Cronulla’s premiership defence on knife’s edge after Brisbane relegate Sharks to back-to-back losses

THE Shire is crumbling. Cronulla’s premiership defence is on a knife’s edge after Paul Gallen’s 300th game celebrations were crashed by a red-hot Brisbane.

Paul Gallen is wrapped up by Adam Blair in his 300th.

THE Shire is crumbling.

Cronulla’s premiership defence is on a knife’s edge after the Broncos trashed Paul Gallen’s 300th celebrations with a 32-10 thumping in Brisbane.

The Sharks have slumped to back-to-back losses following last week’s Canberra embarrassment and could fall out of the top four before the weekend is over.

If alarm bells weren’t sounding at Sharks HQ after the Raiders debacle they should be now.

“We’re our own worst enemies and everyone is contributing it to it,” Gallen said.

Gallen says the Sharks lack discipline.

“We were brave in the first half. We covered each other and stopped some tries.

“I don’t think we’re lacking drive or energy. Our discipline has been an issue all year for us.

“We know what it is. We need to fix it up.

“The motivation is still there. We want to win.

“It’s not doom and gloom. This time last year we lost three games.”

Cronulla fielded 13 of the 17 players from last year’s historic premiership winning team and were never in the contest.

Gallen copped a hammering from Broncos fans and players in his 300th.

It has taken 23 rounds to surface but Cronulla’s premiership hangover has well and truly kicked in and to make matters worse Andrew Fifita, soundly stifled by the Broncos, could be facing heat following an ugly tackle on Broncos forward Jai Arrow.

Not since the Broncos in 1992-93 has a team successfully defended its title in a united competition, highlighting the challenge Cronulla is facing to go back-to-back.

The Sharks were terrible for most of the match, making 14 errors and missing 52 tackles to show they may not possess the hunger to go all the way in 2017.

Much like his State of Origin career, Gallen was booed by what sounded like 34,551 of the 34,552 people in the Suncorp Stadium grandstands in what was a milestone match to forget.

But it was the performance of star five-eighth James Maloney which was most concerning for Cronulla.

In his return from a two-game break with a broken hand, Maloney produced one of the worst games of his decorated career.

He gave away three penalties, missed 10 tackles, kicked the ball out on the full and dropped it clean, not to mention being targeted by Brisbane’s slick attacking moves.

Maloney missed a regulation tackle on Matt Gillett for the Broncos forward to score the first points and was exposed again by Darius Boyd.

Sosaia Feki is crunched by Brisbane defenders.

It took a mistake by Corey Oates for the Sharks to get their first real attacking opportunity, with veteran Luke Lewis stretching on his 34th birthday to get Cronulla back into the contest at 14-6.

Cronulla’s joy was short-lived when Maloney kicked out on the full early in the second half, gifting the Broncos prime position which Tautau Moga converted into a 20-6 lead.

Moga scored again, this time beating Chad Townsend one-on-one, and Anthony Milford put Oates over before Gerard Beale scored a consolation try late in the game.

With games against the Cowboys (away), Roosters (home) and resurgent Knights (away) to come, a crucial top four finish is no certainty for Cronulla.

Originally published as Cronulla’s premiership defence on knife’s edge after Brisbane relegate Sharks to back-to-back losses