Sharks blitz Titans to make NRL top-four statement
Cronulla have taken a massive step towards securing a top-four NRL position and all but ended Gold Coast’s finals hopes with a blistering 44-0 win at Robina.
The Sharks, without halves Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes due to injury, started on fire and kept the foot on the throat in their most professional display of the year to open up a four-point gap over fifth-placed Canterbury.
It was a clinical and classy win in front of 13,287 fans on Friday night, and the club’s biggest winning margin ever in Queensland.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon moved Cameron McInnes to half to partner Daniel Atkinson and it worked a treat. The Sharks’ running game was rampaging across the park as they took a 30-0 lead into the break.
The Titans had won five of their previous six matches, including last week’s record 46-18 win over Brisbane, to have a chance of a top-eight finish.
Cronulla had lost four of their previous six to loosen their grip on the top four.
The stakes were high but it was the visitors who responded with a performance that showcased the grit, relentless effort, power and class that has been a trademark of their best displays since a maiden 2016 title win.
Gold Coast were woeful. They had undeservedly been favourites before the match but once again proved it is an expectation they are not equipped to handle.
Sharks prop Toby Rudolf crashed over from close range in the sixth minute.
Winger Sam Stonestreet swooped on a Klese Haas error and raced 70m to score.
It got worse for the Titans when Moeaki Fotuaika was sin-binned for a high shot on McInnes before Sharks centre Jesse Ramien sliced through from a silky Briton Nikora pass.
The speed of the Cronulla play-the-ball was elite and Thomas Hazelton crashed over. When Stonestreet kicked for Siosifa Talakai it was 30-0 after 29 minutes.
Stonestreet and Ramien made it doubles after halftime and Nikora went in to secure a massacre few saw coming.
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