Maloney will bounce back from worst-ever game

Chad Townsend has backed Cronulla teammate James Maloney to make a quick recovery from a horrific NRL performance against Brisbane last weekend.

Maloney had a nightmare against the Broncos, missing nine tackles, conceding two penalties and making 10 errors as the Sharks went to water in Paul Gallen’s 300th game.

It was his first match back from a broken hand and one he will want to forget quickly, particularly with the defending premiers now in a battle to retain their top-four spot.

“I think by Jimmy’s standards he wasn’t very happy with his game,” halves partner Townsend said.

“But he’s a quality player and he knows what we expect of him.

“I think for him, he’s such an instinctive player, he plays what he sees – sometimes it comes off, sometimes it doesn’t.

“If he can play with just a little bit more control … I know on his day he can lead us to victory.

“We really want him to get to that position so we really want him to bounce back this week.”

Townsend said Maloney wasn’t the only Cronulla star not playing to their potential, following a run of four losses in seven games and two heavy defeats in the past fortnight.

“We’re not playing how we know we can play,” he said.

“That’s the most frustrating thing.

“We know what we’re capable of but in the last two weeks we haven’t shown that.

“We really want to just get back (to) what our DNA is and play how we know we can play.”

The Sharks take on an injury-smashed North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night.