2022 NRL Round 19 Cronulla Sutherland Sharks vs. Penrith Panthers @ BlueBet Stadium, Penrith, Saturday 23rd July 5:30pm

[HaroldBishop]

Panthers were **** scared but just held their nerve. We had them rattled.

Big plus for us going forward is Wade Graham improving every week. If he's at the best he can be at his age come finals it will make an enormous difference. He's a class player when he's fit and willing and I thought he was monumentous in defence today.

We did rattle them but we couldn't hold it for long enough, not even a half. Once the errors crept in we were toast.

They hadn't played together for 3 weeks either which didn't help them, they were noticeably clunkynin attack.

 

[Thresher]

Doesn’t offer much in attack but we didn’t really use our edge too much except as line runners before he came back either
Better for Talakai to get early ball than wait to play off Graham too although perhaps worth mixing it up a bit more of in game Sifa clearly targeted

Yeah attack isn't happening much.

He still has a tendency to drift left when running the ball.

I did notice last week that he pulled himself out of a play on his side so no doubt he's aware of the crowding thing.

Just needs to somehow reset his natural, or learned, tendencies.

 

[CrazyMatt]

The difference in the two kicking games was night and day. Cleary had the ball on a string whereas Moylan and Hynes were very disappointing with the boot.

 

[HaroldBishop]

The difference in the two kicking games was night and day. Cleary had the ball on a string whereas Moylan and Hynes were very disappointing with the boot.

Our kicking game is miles from premiership winning standard, has been all year.

 

[beaver2233]

Just realised we have the 9th best attack, but 3rd best defence. Thought our attack was decent, but maybe not?

 

[Gal The Goat]

Missed the thread.

I’ve seen enough to know we can be contenders at the right time of the year.

Great defence. Some poor options in attack and errors are what’s costing us. Hynes needs to be our half going forward but also needs to relax a little in attack.

 

[HaroldBishop]

Missed the thread.

I’ve seen enough to know we can be contenders at the right time of the year.

Great defence. Some poor options in attack and errors are what’s costing us. Hynes needs to be our half going forward but also needs to relax a little in attack.

Tbf there's only one contender this year

 

[apezza]

Tbf there's only one contender this year

Dragons?

 

[Gal The Goat]

Tbf there's only one contender this year

Agree they are easy the benchmark.

Have had the most perfect injury run for the last 3 years. Not wishing injuries but a few of them can slow down any team.

Good to be a competitive tonight though

 

[Thresher]

Dragons?

Get Terry Lamb to take out Hunt in the tunnel.

 

[Proud Shark]

Tbf there's only one contender this year

Whilst they are clear and well earned favourites, I saw enough today to show they can be beaten. Hell, last year souths were an intercept away from beating them in the gf, after beating them in week 1. Parra also arguably should have beaten them in the semi too. Melbourne dusted them in the grand final the year before.

They have been one of the best regular season teams, arguably ever. But they don't scare me in the finals like a dominant Melbourne did. In the finals, teams always find a new level. We shut down for big periods of this game, and were still in it up to our eyeballs with 5 to go.

On tonight, **** I thought we were impressive in our first 25, and 50th-70th. We were tough and defended brilliantly, just did exactly what McInnes said we couldn't in his interview this week. We turned over too much ball, gave them too many chance on our line and of course we cracked.

Cleary's kicking game was on point and allowed them to sustain repeat pressure. However I thought Api was the difference. He controlled the ruck brilliantly and showed why he is the form 9 in the comp at the moment. If he was playing for us I think we could have led by 20 with the go forward we were getting in that first stint

Massive wrap to the team and the club, this time last year we were counting how many bottom 8 teams we could beat to scrape into the 8. This year we are an outside chance at winning the comp. I'm sleeping easy tonight as a very happy sharks fan.

 

[bort]

Api was very good
Be interesting to see how they go without him next year

ATM we don’t really get any weaker next season…

 

[sharkboy18]

We put in a great effort tonight I thought, once again our simple handling errors is probably what cost us unfortunately. Without those simple ones I think that shows we can handle it against the other top teams on our day. We've also got to improve our bad discipline is defence, giving away penalties & 6' agains galore on the last tackle or 2.

Eitherway, the press conference, surely there was nothing wrong with that good shot that Penrith started that fight with late in the 2nd half. It was not high at all, just a good tough shot. They do those all the time, someone does it to them & they start a big fight, whinge in the press conference haha. Kikau got away with the most blatant shoulder charge too unfortunately, still in the game then too.

 

[Capital_Shark]

Anyway has that Kikau ever actually taken it to anyone his own size? I cant wait til he goes to Canterbury and gets found out for the overrated POS he really is when he plays with a **** pack.

Reckon he'll be like T-Rex when he moved to dogs left edge? Looked like Tarzan, played like Jane. Has that feeling.

Also Penrith will miss him running unders and wiping out the cover defenders so Luai can hop and skip away without inside pressure.

 

[Capital_Shark]

Tbf there's only one contender this year

Bullshit

 

[apezza]

Api was very good
Be interesting to see how they go without him next year

ATM we don’t really get any weaker next season…

To be honest I never realised how good Api was until last night. That fake kick for their first try was brilliant!

Api, Cleary and Kikau were the difference and they lose of those players next year.

 

[MMsharks]

going back to the game
watched it again

ok, the first sudden penrith try in the second half was not ideal and a clear lapse by us. but from there it was 14-10 for a long time. the sharks kept it there against the premiership favs. they did just get over us. us playing well just for 20 minutes all game is not reflective.
good signs. still building

 

[vicsharkfan]

Would have been good to hold the ball and see if they fatigued by making another 30 tackles.. one thing we did show other teams (like against storm back in our halcyon days) is they can be rattled all be it only for the first 20 minutes last night. Win against souths next week and we have had a great month 3/1 against all top contenders.

 

[Shortfin Mako]

going back to the game
watched it again

ok, the first sudden penrith try in the second half was not ideal and a clear lapse by us. but from there it was 14-10 for a long time. the sharks kept it there against the premiership favs. they did just get over us. us playing well just for 20 minutes all game is not reflective.
good signs. still building

Our time will come.

 

[Tiger Shark]

Reckon he'll be like T-Rex when he moved to dogs left edge? Looked like Tarzan, played like Jane. Has that feeling.

Also Penrith will miss him running unders and wiping out the cover defenders so Luai can hop and skip away without inside pressure.

I don’t think he’s that far off T Rex while he’s at the Panthers. Going to be a dud for the Dogs imo