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Highlights: Cronulla top the table after win over Manly
John Coomer
Roar Guru
21st May, 2016
9
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John Coomer
Roar Guru
21st May, 2016
9

The Cronulla Sharks have run out the winners over the Manly Sea Eagles tonight at Southern Cross Group Stadium, after leading 12-4 at half-time.

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It was a fairly scrappy first 20 minutes from both sides. Cronulla eventually settled first to post two backline tries, one each to wingers Sosaia Feki and Valentine Holmes.

Manly didn’t ever look threatening in attack in the first half, but Tom Trbojevic managed to score a crucial try right on half time to lift Manly’s spirits going into the sheds.

Manly started the second half strongly, scoring two early tries to level the scores. The first was to Jamie Buhrer off a Daly Cherry Evans grubber kick.

Brayden Wiliame scored out wide not long after, off a great Brett Stewart cut out ball. Unfortunately, Jamie Lyon missed the conversions for all three of Manly’s tries tonight.

The Sharks managed to steady themselves later in the second half. Moloney kicked a penalty to put them in front, and Ben Barba iced the win with a try with 10 minutes to go.

The final score, 20-12 in favour of the Cronulla Sharks, who now rise to the top of the NRL table.

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Sea Eagles coach Trent Barrett was happy with his team’s effort to level the game in the second half but rued some costly decisions and penalties at critical junctures in the match.

“Three tries each, we were coming to get them,” he said.

“A few decisions probably went against us late in the second half and a couple of decisions from us which we need to be better at.

“Better performance, but still not quite where we need to be against those good sides. Some good signs there, but still didn’t get what we came here to get.”

Sharks coach Shane Flanagan was delighted with his team’s achievement of sitting atop the league heading into the Origin period with a healthy roster.

“Sitting on top of the table, it might be only for a week or so but we’re really happy with what we’ve done,” he said.

“We’ve just got to keep working hard for the rest of the season. Competitions aren’t won this time of the year. A lot of water to go under the bridge yet.”

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Sharks skipper Paul Gallen reminded his teammates that the team hadn’t achieved anything yet.

“It’s where we want to be. We’ve done well. Eight in a row is a good effort but hopefully we’re saying that round 26 going into a semi-final series,” he said.

Stats
Try scorers (Cronulla): Sosaia Feki, Valentine Holmes, Ben Barba
Top metres gained (Cronulla): Andrew Fifita 183, Paul Gallen 160
Top tacklers (Cronulla): Paul Gallen 38, Michael Ennis 34
Try scorers (Manly): Tom Trbojevic, Jamie Buhrer, Brayden Wiliame
Top metres gained (Manly): Tom Trbojevic 177, Dylan Walker 153
Top tacklers (Manly): Jamie Buhrer 39, Matt Parcell 39

The Roar’s NRL MVP votes
3: Andrew Fifita – was a real handful in attack, making 183 metres. Also worked hard in defence, with 33 tackles.
2: Jake Trbojevic – the young Sea Eagles workhorse got through 37 tackles and made 125 metres in attack.
1: Paul Gallen – topped the tackle count with 38, and made 160 metres in attack.

With AAP.

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