Cronulla’s second half blitz paves the way for 42-16 win over North Queensland
A five-try Cronulla blitzkrieg in the opening stages of the second half has condemned North Queensland to back to back losses as the Sharks triumphed 42-16.
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A second half shark attack by Cronulla stunned Paul Green’s new look Cowboys side in a 42-16 romping at 1300Smiles Stadium.
On a humid afternoon in front of 11,600 fans in Townsville, the Sharks proved to be too strong for the Cowboys piling on 36 points in a strong second stanza of the match.
Conditions should have suited North Queensland as the mercury sat at 30C with an 80% humidity at kick off which brought in the NRL’s heat rule for the first time this season.
The sweaty conditions made it difficult for the Sharks to handle the ball in the first half and the Cowboys were able to capitalise by going into halftime leading 10-6.
But whatever Sharks coach John Morris said to his players at halftime seemed to work as the boys from The Shire piled on five tries within the first 20 minutes of the second stanza and a sixth try right on full-time.
Cronulla did not escape the match unscathed, with Matt Moylan and milestone man Paul Gallen failing to finish.
Moylan succumbed to a hamstring injury late while Gallen, who surpassed club legend Andrew Ettingahusen’s 328 games for Cronulla, didn’t come back after halftime due to a rib injury.
The Cowboys went into the match wanting to make amends for their insipid start against the Broncos in their Round 2 loss and they fixed that up but it was their finish which let them down.
North Queensland started the match with better attacking flair and came close to taking the lead within the first six minutes but were denied by the video ref on two occasions.
The first half was a pleasing display for coach Paul Green as he trialled his new look backline and spine.
Te Maire Martin was shifted from five-eighth into the No.1 jersey this weekend and added an extra dimension of attacking flair to the Cowboys side.
His ability to create something out of nothing was epitomised by his 38th minute try, which came through a grubber kick close to the tryline.
Cronulla winger Sosaia Feki was unable to contain the kick and the ball was quickly pounced on by Martin to take North Queensland into the break 10-6.
Young gun Jake Clifford had a nervy return into Cowboys colours but did enough to take the pressure off captain Michael Morgan to try and control the game.
It was always going to be a tough ask for North Queensland to fill the void left by injured forward Jason Taumalolo, but Josh McGuire, Jordan McLean and John Asiata tried their best.
McGuire racked up 184m, 20 tackles and one tackle break while Asiata’s injection lifted the Cowboys efforts down the middle of the field.
But the Sharks came out of halftime on fire, scoring 36 points to the Cowboys six in the second half.
Sharks forwards Andrew Fifita and captain Paul Gallen banded together to set up Cronulla’s first try by putting halfback Chad Townsend through a gap alongside the left upright.
Vice-captain Jordan McLean stepped up in the absence of Taumalolo providing some strong carries through the middle.
His effort was rewarded with a try in the 30th minute to draw the scores level before Martin’s try just before halftime took them into the lead.
But it was all Cronulla after the break as they finished the match 42-16 winners.
CRONULLA 42 (J Morris 2 C Townsend 2 B Brailey J Dugan B Nikora tries S Johnson 7 goals) bt NORTH QUEENSLAND 16 (G Cooper T Martin J McLean tries J Kahu 2 goals) at 1300SMILES Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Phil Henderson. Crowd: 11,610
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