Match 2026 NRL Round 5 - Cronulla Sutherland Sharks vs New Zealand Warriors. 2:00pm, Sunday 5 April @ Ocean Protect Stadium

Match threads
apezza said:
Yeah there were a few blatant ones sure.

But I was watching closely at the six agains and there was on called on Brailey when the guy playing the ball dead set stepped a metre forward off the mark to get tangled into him.

Then a few minutes later, we get stopped for walking off the mark and made to re play the ball

I just hate when the refs are trying to manufacture six agains instead of just letting the game flow. It's not hard to tell the blatant ones.
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For sure. Brailey ran into a defender miles offside, nothining.

It's frustrating but we need to control what we can control.
 
I’ve watched the whole game now once at the ground and again on Kayo and apart from the Clark penalty try, which was ludicrous, I didn’t really see anything over the top go against us. I can’t explain the 10-1 penalty count but as @HaroldBishop says, we need to be more disciplined.

For some strange reason some of us are going out of there way to complain about the officiating or be constantly whinging about the NRL being rigged (some of it extremely childish), that I truly wonder why they bother watching the sport and following the game. If you really feel that strongly about it then don’t watch and don’t fill up the game day thread with utter drivel.

I thought we did really well against a good team today and could have easily had another 2 or 3 tries. We’re still leaking too many points and sometimes it’s not poor refereeing but our own silly mistakes. There was one incident where we had them pinned in their 10 and, please forgive me as I love the guy, but Billy Burns goes for a silly play trying to knock the ball out from the play the ball, we get penalised, then a six again and they score. I know heat of the moment stuff but we have to be better than that.

Interesting to see how we go against the Roosters especially since we have a few players in doubt.
 
The NRL have put up so many general videos of what happened with both games this arvo, no interviews from our players at HT & a FT interview from 1 of our players after our game bahaha. Players from winning teams one player always gets interviewed haha 😄.
 
At least the media asked us about the penalty count towards Fitzzy, I liked Braileys reaction by having a small giggle haha 😆.
 
I just saw the Foxtel website, they've usually always just made articles about interesting, tough matches in all sports, they don't care about our match with the 11-1 penalty count & our win still haha.
 
Shark_Hatch said:
I just saw the Foxtel website, they've usually always just made articles about interesting, tough matches in all sports, they don't care about our match with the 11-1 penalty count & our win still haha.
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Trump hates us, the Iranians hate us, the Israeli's hate us, Vladimir hates us, the Wiggles hate us.
 
Good game. Left side was exposed defensively but I liked the overall performance of the team.
That said, this team doesn't have a ruthless bone in its body though. Plenty of opportunities to pad our f/a in the last 15 and went for the glory play instead.

Sidenote; RTS is as cooked as Gutho is. I don't want him anywhere close to our club.

Two big games coming up with a fair bit of travel. I'd love to win both, but I'll settle for the 1 win.

Edit: Atkins was clearly under the influence. That penalty try ruling is Hartley-esque.
 
Super Impose said:
Having seen thousands of games of football and even more races , I have seen so many questionable performances .

I have seen people’s betting accounts suspended for suspicious activity , individuals facing severe sanction .

Never in my life have I seen anything like I have just seen - and I lived through the 1978 debacle -as I said before - I have seen a lot .

If Fitzy doesn’t tear that performance by the officials to shreds - I will give it up ..
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The last two times against the Warriors at Shark Park and the last time in Auckland were just as bad. The Sean Johnson retirement game was maybe even worse. The only team the Warriors never complain about the officiating is against us.

Having said that we barely won a single penalty count the entire second half of last season. Early in the 2025 season when we were cruising we were the most disciplined least penalised side in the comp until we were about to play the Roosters and Robbo called us out as the leagues darlings. Baby Roosters towelled us up in the first 20 with a 6-1 penalty count behind them and the same thing with the Warriors the next week. But it toughened us up. Fitzy complained a bit but the team just knuckled down and accepted they have to mentally prepared. Both our wins in last years semi were behind the Roosters and Raiders getting all the early calls and all the balls but the team didnt bend and both times came back late in the half to get the lead then went on with it. It was heroic stuff. The fact is that to win we have to be mentally tougher than these other rabbles like the Raiders, Roosters or Warriors. Credit to Fitzy and boys.
 
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Sir Chadley said:
I’ve watched the whole game now once at the ground and again on Kayo and apart from the Clark penalty try, which was ludicrous, I didn’t really see anything over the top go against us. I can’t explain the 10-1 penalty count but as @HaroldBishop says, we need to be more disciplined.

For some strange reason some of us are going out of there way to complain about the officiating or be constantly whinging about the NRL being rigged (some of it extremely childish), that I truly wonder why they bother watching the sport and following the game. If you really feel that strongly about it then don’t watch and don’t fill up the game day thread with utter drivel.

I thought we did really well against a good team today and could have easily had another 2 or 3 tries. We’re still leaking too many points and sometimes it’s not poor refereeing but our own silly mistakes. There was one incident where we had them pinned in their 10 and, please forgive me as I love the guy, but Billy Burns goes for a silly play trying to knock the ball out from the play the ball, we get penalised, then a six again and they score. I know heat of the moment stuff but we have to be better than that.

Interesting to see how we go against the Roosters especially since we have a few players in doubt.
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I thought Burns was square personally, but the ref also said Brailey was inside the 10m so we were getting stung either way
 
It’s not so much about the 10 given against us - but the 1 for us .
As Fitz points out - when you dominate a game in field position and possession - it always equates to a positive penalty count and six agains .
I stick to my guns that something stunk yesterday / let’s leave it at that …
 
Super Impose said:
It’s not so much about the 10 given against us - but the 1 for us .
As Fitz points out - when you dominate a game in field position and possession - it always equates to a positive penalty count and six agains .
I stick to my guns that something stunk yesterday / let’s leave it at that …
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My only counter argument would be that we were breaking tackles at will every set. It was actually good the ref let the game flow most of the time. I can’t remember one period where the Warriors were really slowing us down in any way
 
SF said:
My only counter argument would be that we were breaking tackles at will. It was actually good the ref let the game flow most of the time. I can’t remember one period where the Warriors were really slowing us down in any way
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Indeed. We had so much momentum after the Warriors first try that not scoring 50 is almost criminal.

The only problem I have is the penalty try (not Ziggy's fault) and a couple of 6 again not called for us. But I've come to accept that it's a bit of a lottery.
 
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SF said:
My only counter argument would be that we were breaking tackles at will every set. It was actually good the ref let the game flow most of the time. I can’t remember one period where the Warriors were really slowing us down in any way
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Yep - fair enough .

Prob more around uncalled high shots and a blatant shoulder charge and the ridiculous penalty try ..
 
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We can focus on the penalties as much as we want but we can't control that. We can control our discipline and honestly it's not good enough at this point, will kill us in September.
 
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