Sharks will rally around Ronaldo Mulitalo, says Josh Hannay

It’s been a tough week for Ronaldo Mulitalo but the young star has the full support of his teammates and coaches at the Sharks.

Mulitalo was among the Sharks’ best on Sunday. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Sharks coach Josh Hannay and his players will be giving extra support to Ronaldo Mulitalo in the coming days after the brave winger was distraught after his side’s 26-18 loss to the Broncos.

Mulitalo was in an emotional state while talking, from the playing field, to members of his family in the Suncorp Stadium crowd after a cruel eight days that started with his Maroons dream being shattered by bureaucratic incompetence.

On the eve of Game Two of the State of Origin series Mulitalo was preparing to realise a goal that he’d had since attending Ipswich State High School as a 13-year-old. He was subsequently ruled out, despite representing Queensland in under 18s and 20s, due to eligibility rules.

After the NRL confirmed he would never be eligible for the Maroons, Mulitalo returned to Suncorp Stadium for the Sharks where he had watched his Maroons teammates get beaten 26-nil just one week earlier.

Muitalo was outstanding for the Sharks in setting up a try with a brilliant pass and in saving one with his pace and alertness to snaffle a kick in-goal before reaching the field of play. His 13 runs for 102m and seven tackle breaks were all energy and heart, but it was his broken heart that Hannay was most concerned about after the loss.

“Credit to Ronny. I can’t tell you how tough and challenging the last fortnight has been for him,” Hannay said.

“To be really honest, he has been let down by the game and the processes and how it has come to this situation, and he has really stood up.

“He is an emotional lad and we are always really worried about that with these young guys, and with their emotions. He went out there today and was really strong for us.

“I think it is going to hit him like a ton of bricks tonight. The decision that has come down, we have lost the game…and to get on the plane now. We have to get around him the next few days.”

Hannay said the 21-year-old was open with his emotions and thoughts, with the Sharks to continue to give him all the help and care he needs.

“The one thing with Ronny, and that’s a good thing, is that he wears his heart on his sleeve,” Hannay said.

“You know how he is feeling. He will actually tell you. He is not one of those guys who hides it.

“We are always in dialogue with Ronny because there is a lot going on at the moment for a young fella. He is doing one hell of a job and can hold his head high with how he is handling it.”

The return of Kotoni Staggs (R) inspired Brisbane to victory. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

After losing Matt Moylan in the warm-up, the Sharks fluffed their lines and missed a golden opportunity to consolidate their top eight credentials in a 26-18 loss to a rejuvenated and brilliant Broncos.

The drama began just before kick-off with Braydon Trindall getting a call-up in the halves after the luckless Moylan was ruled out with a calf injury that had plagued him all week.

It was a pulsating end-to-end contest at Suncorp Stadium with plenty of magic and manic moments for the highlight reels as Cronulla’s four-game winning streak came to an end.

No moment was more memorable than Broncos fullback Tesi Niu’s 90 metre sprint to the tryline, with Sharks heartbreak kid Ronaldo Mulitalo in hot pursuit, to give his side a crucial 22-18 lead in the 61st minute.

It was 12-all at half-time after Brisbane centre Kotoni Staggs made a stellar return from an ACL injury and NRL-imposed suspension to put Niu over for a first-half try.

Mulitalo set up a Sharks cracker on the stroke of the break and the razzle dazzle continued in the second stanza in front of 13,840 fans.

After Connor Tracey went in for his second for Cronulla it was 18-all, but the Niu special and a Jesse Arthars try sealed the deal for Brisbane.

For Cronulla, still hanging on in eighth position on the NRL ladder, it was an opportunity lost. After previously losing to cellar dwellers the Bulldogs it was a defeat that may come back to haunt Josh Hannay’s men come September.

“We have lost to both the bottom teams this year and funnily enough both had a similar feel to them in terms of us not quite being there with our energy and intent… but Brisbane deserved to win ,” Hannay said.

“We need to make that one up now and get to back to what has worked for us in the last month where we have been really good in those fundamental areas.”

Hannay said he was unsure how bad Moylan’s injury was.

“Matt trained well in our main session on Friday. We have Braydon on the bench for us and it was fortunate that he was there,” Hannay said.

“I’m not sure of the severity of Matt’s calf in terms of what he did today, but we are not using that as an excuse.”

Manic Mulitalo

After having his Maroons dream snatched away from him a week earlier, Mulitalo showed no signs of the devastation that decision caused him.

The rugby league gods have been toying with him of late, and so it was again when he was fortunate to not be penalised for tackling Staggs without the ball early.

The Sharks winger, who made his NRL debut at Suncorp Stadium, had more of the rollercoaster to ride and on the stroke of half-time conjured up some magic.

Ronaldo had minutes earlier done brilliantly to snaffle a grubber in-goal and get the Sharks moving up field for a great set of six. After collecting the ball at the end of a sweeping movement he swivelled while tackled and hurled the ball back inside for Connor Tracey to score.

“Even the other Ronaldo would have been impressed with that,” Andrew Voss said in Fox League commentary.

His Fox League colleague Steve Roach concurred.

“You might have thought he’d be down today … he’s been outstanding,” Roach said.

Hannay said he was concerned for Mulitalo’s welfare and praised his performance under duress.

“Credit to Ronny. I can’t tell you how tough and challenging the last fortnight has been for him,” Hannay said.

“To be really honest, he has been let down by the game and the processes and how it has come to this situation, and he has really stood up.

“He is an emotional lad and we are always really worried about that with these young guys, and with their emotions. He went out there today and was really strong for us.

“I think it is going to hit him like a ton of bricks tonight. The decision that has come down, we have lost the game…and to get on the plane now. We have to get around him the next few days.”

The game was an arm-wrestle until midway through the second half. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

No try controversy

Fox League commentator Cooper Cronk described the entire situation as “a circus” and the best cover-up he had seen in a long time.

The Sharks had a try disallowed in the first half when Sione Katoa was ruled to have lost control of the ball and knocked-on in a juggling act before putting Jesse Ramien away.

Initially the try was awarded, much to the amazement of Fox League commentator Roach.

“It’s two metres forward. Poor old Broncos, after a great start,” Roach said.

On review it was ruled that Katoa had lost control of the ball before batting it on to Ramien. Common sense prevailed.

Heroic Haas

The Blues’ chances of a clean sweep in the State of Origin series have taken another leap forward with Payne Haas putting in another enormous performance in the front row. By the time he was replaced in the 51st minute, he had wracked up 154m from 14 powerhouse runs and made 30 tackles with none missed. Throw in a brilliant try assist that Allan Langer would have been proud of to put Ethan Bullemor over and it was another complete display by the Brisbane prop.

He came back on and saved his best for last with a try saver on the bell after racing 80 metres to get back and tap a kick over the dead ball line.