The top eight dream is still alive for Cronulla after sealing a record 50-20 win at Rockhampton that has all but ended the Wests Tigers’ NRL finals chances.
But it may have come at a huge cost for the Sharks (9-13 record) with inspirational winger Ronaldo Mulitalo suffering a suspected fractured jaw in the 64th minute.
Mulitalo was taken to hospital for scans after grabbing a try-scoring double along with Sione Katoa, William Kennedy and Luke Metcalf.
He should have scored a hat-trick but instead unselfishly passed for impressive pivot Metcalf to cross in the 42nd minute.
Mulitalo was in tears on the sidelines holding ice to his face by fulltime.
“We are not sure yet of the severity … it is not looking great,” interim Sharks coach Josh Hannay said.
“He’s a big piece of our team, a real spark for us. Fingers crossed it is a good (scan) result.”
The Tigers had cut the deficit to 34-20 with 14 minutes left of the game before Matt Moylan – back from a seven-week calf injury – came off the bench to help the Sharks cross three times in the final ten minutes, ensuring a record blowout.
It was the most points Cronulla had scored against the Tigers and marked the first time they had racked up 50 since Round 10, 2016 while also bumping them up from tenth into the top eight with two rounds left.
Hannay saluted his side after an emotional week in which forward Andrew Fifita was placed in an induced coma and underwent throat surgery after copping a hit in their last round loss.
“It rattled a lot of our guys with what went down … but thankfully it looks like there is progress there for Drew,” he said.
“I have no doubt that as a group they were all doing it a little bit for Drew out there.”
The Tigers (13th, 8-14 record) look set to miss out on the finals yet again.
They last made the top eight in 2011.
Wests were aiming for three straight wins for the first time since 2018 and looked on track when Michael Chee Kam scored in the fifth minute.
But Cronulla hit back to lead 16-4 at halftime and stood tall in a second stanza that featured nine tries.
Michael Maguire came down from the coach’s box to the sideline in the second half in a bid to lift the Tigers but to no avail.
“We walked in at halftime and knew what we needed to do in the second half – we didn’t go out and deliver that,” said Maguire, who played down a late knee complaint suffered by playmaker Adam Doueihi.
Meanwhile, the Sharks’ Briton Nikora was placed on report for a 42nd-minute tackle.
Tom G
Roar Rookie
The Sharks were great yesterday. Great to see Luke Medcalf get his chance. I hope they stick with him. He’s shown a ton of potential in lower grades so he was overdue a break. As for the Tigers? What can be said that hasn’t already been said. Maguire makes all the right noises but three years in they’re going backwards each year.
farkurnell
Roar Rookie
Yeah another serious injury to the depleted Sharkies.However we have unearthed a new talent in Metcalfe .All of a sudden the Sharks have some additional Attacking options for the last 2 rounds.Will be interesting who Josh H goes with - Moylan,Trindall Metcalf.