4 hours ago
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TRY: Saab cashes in on Stonestreet blunder
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Defence is taking a back seat in this second half. Jamal Fogarty puts up a booming bomb on the last, Sharks winger Sam Stonestreet doesn’t really get close to it, the ball bounces over his head and into the arms of the chasing Jason Saab who scores one of the easiest tries of his career.
What started out as a bit of an old-fashioned grind has turned into a bit of a tryfest, and Reuben Garrick’s conversion reduces the deficit to 10 points.
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 16 with 24 minutes left
TRY: Trindall hits back immediately for Sharks
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Ben Trbojevic hurt his left shoulder in the act of scoring that try and it’s proved costly immediately, Cronulla getting down the other end fast and Braydon Trindall running past Trbojevic to score himself. Trindally has been excellent tonight, but he misses yet another conversion.
Sharks 26, Sea Eagles 10 with 28 minutes left
TRY: Trbojevic turns pressure into points for Manly
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Manly camp out in Cronulla territory for a few sets in a row – Mawene Hiroti attempts an intercept but knocks on, Niwhai Puru is pinged for a slow ruck, and Jesse Colquhoun is penalised for having a foot in the ruck at the play-the-ball – and the pressure is too much for the Sharks defence as Ben Trbojevic carries a couple of defenders over the line.
They’re only a couple of converted tries behind now and still well and truly in this game.
Sharks 22, Sea Eagles 10 with 31 minutes left
Scrappy start to second half with errors from both sides
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Manly five-eighth Luke Brooks takes his eye off the ball and drops a simple pass coming out of his own end and the Sharks get a great chance to add to their lead. Siosifa Talakai has shaken off that knee problem and makes a big charge through the middle, and a couple of tackles later Cronulla are on Manly’s 10-metre line.
Braydon Trindall rolls in a grubber on the last but this time his radar is off and the ball goes dead in-goal.
A late tackle by Jesse Ramien on Reuben Garrick gifts the Sea Eagles a much-needed penalty and it’s their turn to go on the attack.
Sharks 22, Sea Eagles 4 with 35 minutes left
Second half underway
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The teams are out there for the second half. The Sea Eagles have it all to do, and discipline in defence will be key for both sides after a total of 12 set restarts and four penalties were awarded in the first 40 minutes.
Manly kick things off and Cronulla work their way towards their 40-metre line on the last tackle before Siosifa Talakai falls awkwardly in a tackle and stays down. Looks like a possible knee injury but he’s playing on for now.
Sharks 22, Sea Eagles 4 with 39 minutes left
Watch: Sharks turn on the style
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First half stats snapshot: Sharks on top across the board
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TRY: Trindall magic as Burns caps sensational try before half-time
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The Sharks are rolling through the middle now. The Manly defence is scrambling and they give away two more set restarts but they can’t slow Cronulla down, and as the half-time buzzer nears Braydeon Trindall spots a big overlap on the right and places a lovely kick across field – this one is just out of reach of Lehi Hopoate and Billy Burns touches down for his second try of the night.
That’s an emphatic first-half performance from the Sharks. But we have seen a lot of 20-point turnarounds in the six-again era, so don’t count out a Manly comeback just yet.
Sharks 22, Sea Eagles 4 at half-time
Watch: Manly’s lone try of the first half
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TRY: Trindall kick sets up Burns in the corner
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Cronulla are really gaining the ascendancy now.
Braydon Trindall chips in a perfectly placed kick for the right corner, Lehi Hopoate can’t clean it up and Billy Burns pounces, picking up the loose ball and planting it over the line.
Trindall needed to step up with no Nicho Hynes in this Sharks side and he has so far. Though his goal-kicking isn’t quite at Hynes’ level and his sideline conversion attempt goes wide.
Sharks 18, Sea Eagles 4 after 37 minutes
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