Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan laid the blame squarely at his players – not the referees – after the Sharks’ top-four hopes took a huge dent with a 33-32 golden-point NRL loss to lowly Manly.
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Final score
Cronulla Sharks 32
Manly Sea Eagles 33
The Cronulla Sharks will be out to get back to their best and reverse a poor historical record when they face the out of sorts Manly Sea Eagles. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 2pm (AEST).
This match is a tale of two teams with vastly different fortunes.
While the Sharks can’t be mistaken for being perfect throughout the season, they have been putting up some of their best footy in recent weeks.
Some high quality wins as they approached full strength were good to see for the Cronulla faithful, but last week, it was back to some of their poorer play as they fell to the Brisbane Broncos.
The two-point loss wasn’t a disaster, but their attack looked all over the place. While in previous weeks it was the Matt Moylan and Valentine Holmes inspired attack getting them over the lines, it looked like a different team last week.
A production of that standard again will struggle to beat a battling club like Manly, let alone those they are going to face throughout the month of September during the finals.
Luckily for Cronulla, they are facing a club who have won just one out of their last seven matches, with the Sea Eagles struggling on the defensive end throughout that period.
This is a chance for the Sharks to regain their mojo with the ball in hand, and at home on a Sunday afternoon, anything is possible.
Things went from bad to worse for Manly last week. While they actually played better than they have for most of the game, the team seemed to clock off with 20 minutes to go, allowing the Penrith Panthers to snatch a famous victory by scoring four tries in seven minutes.
The defensive effort from Manly was embarrassing and followed the trend of some previous weeks, where they conceded 56 to the Roosters, 32 to the Dragons and 34 to the Warriors all in the last month.
There have been some minimal positive signs in attack, but it doesn’t look like it’ll be enough to challenge a team in the eight.
Manly looked like they had clocked off for the season last week. The only thing going for them here is their staggering historical record, which has seen them win 63 of 89 matches played between the two clubs.
Prediction
No matter what the historical statistics between the two clubs say, the form is apples and oranges at the moment. For that reason, it’s impossible to tip against the Sharks – and the Sharks to win convincingly – on their home ground in the Shire on a Sunday afternoon.
Sharks by 16.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this Round 21 match from 2pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
terrence
Guest
JVGO, Not sure Chad had a great deal to do with the 5 tries, that's more with Moylan and Graham. But Townsend defense is appalling. Sharks rarely win a game against Manly, let along easily. Maybe a few of the Sharks players have been around a little too long?
JVGO
Guest
The idea that this loss is on Chad somehow is ridiculous. It was a poor team effort in defence. The attack which Chad is supposedly responsible for got 32 points. We lost two tries off poor decoy running. Senior forwards like Fifita, Gallen and Prior made dumb errors. Manly scoring 33 was just unbelievable. Chad had a decent game. Sharks should have won that game easily. They actually had uit won and just threw it away.
terrence
Guest
what's what when?
Dogs Boddy
Roar Rookie
We're still missing something this year. The Sharks will make the eight but probably bow out early. There is just no consistency. In 2016 you could just expect the team to win games, now I'm never confident at all. That something special is missing. Barba gave us a lot but so did Ennis. Our spine is just not clicking.
terrence
Guest
who isn't guru!
Renegade
Roar Guru
Sorry, I’m allergic to the tin foil hats....
terrence
Guest
Of course you did Renegade, probably took even longer to reply. Another ''guru'' in action.
Emcie
Roar Guru
what's this now?
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Well well. You'll see from my comment at the start of the call that I tipped Manly by 2. I was off by a point. I've cleaned up that Clown Lawrence at the Bowling Club. I'll be collecting on Tuesday at the next match. How sweet it is.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Stopped reading at “even up the count”....
terrence
Guest
CC, The Sharks need to boot Townsend, he was appalling today and just isn't anywhere near NRL standard behind an old slowing pack. Moylan 7, Wade 6 if Flanno's boy ain't yet up to it. And Gallen needs a little tap on the shoulder as well, he doesn't want to go out like JT.
terrence
Guest
Thurston probably also got the maccas happy meal certificate from the coach as well. Apparently Darren Lockyer and Mall Meninga were doing the Dally M votes for the Chooks/Cows game. It went 3 points to Billy Slater, 2 points to Cam Smith and 1 point to JT7....
terrence
Guest
''another ''guru' in action...'
terrence
Guest
Yep, Renegade and that was to even up the count. Sharks have a slow old pack, the worst 7 in the history of the NRL and the Sharks need to slow the game down consistently to potentially win. Unfortunately for them, both the refs and other clubs are on to it. Their attack via Townsend is diabolical, they need to consistently reset via Moylan. How good was AFB and DCE today, one terriorised, one was was the ringmaster as usual....
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
As soon as the draw arrived at full time,I just knew the final outcome.Walked out to get an early getaway.And a couple of sorrowful beers being consumed. It was game that we blew.The game against the Raiders a fortnight ago, we really shouldn't have won. Gal's greediness trying to score near the posts and losing the pill. WD40 hands Prior losing the pill with about 5 to go,and Manly then scoring. Kicking for goal from a penalty and missing.Which meant the game in the end. Manly deserved their win, but geez our goal line defence at times was found wanting. Manly have the wood on the Arks,Melbourne next week at their home.From the frying pan too the fryer. On form in the semis, we'd be knocked out first round.Maloney's loss now becoming more apparent.
terrence
Guest
Hey 40/20... Maybe Manly should be the ''away'' team all the time so they don't need to relocate (heehee). More concerning, how awful is Chad Townsend? To paraphrase "Joe the Cameraman", can't tackle, can't run fast, can't set up a try!'' If Chad's getting paid $250k a year (which at best would be $200k TPA via a wealthy family member), than DCE must be worth $1.5bn a season. DCE tackles like a demon, great kicking game and knows how to set up a team). Chad would be the 100th (at best) skilled number7 in the NRL. If Flanno's kid ain't ready for the 7, then put Wade Graham at 6 and Moylan at 7 (and Moylan is a great in attack, but is defensively poor like Chad, hence no Origin, but it is easier to hide one poor, small defender, than two). Compared to Souths/Chooks/Storm, both southern Sydney clubs fell off the pace this weekend, big time.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Penalty count was 13-10 mate
KenoathCarnt
Guest
9 out of the 11 penalties.... How do they not win that?
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Fair enough. It’s been such a brutal season I’ve started to count close losses, as wins. Cows fans are probably doing the same!
Emcie
Roar Guru
That was after a couple hitups though