Premiers let down by slow starts

Cronulla players are all too aware they must fix their first-half woes for Saturday’s blockbuster NRL clash with the Sydney Roosters.

They’re just not sure how to do it.

The defending premiers have gone to the break trailing in their past seven matches, but have recovered to win five of them.

Their only two losses in that streak have come against top-four teams, Melbourne three weeks ago and against Manly on Sunday – where their 18-0 deficit after 23 minutes was their worst of the year.

And up against the second-placed Roosters, they know that another slow start will likely cause a similar result on the Central Coast.

“It’s too hard of a competition to be giving head starts,” vice-captain Wade Graham said.

“Fortunately for us, this year in the past, when we have given up a lead we have been able to claw back and get a result.

“But you’re not always going to be able to do that. At this time of year teams know how valuable two points are. We tried our best against Manly but it was just too much.”

Cronulla are ranked 14th in the league based on first-half performances, thanks largely to the lowest completion rate in the league of 71 per cent.

Coach Shane Flanagan suggested last week that a lack of cohesion in attack could be due to the losses of Ben Barba and Michael Ennis from last year’s spine – an issue that will be compounded by the loss of rookie hooker Jayden Brailey for at least the next month with a broken jaw.

Graham said he was at a loss to answer why the team had only won five of 15 first halves this year.

“It’s a good question – I’m open for suggestions,” Graham said.

“We’ve already addressed it, but we haven’t been able to fix it which is frustrating for our fans and frustrating for Flanno.

“It’s something we need to keep working at trying to improve. Because you can’t win at the end of the year if you’re giving teams 18 points in 20 minutes.”