NRL round 14: Cronulla Sharks defeat Brisbane Broncos 22-12

Alarm bells are ringing at the Broncos after they were toppled at home by a Sharks side missing Nicho Hynes, with Brisbane now already equalling their regular season loss tally from 2023.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 08: Tristan Sailor of the Broncos is tackled during the round 14 NRL match between Brisbane Broncos and Cronulla Sharks at Suncorp Stadium, on June 08, 2024, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

Alarm bells are ringing for Brisbane’s title ambitions after NSW Origin hopeful Kotoni Staggs hobbled off in his side’s sloppy 22-12 loss to Cronulla at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night.

Frustrated Broncos coach Kevin Walters turned the blowtorch on his troops, slamming an insipid, scoreless second-half from a Brisbane side that could finish the weekend outside the top eight.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Walters mused.

Already missing key duo Reece Walsh (concussion) and Adam Reynolds (bicep), the Broncos lamented star centre Staggs (knee) leaving the field 11 minutes from time as Brisbane were mauled in a ruthless Shark attack.

With key trio Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas and Selwyn Cobbo backing up from Origin I, the Broncos looked to have buried the demons of their 36-34 loss to the Titans when they led Cronulla 12-4 at half-time.

But the Sharks produced a stunning second-half onslaught before 41,004, with three tries in seven minutes propelling Cronulla to the top of the league and consigning the struggling Broncos to back-to-back losses.

The Broncos slip to sixth after their sixth loss. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Kotoni Staggs picked up an injury against the Sharks. Picture: NRL Photos / Zain Mohammed

BUMBLING BRONCOS

Instead of being a top-four certainty, seventh-placed Brisbane (7-6) could drop out of the top eight if Manly beat Penrith on Sunday and the Bulldogs edge out the Eels on Monday.

Despite first-half tries to Carrigan and Tyson Smoothy, the Broncos never truly looked dominant and were belted in midfield by a hungry Sharks side inspired by Royce Hunt, Siosifa Talakai and Cameron McInnes.

Walters believes Staggs will be fit for next week’s clash against Souths, but of greater concern is Brisbane’s ill-discipline and lack of offensive rhythm. Cronulla amassed 1663 metres to Brisbane’s paltry 1111m. Carrigan (104m) was the only Brisbane forward to post 100m.

“That was probably our worst half of football,” Walters said of Brisbane’s dismal second-half.

“Our first set in the second half was poor and it got worse from there.”

Braydon Trindall was excellent in the absence of Nicho Hynes. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

TALE OF TWO HALVES

Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam, playing his 50th NRL game, and halfback cohort Jock Madden were expected to bury a Sharks outfit missing NSW No.7 Nicho Hynes.

But without Hynes, back-up Braydon Trindall put aside his off-field dramas to inspire a magnificent Sharks fightback.

Trailing 12-4, the Sharks had hope when Sione Katoa torched Cobbo before Trindall stepped up as the halfback hero, dummying his way through in the 48th minute to give Cronulla a 16-12 lead.

From there, the Sharks were never headed as Trindall turned the crews. By comparison, Mam and Madden rarely had dominant front-foot ball as Brisbane lost all control of the middle third.

“We have to look at everything we’re doing,” Walters said.

“Our errors really cost us in the second half.”

Tristan Sailor had a night to forget. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

SLOPPY SAILOR

In the absence of Walsh, who was concussed in Origin I, fullback replacement Tristan Sailor was well-contained and had a night to forget.

Two Sailor blunders after the break turned the contest on its head. A 42nd-minute knock-on near his tryline saw Katoa score from the ensuing scrum and when Sailor spilled a Trindall high kick seven minutes later, hooker Blayke Brailey swooped to give the Sharks a shock 22-12 lead.

BENCH WARFARE

The Broncos need more from their bench if they want to win this year’s premiership.

Broncos trio Kobe Hetherington, Fletcher Baker and Jack Gosiewski failed to provide sufficient support for starting props Haas and Corey Jensen and they paid the price.

Conversely, Sharks bench big bopper Hunt destroyed the Broncos with seven tackle busts, outmuscling Haas, who managed just 81 metres in a display that crystallised Brisbane’s collective lethargy.

Originally published as NRL round 14: Cronulla Sharks defeat Brisbane Broncos 22-12