Match Report: Round 10 v Sharks

Wives, partners, mums and daughters formed a guard of honour for the Sea Eagles with another near full house in attendance on Mother’s Day.

Mistakes and penalties proved costly for the home side team who found themselves down 14-0 at half time, before getting back to 14-14.

The Sharks crossed first after 13 minutes on the back of a Brit Nikora break down the right edge. 

With fullback Tom Trbojevic forced to make the tackle on Nikora and then caught at marker, Nicho Hynes saw the opportunity and put a kick in behind the line for his left winger Ronaldo Mulitalo to score.

The Sharks next try came after a set restart when Addin Fonua Blake powered through from close range to score untouched.

The visitors made it 14-0 through a penalty goal when Manly were pinged for a high tackle defending their line.

The Sea Eagles got themselves on the board seven minutes into the second half with a spectacular length of the field try after Sharks five-eighth Braydon Trindall fumbled the ball when attacking Manly’s line.

Haumole Olakau’atu made a break downfield, eventually linking up with Jason Saab who kicked for Reuben Garrick, with Tolu Koula finishing it off.

That try sparked a momentum swing and Koula was in again in the 52nd minute. The nippy left centre stepping stepped past a few defenders to score next to the posts to put his team back in the contest, down 14-12 

Koula was on his way for a third a minute or two later when Luke Brooks made a break on the hill side of the ground, only for Koula to drop the pass with the goal line in sight.

The home side levelled the score with 18 minutes to play through a Garrick penalty goal when the Sharks were caught offside defending their goal line.

The Sharks made it 20-14 with 13 minutes to play when Garrick failed to clean up an in-goal kick from Hynes, with Trindall on the spot to ground the ball.

Mulitalo scored his second and the match-winning try with about five minutes remaining, on the end of another kick in behind from Hynes.

The Sharks key playmaker feigned to shape for a field goal before seeing Manly caught short on their right edge. 

They were in again a minute or two later when again Manly’s right was short on personnel, this time with KL Iro there to claim the four-pointer.

Hynes missed the sideline conversion attempt to leave the full-time score at 30-14.

Cronulla’s second win over Manly in a month handed the Sea Eagles a third straight loss at home before a trip to Townsville in Round 11.