Cronulla Sharks’ premiership defence off to losing start as Brisbane Broncos triumph 26-18

THE party is over — the defending premier Cronulla Sharks have found out quickly just what it’s like to be the team everyone wants to beat.

THE five-month party that was 50 years in the making is finally over.

In the first game of season 2017, Cronulla quickly found out what it’s like to front up every week as the NRL’s defending premiers.

And in their first NRL game since last season’s famous grand final triumph, Cronulla fell 26-18 to Brisbane before 11,493 fans at Southern Cross Group Stadium.

The party was good while it lasted. It took just 80 minutes for Cronulla to realise why it has been 24 years since a side won back-to-back titles in a united competition.

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Sharks prop Andrew Fifita charges at Broncos centre James Roberts. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Maybe their recent English venture for the World Club Challenge took an edge off the Sharks. Brisbane also travelled to England though.

Only a fool though would write off Cronulla given the Sharks reduced a 14-point deficit last night to just two points midway through the second half.

This Sharks side is never dead.

“I thought we were going to come home over the top ... but it wasn’t to be,” said Sharks skipper Paul Gallen.

“We turned too much ball over too easily. Pretty simple really.”

Brisbane looked slick and calm, their win coming amid talk veteran coach Wayne Bennett had lost the dressing room. It certainly didn’t seem so on Thursday night.

Cronulla entered the field to a tumultuous roar. The atmosphere was buzzing, the crowd pumped.

A first half filled with handling errors however damaged Cronulla’s chances. The home side completed at just 69 per cent overall, compared to Brisbane’s 85 per cent. Brisbane enjoyed 11 more sets than Cronulla. The Sharks also lost the penalty count 10-5.

“You can’t win football games when you turn over that much ball,” said Sharks coach Shane Flanagan.

“We just gave them too much football. I thought we were coming to get them at one stage. It’s disappointing given the standards we set ourselves. We’re disappointed. Too many errors, too many penalties.”

Broncos prop Josh McGuire is wrapped up by Sharks forwards Paul Gallen and Matt Prior. Picture: Gregg Porteous

Let’s not get too down on Cronulla. Their glorious grand final celebrations only seem like yesterday. This team has steel and resolve. They will be there again in September.

“Cronulla played like a premiership team,” said Bennett.

Brisbane looked to have sealed the game just six minutes into the second half when winger Corey Oates lunged over out wide to give his side an 20-6 lead.

The Sharks though have tenacity. A James Maloney try 10 minutes into the second half dragged Cronulla back into the game before centre Ricky Leutele slid over out wide, reducing Brisbane’s lead to just two points.

Wade Graham tries to break through the Broncos defence.

It was gripping second half with Cronulla poised to come home strong before Brisbane five-eighth Anthony Milford scored the matchwinning try 11 minutes from fulltime.

“I was pleased how we scrapped it out. We stayed at it. It was a very intense game, a tough game,” said Bennett.

“Our ball control in the second half won us the game. A tough game like this will do everyone the world of good. We didn’t have a bad player.”

Broncos captain Darius Boyd added: “It was the first game of the year so both sides were probably underdone.”

The match started in the most remarkable way when Brisbane forward Adam Blair was bullied back into the in-goal area from the very first hit-up.

Five Sharks players swarmed over Blair, driving him back 10 metres to force a Brisbane line drop-out.

Kick-off was held up while security dragged four speakers out of the in-goal area. It wasn’t the most professional start to a season.

Cronulla started the match without three players from last year’s grand final win — Ben Barba (French rugby), Val Holmes (hamstring) and Michael Ennis (retired).

BRISBANE 26 (J Kahu A Milford C Oates J Roberts tries J Kahu 5 goals) bt CRONULLA 18 (G Beale R Leutele J Maloney tries J Maloney 3 goals) at Southern Cross Group Stadium. Referee: Matt Cecchin, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 11,493.