The Cronulla Sharks have picked up their fourth win on the trot with a shut out of the Penrith Panthers, who slumped to a 26-point defeat and a record of five wins and two losses.
The Panthers had the first shots to score in the game after an indifferent start by both sides, but their attack looked a rabble early on and didn’t improve throughout the game.
Anthony Griffin’s men never really looked like scoring and after blowing a few early opportunities, they opened the scoring through a penalty goal.
It would be the last time they bothered the scoreboard attendant though as the Sharks began to dominate the game and never looked back. They built on the back of their defence and ran all the way to the finish line.
James Maloney was the man to get his name on the scoresheet first after Chad Townsend put an excellent kick in, splitting four defenders to pick out his halves partner.
The Panthers managed to defend the Sharks out for about 20 minutes, but they broke right on the stroke of halftime with a spread to the left that ended in the hands of Siosaia Feki who crashed over to score.
With both of the Sharks tries converted, they went to the break with a ten-point advantage and all the running in the contest, but it would only get worse for the Chocolate Soldiers on the other side of the break.
Errors from both sides marred the start of the second half, but it would be the visitors to settle back into the contest first and the Panthers barely touched the ball for the next 20 minutes.
With James Maloney and in particular Chad Townsend dominating with the kicking game on the back of a rolling forward pack, they forced four repeat sets in a matter of minutes after a Jack Bird try to get the scoreboard rolling again.
The try to Bird came in the 46th minute after a simple play to the right side of the park. Maloney handed off for Luke Lewis who had a fantastic game with Bird then crashing over in the corner.
Lewis, alongside second-row partner Wade Graham were among the Sharks best, running off their halves. Graham also made his impact felt on the defensive end, coming up with a number of big tackles which clearly rattled Nathan Cleary and Te Maire Martin.
Paul Gallen was the next man over the try line with a strong effort after Cronulla went the length of the field in a set.
The final try of the contest came to Andrew Fifita, but by that point the game was winding down with very little action left on the field or the scoreboard.
The Sharks now get ready for a Saturday contest against the Gold Coast Titans, while the Panthers face the Parramatta Eels in an important western Sydney derby.
In Penrith though, the Sharks pick up the victory by 26.
Tries: Panthers (0), Sharks (5)
Conversions: Panthers (0), Sharks (4/5)
Penalty goals: Panthers (1/1), Sharks (0)
Possession: Panthers (47%), Sharks (53%)
Completions: Panthers (30/40), Sharks (30/41)
All runs: Panthers (174), Sharks (174)
All runs metres: Panthers (1397), Sharks (1607)
Line breaks: Panthers (2), Sharks (7)
Offloads: Panthers (9), Sharks (15)
Tackles: Panthers (340), Sharks (305)
Missed tackles: Panthers (40), Sharks (40)
Penalties: Panthers (9), Sharks (8)
Errors: Panthers (11), Sharks (15)
Penrith Panthers 2
Cronulla Sharks 28
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