NRL 2021: Cronulla Sharks beat North Queensland Cowboys 48-10 | Match Report

The Cowboys are in crisis after being eaten alive by the Sharks, but is it a true indication that Cronulla could make a run the finals?

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 03: Cowboys players look dejected after conceding a try during the round four NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and the North Queensland Cowboys at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, on April 03, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

The Cowboys are officially in crisis after producing one of the worst 80 minutes in club history against a Cronulla side that is playing like they want to get their coach re-signed.

The John Morris situation is bordering on farcical given the way a team that no-one predicted to succeed has put in every week under his leadership, and sanity must prevail soon with a new deal after his troops crushed the Cowboys 48-10.

“I’ll let you guys talk about that,” he said after his side’s huge win.

“I’ve tried to not talk about it too much. My sole focus is on the team, and nothing changes. It’s about getting onto the next job now. It’s all noise for me. It’s about doing my job, staying focused on the team and doing the best thing for the club.”

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Connor Tracey of the Sharks celebrates scoring a try with teammates. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

The Sharks were forced to play musical chairs for the second week in a row after losing outside backs Josh Dugan (HIA) and Ronaldo Mulitalo (knee injury) in the first half, but nothing was going to stop them once they smelled blood in the water.

Daylight savings came early as Matt Moylan wound the clock back to produce his best game in years as he toyed with North Queensland’s right edge defence to put his outside men in space time after time.

Halves partner Chad Townsend was equally brilliant as he put the demons of two weeks ago behind him to slot all eight of his conversions to kick the Cowboys into submission.

This is a team missing a chunk of talent, but unlike their opponents, they have no time for excuses.

Instead, they are playing for each other and it shows through their performances.

“To have some key players out and perform like that is very pleasing,” Morris said.

“They’re in a good space and they’re a happy group.”

Situation critical for Cowboys

Take nothing away from the sensational Sharks who feasted on the opposition’s frailties and showed how damaging they can be when their players stay on the field.

But as good as the hosts were, their opponents were awful.

They conceded six tries in the first half, picked apart on the edges like they were defending with 10 men against a team made up of Immortals.

Defenders didn’t trust the guys standing next to them, while the effort of some of the Cowboys has to be questioned.

Josh McGuire shot daggers at Francis Molo for a good 10 seconds after he popped an unnecessary offload that the representative lock couldn’t handle, while Coen Hess could have stopped the final try of the half but didn’t show enough urgency to dive on the loose ball.

These are the moments that send coaches mad, and Todd Payten is out of answers just four weeks into his new gig. He’s publicly criticised them, he’s supported his under fire stars and he’s chopped and changed his 17.

But nothing is working and they are now 0-4. The gulf in class between the competition heavyweights and the also-rans has never been greater, and there’s every chance the Cowboys are the worst of a bad bunch.

“It was (tough to watch),” their frustrated coach said.

“At the moment, we’re a team that’s not willing to build a game – we’re chasing the game. We’re low on confidence at the moment and looking to get things done the easy way.”

Everyone knows what the Roosters stand for. Same goes for other successful clubs like the Storm and the Panthers. Right now, the Cowboys are struggling to form an identity.

They were in the game when Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow scooped up a loose ball to score early on, but they capitulated the moment Justin O’Neill and Murray Taulagi failed their HIAs.

They’ve got speed and size and a couple of very talented players, but for the moment they are disjointed and worryingly rudderless.

That’s not a quick fix, and the scary thing is they may not have hit rock bottom.

“I wasn’t under any allusions with where we were at,” Payten replied when asked if he thought things were this bad when he joined the club.

“We had some good weeks in the pre-season which got my confidence higher than what it is at the moment. It was pretty clear to see in the first few games how we handled adversity, and that’s a true indication of where we’re at.

“We all need to get on the same page and we need to pay the price physically.”

McGuire on the way out

Payten has confirmed the Cowboys will not stand in McGuire’s way if the former Test and Origin forward can lock up a deal elsewhere.

With the Cowboys reeling after another heavy loss speculation has mounted that McGuire could reunite with former Broncos coach Anthony Griffin at St George Illawarra.

Payten said the club had been in discussions with McGuire but maintained a mid-season move was not yet on the cards.

“At the moment we’re making some individual choices about our effort that aren’t up to NRL standard and it showed in those tries before halftime,” Payten said.

“It’s an individual choice. I can’t pinpoint the errors to certain specific players week after week. It’s across the board.”

Payten also confirmed both parties initiated talks for McGuire’s potential exit.

McGuire has looked frustrated at the Cowboys. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

If the 48-10 drubbing by the Sharks was anything to go by, McGuire might not be the only man out the door in the near future.

In a season which is fast turning into a competition between the haves and the have nots, Payten’s men are firmly in the latter category with few causes for optimism.

From the outside looking in, it seemed as though Payten was inheriting a talented roster that had become stale under Paul Green.

It’s clear now the club is in need of a far more extensive rebuild, not just of personnel but of attitude.

“We’re low on confidence at the moment, looking to get things done the easy way, chasing points rather than building games and trying to build pressure,” Payten said.

“I was disappointed we weren’t able to hang in for longer.

“I wasn’t under any illusions as to where we were at (when I took the job)

“It was pretty clear to see in the first couple of games and how we handled adversity, which is a good indication of where we’re at.”

Cronulla’s attack was on point for sure, and Will Kennedy in particular looked untouchable at times, but with due respect they are not yet one of the competition’s superpowers and went into this match undermanned.

But such is the NRL these days, if a team can get on top for 15 minutes and put on a few tries it takes a mighty effort to run them down and after the Sharks put on a hot start North Queensland’s listless display seemed inevitable.

It was the most points the club has conceded in a match since 2010 and they were lucky it wasn’t worse.

Injuries to Dugan and Mulitalo forced Cronulla into major reshuffles on both edges but it was North Queensland who looked makeshift.

Their right side duo of Taulagi and Connelly Lemulemu were all at sea in the first half whenever the Sharks took them on.

The forwards were bullied off the park and the sheer number of basic errors from the backs made their attacking sets hard to watch.

What makes their form all the more perplexing is North Queensland don’t have the talent deficit of a team like Canterbury.

They are simply underperforming in every aspect of their play. In this match they looked every bit the worst team in the league and as we’ve seen so far this round that’s a pretty hot field.

The only silver lining is it’s going to get better for the Cowboys because it surely can’t get much worse.