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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.
Final score
Penrith Panthers 2
Cronulla Sharks 28
The Penrith Panthers must get on the front foot and start climbing the ladder, but it will be an uphill battle when they host the in-form Cronulla Sharks on Easter Sunday. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 4pm (AEST).
Penrith came into the season with most expecting them to start strongly and end up with a top four spot come September, but those predictions have been thrown out the window for now.
While they still have the time, talent and potential to get near the top of the table, Penrith need to turn things around pretty quickly as they slip further and further behind.
Coming into the game they sit 12th on the ladder with a record of just two and four, which is simply not good enough. Injuries and silly suspensions haven’t helped Anthony Griffin’s men, but their depth just hasn’t stood up and that was nowhere more evident than last week against the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Six players out hurt them, but the Rabbitohs weren’t at full strength either. It was a scrappy game that was more indicative of the Rabbitohs season, but they still came away with victory on the back of an Adam Reynolds field goal.
Penrith’s defence at times looked like it didn’t want to be there and their execution in attack was lacking. While Matt Moylan being out had plenty to do with it, he must step back in this week and guide his side around the park.
Cronulla on the other hand, have had a start to the season that hasn’t looked like the premiership winning side of 2016, but still strong enough to challenge and cause headaches, particularly for opposition attacks.
Despite not playing at their best, the Sharks still hold a record of four and two, sitting fourth on the ladder and have the third best defensive record in the competition, only behind the Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons.
It was this defence that got the job done in shocking conditions against the Storm last week as they handed Craig Bellamy’s men their first loss of the season in a grand final re-match.
They held the Storm try-less for the entirety of the game before striking late in the piece to pick up an 11-2 victory. It was a complete team effort from Cronulla, something they pride themselves on in every contest.
Even though it brought up their third straight victory, it was the first time they have looked like the team (defensively at least) that won the competition last year and they will be looking to build on that performance from here on out, all the while looking to improve their attack.
Prediction
The Sharks defence was oh-so-good and even with Matt Moylan back, it’s hard to see the Panthers scoring enough points given their own vulnerability in defence.
Sharks by 8.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this match from 4pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.