NRL: Nightmare ride for North Queensland Cowboys as Cronulla Sharks pile on tries

The Cowboys had no answer as the Sharks piled on the tries, winning 28-12.

Cowboys players look on during the round-16 NRL match between the Cronulla Sharks and North Queensland at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium in Sydney on Saturday. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty Images

Cronulla Sharks halfback Braydon Trindall almost pulled off one of the rarest tries the NRL has seen this season in his side’s 28-12 win over the North Queensland Cowboys.

After the Cowboys scored first, the Sharks were looking for a quick hit back and almost had it when Trindall slammed the ball down on the line.

But it was the lead-up that was unusual with the third-gamer ripping the ball out of the hands of Jesse Ramien to cross the line.

Ramien had been held up by three Cowboys players but the ball had not been wrapped up, with the halfback stealing the ball from his own player.

The try was ultimately denied however, with Ramien running across field and behind Sharks lock Scott Sorensen.

Experienced commentators Andrew Voss and Greg Alexander both admitted they hadn‘t seen anything like it in their immediate memories.

“What a shame that a unique moment will not figure in the highlights in the match,” Voss said. “Again Brandy, you were a very smart and cunning player as all halfbacks are but I‘ve never seen a player steal the ball off his own player.”

Alexander agreed: “I don’t think I have. I don’t think. There’s a player well aware of what’s going on to be able to do it that quickly. That’s so good. That deserved a four-pointer.”

The disallowal helped the Cowboys hang on to the lead but after 13 minutes, the side lost recently returned halfback Michael Morgan and the Sharks took control of the match.

The calf injury to Morgan appears to have the star out maybe for the rest of the season.

The Cowboys had no answer as the Sharks piled on the tries, despite a miraculous save from Valentine Holmes, where he redirected the hand of a diving Sharks player to save a try.

But from there, it was downhill as the Sharks took a 16-6 lead to the halftime break before running away with the 28-12 win.

The Cowboys scored their second try with two-and-a-half minutes remaining, but it was nothing more than a consolation try.

Voss compared the Cowboys to the Broncos and said “the impression with the Cowboys is that they tried their hearts out tonight, every one of them, even if it’s not working and they’re lacking confidence and it’s not working, all those things that have besetted Brisbane”.

It was another nightmare for interim Cowboys coach Josh Hannay, who has yet to taste victory in his NRL head coaching career since taking over from Paul Green.

The Cowboys have now lost nine straight and face the Dragons next Sunday night, while the Sharks, who reinstated the four-point buffer to the Warriors, play the Knights in an important clash against the Knights on Friday night.

ALSO READ The Daily Telegraph match reports here

news.com.au