final sport within the NRL.
JWH will end his profession with a one-season swansong with Hull KR within the Tremendous League subsequent yr.
He has already been charged 4 instances this season, copping fines for the primary three offences earlier than serving a four-game ban for a excessive sort out in Spherical 18.
This was his comeback match from that suspension and he couldn’t assist himself, lasting lower than 12 minutes earlier than launching his shoulder into Verrills, a sort out that was a mixture of poor method, carelessness, recklessness and a refusal to alter his methods.
He has turn into a legal responsibility for the Roosters and it’s onerous to see why Robinson began him forward of Spencer Leniu, he shouldn’t have that choice dilemma for at the least the subsequent couple of weeks and probably till deep into the finals.
