The Warriors have overcome a wild afternoon from front-rower Kane Evans, including being sin-binned twice, to claim a comeback 18-16 NRL victory over Cronulla at Cbus Super Stadium.
Evans was binned late in the first half of Saturday’s game after being baited into two left jabs from renowned sledger Will Chambers – with the Sharks turning a six-point deficit into a 10-point lead.
The Warriors fought back to level the contest at 16-all midway through the second half, only for Evans to again lose his cool and be penalised for a head slam on Chambers.
Despite his mindless performance the rest of the Warriors held their nerve, with a 67th-minute Reece Walsh penalty goal proving the difference in a spiteful affair.
Seven players finished the game on report – Evans twice, cited immediately after his return to the field in the second half for a dangerous tackle on Ronaldo Mulitalo.
The Evans brain snaps did not cost his side, however, who move within four points of the top eight and remain a mathematical chance to make the finals.
Cronulla blew an opportunity to go back up to eighth, dropping out of the top half of the ladder for the first time in six rounds.
Warriors coach Nathan Brown said he was disappointed in some of his senior players who had engaged in a war of words with Chambers.
“Will can engage in it and can still play reasonably well, and the old blokes that were engaging with it where not playing well,” he said.
“It had a bad effect on our football team.
“We leaked two tries because Will was a bit smarter than us. That was the disappointing thing.
“Will was a bit smarter than a couple of our experienced blokes.
“One of them tidied themselves in the second half and Kane had his moments, but we got the win at the end of the day.”
Cronulla caretaker coach Josh Hannay, who had criticised Chambers’ verbal attack on Manly utility Dylan Walker last week, kept his power dry on Saturday.
“The team that wins has the last laugh, don’t they,” he said.
“I don’t want to comment anymore on the whole sledging thing.”
The Warriors had led for most of the first half on the Gold Coast after Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s fourth-minute opener.
Cronulla levelled after Connor Tracey crossed but Evans’ ill-discipline kickstarted a ghastly four-minutes for the Warriors, which included a Briton Nikora try and an 85-metre effort from Kennedy.
However, the Sharks – without injured duo Matt Moylan and Shaun Johnson – failed to go on with the job in the second half, with a Walsh try closing the gap when he latched onto a Josh Curran offload in the 56th minute.
Euan Aitken then tied the game a second time when he crossed soon after, before Walsh nailed the go-ahead points after a crusher tackle by Nikora.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Who? Dugan? Hiroti is out injured,Tracey is covering SJ and Moylan who are out.Sharks Center stocks have been poor since Xerri/Morris days.
Pilferer
Roar Rookie
Wonder What he said to Aiken on his way to the try line :laughing:
Paul
Roar Guru
granted that was stupid but having a yap during the game would make 90% of players jerks.
kk
Roar Pro
Good one Yards. The Manly game was Gee/ Chiddy. Always cause cardio chaos. The Warriors game was Cecchin/ Shortall. Downstairs: OK. Upstairs :Let us pray.
Pilferer
Roar Rookie
Running 20 metres and throwing a boot into the stands is being a jerk
Paul
Roar Guru
why is he jerk? Because he gets a reaction from the opposition? Verballing has been part of the game for years and I'll bet 90% of players say plenty through a game to the opposition. Guys need to suck it up and get on playing footy.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Evans is on his last contract. Let go by Roosters and Eels, unable to crack a regular spot at NZ and unimpressive when he plays. Could’ve been a player but no.
andrew
Roar Rookie
I thought Manly went ok HY. To be 8 all at half time against the amount of possession Melbourne had was a credit to Manly's defence. At least the Sea Eagles will be playing finals football.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Chambers is all talk no action. His best days are behind him. Surely Cronulla have a better attacking center in their squad .
WA Sharks Fan
Roar Rookie
Why wasn’t he sent from the game is what I’d like to know. It was very clearly a Clinched fist and whilst it didn’t connect (just a glancing blow) it makes no difference. Evans should have been marched for the rest of the game.
Cadfael
Roar Guru
To me, there are so many grey areas in the game now. In the good old days the rules were very much black and white. Touchies appeared to aid the referee , now they seem to adjudge the line and goal kicks only. And heaven help a referee who sends a player off with the media calling for his head for ruining the game (Wallabies and France in the last test?). As swell, in a close game how often do we see a penalty in kicking rang awarded, referees don't want to appear to influence a game. We don't want perfection, we'd never get it anyway. What most want is the referees to apply the laws of the game reasonably consistently.
Pilferer
Roar Rookie
The head slam was a terrible call
Pilferer
Roar Rookie
Thought the on field ref was good but the bunker was shockingly bias
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Three reports and two sin bins. Evans should have been sent off
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
Refereeing as usual was arbitrary and unfathomable from where this Manly fan was sitting.
PeterCtheThird
Guest
So Will Chambers is a jerk, but a very clever jerk, and his opponents fall for it. I don’t like it when he’s playing for his club whom I can’t stand, nor, as a Queenslander, when he’s playing for Queensland. Good to see that it didn’t work tonight.