NRL 2015: Valentine Holmes stars as Cronulla shore up finals spot with thrashing of bogey side Wests Tigers

Cronulla’s boy wonder Valentine Holmes put a big win over the Tigers on ice with a spectacular double, shoring up a finals finish for the resurgent Sharks.

NRL Rd 24 - Sharks v Wests Tigers

SIXTEEN years ago, Cronulla legend David Peachey notched up a club record 19 tries in a season while also igniting the Sharks’ charge towards the 1999 minor premiership.

On Saturday, Cronulla’s boy wonder Valentine Holmes moved to within three tries of sharing Peachey’s longstanding record with a two-try double in the Sharks’ runaway 40-18 win over Wests Tigers.

Cronulla’s crucial victory — the first time this season they have scored more than 30 points and their biggest ever win over the Tigers — guarantees a finals berth while keeping their top-four hopes alive.

Responding in the best possible fashion following their tryless drubbing at the hands of Melbourne five days earlier, the Sharks’ win, while impressive on the scoreboard, left room for improvement after allowing the Tigers to get within six points with 20 minutes remaining.

In the end, the Sharks had too much class both up front and out wide with two blistering second-half tries to Holmes, taking his season tally to 16, as well as four-pointers to Wade Graham and Michael Gordon sealing their victory.

Cronulla captain Paul Gallen, who was given a rest alongside hooker Michael Ennis once the victory was assured in the second half, has long been protective of Holmes and his growing stature.

But the delighted skipper joined Sharks coach Shane Flanagan in admitting Holmes is the player the club has waited more than a decade for.

“It’s good to have someone like Val,’’ Flanagan said.

“Over the last couple of years him and Birdy, Beale, Ricky Leutele and Feki who can go the length and score tries. We’ve been a grinding and grafting team while I’ve been coach and its just nice to have those players.’’

Gallen, who gathered his team together eight weeks ago to ensure they realised how close they were to a ­finals berth, said the quality of the Sharks backline has aided his own career.

“He’s (Holmes) a terrific player, I’ve said it all year,’’ Gallen said. “All of them, Beale’s going well, Feki, Bird — I don’t want to leave anyone out, but it just makes my job so easy in the middle.”

While Tigers coach Jason Taylor lamented his young side’s slow start which ensured they played a catch-up brand of footy for almost the entire 80-minutes, Flanagan praised his squad’s resilience to hang tough.

Ennis finished the match with a minor calf complaint, but Flanagan said the hooker was in no doubt for next Saturday’s clash with Parramatta.

CRONULLA SHARKS 40 (V Holmes 2 M Ennis S Feki M Gordon W Graham L Lewis tries M Gordon 6 goals) beat WESTS TIGERS 18 (T Simona C Sironen M Taupau tries P Richards 3 goals) at Remondis Stadium. Referee: Grant Atkins, Matt Noyen. Crowd: 15,738.

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Originally published as NRL 2015: Valentine Holmes stars as Cronulla shore up finals spot with thrashing of bogey side Wests Tigers