Round 4, 2006: Sharks 24 - Souths 22 @ Toyota Park

[san29]

well my beloved sharks of 40 years its not looking good, we need to play as a
team we don't seem to have the fire of the winning teams that i have seen this year and i have watched them all?i just hope we can come home with a win over the south sydney.what do you think people.?

 

[Yahoo News]

Raper believes NRL Sharks close to win

Cronulla coach Stuart Raper believes his side is on the verge of breaking its 2006 duck following two second half fade-outs to open the NRL season. -

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Raper-believes-NRL-Sharks-close-to-win/2006/03/27/1143441080722.html

Raper believes NRL Sharks close to win
March 27, 2006 - 7:24PM

Cronulla coach Stuart Raper believes his side is on the verge of breaking its 2006 duck following two second half fade-outs to open the NRL season.

The Sharks blew two halftime leads in going down to Brisbane and Manly following a first-up bye and on Saturday night play South Sydney, the only other side in the competition yet to register a victory.

Cronulla led the Broncos 12-0 at the break before being run down 16-12, while the Sharks were unable to hold out the Sea Eagles at Brookvale on Saturday night after going into halftime with a 10-6 lead.

"We're playing some good footy throughout, things just aren't going our way," Raper said.

"We've played two very strong sides, two desperate sides ... and we've just come up a little short. I know if we stick to our guns we're going to come through and get a win up.

"On Saturday we battled a bit with injuries, it's not an excuse, it's just a fact."

Prop Ben Ross played on against Manly despite suffering a fractured cheekbone, while Brett Kimmorley (hamstring), Greg Bird (hip), David Simmons (hip) and Darren Albert (hamstring) all finished the game with leg injuries.

All are expected to play against the Rabbitohs, with Ross in the most doubt.

Kimmorley went into Saturday night's match having not trained with the side all week due to a hamstring strain, but Raper was hopeful his star playmaker would at least get some preparation under his belt this week.

Raper said one of his main focuses this week would be to ensure his players retained their composure against the Rabbitohs.

"We don't want to be desperate, when you play desperate you take too many chances and you make too many errors," Raper said.

"I believe we're playing good footy and if we stay in control and be positive in what we do, we can win."

 

[Yahoo News]

Cronulla NRL coach Stuart Raper admits his side hasn't given Souths a lot of respect in the past, but says that's about to change. -

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Sharks-to-give-Souths-respect-this-time/2006/03/31/1143441325386.html

Sharks to give Souths respect this time
March 31, 2006 - 4:04PM

Cronulla NRL coach Stuart Raper admits his side hasn't given Souths a lot of respect in the past, but says that's about to change.

The Sharks have a poor recent record against Souths, going down to the Rabbitohs twice last season, 24-14 and 26-22.

As the two sides prepare to meet in Saturday night's round four NRL match at Toyota Park, Raper admitted the Sharks perhaps took Souths a bit lightly last season.

"We're giving them plenty of respect, which is maybe something we didn't do last year," Raper said.

"They've got a lot of quality players across the park, and they'll be tough opposition.

"They've got a couple of players suspended this week, which is bad for them, but they've got Adam McDougall back as well, they'll be tough."

Raper has praised the club's medical staff for getting their players ready for the weekend, with the Sharks dressing room resembling a casualty ward after last weekend's 20-18 loss to Manly.

Prop Ben Ross played on against the Sea Eagles despite suffering a fractured cheekbone, while Brett Kimmorley (hamstring), Greg Bird (hip), David Simmons (hip) and Darren Albert (hamstring) all finished the game with leg injuries.

Raper says Ross will play against Souths wearing a face mask, after his sickening head clash last week with Manly's Jason King.

Raper says he hopes referee Shayne Hayne will keep a close eye on any intentional rough play dished out to Ross in the rucks.

"He'll need the same level of contact to cause any damage, and if he gets any extra workout on it, I hope the referee will be looking at it," Raper said.

"But if he got the same level of damage (as against Manly) he would break it again anyway.

"It's a credit to the medical staff that they were able to get them all back on, because I was worried for a while."

And he says he's "not concerned" about the Sharks' propensity for second-half fade-outs in their first two games.

Cronulla led the Broncos 12-0 at the break before being run down 16-12, while the Sharks were unable to hold out the Sea Eagles at Brookvale on Saturday night after going into halftime with a 10-6 lead.

"I'm not concerned about it," he said.

"Obviously it's a concern we're not winning games, but it's something we're addressing this week.

"There's a lot of aspects to it and we're working on them this week."

For Souths, MacDougall and Joe Williams will play their first match for the Rabbitohs this season against Cronulla, with Shane Walker returning to the side after recovering from a groin injury.

© 2006 AAP

 

[Sir Chadley]

We'll get there

Yes, something is missing so far. I can't quite put my finger on what's wrong but we don't seem to have the urgency and the quick play the balls that other teams have. Can't help but think that each time Nigel Vagana plays in number 6 we win easily. I know he's injured and Dykes is playing OK but we need Vagana and Gallen back. I must admit I wasn't a fan of Gallen last year, I don't think his ball control is very good, he certainly tackles hard and does a lot of hit ups but he needs to make sure he doesn't lose the ball as much. I'm confident we can win against the Rabbits - we must remember that sometimes with new players in the side it can take a while to gel so we must be patient.

 

[Google News]

Sharks on top of Rabbitohs

... Cronulla spread the ball to the left from the scrum and centre Beau Scott crashed over in the corner. Full-back David Simmons should have extended the Sharks' ...

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/0-0&fd=R&url=http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200604/s1606378.htm&cid=0

Sharks hold out winless Bunnies
By Joel Zander

South Sydney remain the only winless club in the National Rugby League after the Cronulla broke their duck with a 24-22 round four win at Shark Park this evening.

The home side never looked like losing but somehow just prevailed in a match riddled with errors and missed opportunities.

The Sharks forged their way to a 20-6 half-time lead before the Rabbitohs fought back, posting three tries to one in the second stanza.

Halves Brett Kimmorley and Adam Dykes were instrumental for the Sharks, with Kimmorley's deft kick setting up an easy four-pointer for centre Phil Bailey in the 60th minute.

Dykes, denied a first half try because of a double movement, was every where for the home side.

"We held onto the ball in the first half so it worked out well," Dykes told ABC Grandstand.

"It was a bit disappointing in the second half, even though we won it didn't feel like we won."

Kimmorley added: "We played great in patches again but took the pedal off.

"We're just letting sides stay alive."

The Sharks shattered the Rabbitohs early when Kimmorley's kick-off found touch and centre Beau Scott crashed over in the corner from the resulting scrum.

Full-back David Simmons should have extended their lead and Souths capitalised with a try at the other end to Todd Polglase.

Cronulla powered ahead however with three tries in the last 10 minutes of the half, including St George Illawarra recruit Lance Thompson's first for his new club.

 

[Yahoo News]

Rabbitohs pointless as Sharks win in NRL

South Sydney is the only team in the NRL yet to register a win in 2006 after they were pipped 24-22 by Cronulla at Toyota Park. -

Source: http://www.theage.com.au/news/Sport/Rabbitohs-pointless-as-Sharks-win-in-NRL/2006/04/01/1143441376048.html

Cronulla posts first win of season
April 1, 2006 - 7:34PM

South Sydney is the only team in the NRL yet to register a win in 2006 after the Rabbitohs were pipped 24-22 by Cronulla at Toyota Park on Saturday night.

With Ben Ross leading the forwards and Adam Dykes a constant threat with the ball, the Sharks posted their opening win of the season and their first since August 20 last year.

The home side did the damage in a devastating eight-minute period just before the halftime break, scoring three unanswered tries to gain the ascendancy in a scrappy affair.

"That's a pattern that's now emerged in three games now and I can't quite tell you why it's happening," said Souths coach Shaun McRae.

"You don't want to create it into a phobia, otherwise you actually get a paralysis by analysis and you have to be careful that doesn't happen as well."

The final scoreline flattered the visitors, whose only premiership points this season have come from a round three bye.

Sharks coach Stuart Raper said the result should have been decided early in the contest had his side taken all its opportunities.

"When we play these better sides, better than what Souths played today, we are not going to get as many opportunities," he said.

"When we do get them we need to take them."

The Rabbitohs, who leaked 84 points in their opening two matches, got off to the worst possible start.

After failing to field the opening kick-off, the visitors conceded a try off just the second tackle of the game, with Sharks centre Beau Scott crashing over to set up a 6-0 lead.

Souths levelled the scores at 6-6 through a Todd Polglase try in the 17th minute, but lost any chance of taking the match after a lapse in concentration before halftime.

The home side took ascendancy by running in three tries - to Douglas, Tevita Latu and Lance Thompson - in the final eight minutes of the first half, to power to a 20-6 lead at the break.

Thompson's try, the 25th of his career and first for the Sharks, would have angered McRae, as the former Dragon sliced through some flimsy defence just as the halftime buzzer sounded.

Seemingly in command, the Sharks let in a soft try of their own nine minutes into the second half, with boom five-eighth John Sutton running 20 metres untouched after winger Nathan Merritt put him through a yawning gap to reduce the deficit to eight.

It was Sutton's best game of the season after struggling to make his usual impact in the opening rounds.

"I haven't played that well before today, so I feel like I'm beginning to get there," Sutton said.

The teams traded tries towards the end of the game as Souths continued to hit back every time Cronulla threatened to pull away.

Raper said he was happy his players finally opened their win account for 2006 after narrow losses to Brisbane and Manly.

"It's not so much a release, I'm just glad," he said.

"I'm really glad the hard work they have put in has got them two points tonight."

Ross copped several high shots but suffered no further injury, despite sustaining a broken nose and a fractured cheekbone against the Broncos last weekend.

© 2006 AAP

 

[Google News]

Kimmorley leads Shaks to win over Rabbitohs

BRETT Kimmorley staked a claim for a State of Origin recall when he led the Sharks to their first victory of the season over the winless Rabbitohs last night. ...

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/1-0&fd=R&url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/league/kimmorley-leads-shaks-to-win-over-rabbitohs/2006/04/01/1143441383118.html&cid=0

Kimmorley leads Sharks to win over Rabbitohs
By Amy Lawson, Toyota Park
April 2, 2006

Sharks 24 Rabbitohs 22

BRETT Kimmorley staked a claim for a State of Origin recall when he led the Sharks to their first victory of the season over the winless Rabbitohs last night.

Kimmorley pleaded with NSW selectors during the week to forget his 2005 sins and consider him for a Blues spot in the wake of news that Knights halfback Andrew Johns was unlikely to play Origin again.

With five-eighth Adam Dykes, Kimmorley orchestrated the Sharks' first win in their past six matches in an error-riddled game.

While still desperate to play for NSW, Kimmorley said his priority was more competition wins for the Sharks, whose only points before last night had come via the bye.

"I'll be happy if we play good out here and win footy games, then that result [Origin selection] might come," Kimmorley said. "If you're in good form, you're in contention, but it's a long way between here and there.

"We've only won one game, so it'll be nice to win the next five or six in a row and I'll be in better contention."

Sharks coach Stuart Raper was frustrated that Souths got back into the match. The Sharks led 20-6 at half-time then conceded three tries in the second half.

Raper took some heart from the fact that his players had been rewarded for their efforts when it could so easily have gone the other way. "We could have put this game to bed a lot earlier," he said. "We bombed a lot of chances, but we created a lot tonight, which is what I've been saying the last two weeks."

In a scrappy first half the Sharks crossed the line seven times, but had three tries denied by video referee Chris Ward. The Rabbitohs managed just one try in the first half, from Todd Polglase, before the Sharks piled on three tries in the 10 minutes before the break.

Souths coach Shaun McRae said his side was developing a disturbing habit of going to sleep in those crucial minutes before half-time. "Once again we were under too much pressure, and that 10-12 minute period before half-time seems to be an issue for us," he said. "It's been an issue in every game we've played so far."

The Rabbitohs fought back in the second half thanks to Sharks errors and creative play from five-eighth John Sutton, but they ran out of time.

 

[Google News]

Rabbitohs remain winless

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are the only side in the NRL without a victory this year after being downed 24-22 by the Cronulla Sharks in a close encounter at ...

Source: http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=T&ct=us/0-0&fd=R&url=http://sportsaustralia.com/articles/apr06/artid5344.html&cid=0

Rabbitohs remain winless

NRL Telstra Premiership The South Sydney Rabbitohs are the only side in the NRL without a victory this year after being downed 24-22 by the Cronulla Sharks in a close encounter at Toyota Park this evening.

With Adam Dykes in superb form the Sharks pulled away from their opponents with three tries in a sizzling eight-minute burst just before half-time which blew the Rabbits out of the water.

Despite the best efforts of the Rabbitohs, the Sharks proved too strong and held off a fast-finishing South Sydney outfit to record their first win since August 20 last year.

The Rabbitohs’ only two points have come from their bye in round three this year, and they have now conceded 108 points in their last three encounters with their defence a big worry for head coach Shaun McRae.

And the visitors made a horrible start when on just the second tackle of the game, Sharks centre Beau Scott crashed over the line to hand the hosts a six-point buffer early in the match.

Only minutes later, Sharks fullback David Simmons spurned a golden opportunity to extend to the lead on 14 minutes when he knocked on after sensational build-up work from Dykes.

Simmons was made to rue his mistake as the Rabbitohs levelled the scores after Todd Polglase barged over the line from close range.

The Sharks then had two tries denied in as many minutes, before Luke Douglas made it third time lucky with his first ever try for Cronulla with fancy footwork and strength highlights of his run to the try-line.

Tevita Latu and Lance Thompson continued the rout with tries, Thompson’s was scored with particular ease as he ambled through flimsy defence as the halftime buzzer sounded.

The Sharks had powered to a 20-6 lead at half-time and seemed in control of the match.

The second half proved that the Rabbitohs were ready to fight, and they outscored the hosts three tries to one, with five-eighth John Sutton’s 20-metre run and try a highlight of the final 40 minutes.

But in the end, it was the Sharks who held on to claim premiership points and register their first win of the season whilst the Rabbits where left lamenting after a disappointing fadeout late in the first half.


NRL Premiership - Round 4

CRONULLA SHARKS 24
Tries:.........................Goals:
Beau Scott .................Luke Covell 2/5
Luke Douglas
Tevita Latu
Lance Thompson
Phil Bailey

SOUTH SYDNEY 22
Tries: ........................Goals:
Todd Polglase .............Joe Williams 3/3
John Sutton ................Nathan Merritt 0/1
Paul Mellor
Nathan Merritt

@ Toyota Park, Sydney
Referee: Shayne Hayne
Crowd: 12,274

 

[Yahoo News]

Sutton's form a boost for beaten Souths

As South Sydney ended another week of internal turmoil with another heartbreaking NRL loss, five-eighth John Sutton provided the Rabbitohs with a ray of hope. -

Source: http://www.smh.com.au/news/Sport/Suttons-form-a-boost-for-beaten-Souths/2006/04/02/1143916403391.html

Sutton's form a boost for beaten Souths
April 2, 2006 - 6:59PM

As South Sydney ended another week of internal turmoil with another heartbreaking NRL loss, five-eighth John Sutton provided the Rabbitohs with a ray of hope.

The Rabbitohs are the only side to remain winless in 2006 after falling 24-22 to Cronulla, but the return to form of boom youngster Sutton was an encouraging sign in an otherwise lacklustre display.

By his own admission, the 22-year-old has been below his best in the opening weeks of the competition, but he was Souths' best in this game, leading their second-half revival against the Sharks.

It has been a difficult period for the giant No.6, who has had three different halves partners - Ben Walker, Beau Champion and Joe Williams - for his first three games of the year.

But with his side struggling against the Sharks, Sutton stepped up in the second half, scoring a try and stamping his authority on the game with an eye-catching display.

"I thought it was John Sutton's best game that we've seen from him this year," Souths coach Shaun McRae said.

Sutton agreed.

"I'm getting there," he said of his return to form.

"I thought the first couple of weeks I wasn't doing what I wanted to do, I was struggling a bit.

"I feel like I'm starting to get to where I want to be."

For Souths to have any chance to keep pace with the leaders, they need Sutton to fire - and to stop a disturbing trend of clocking off just before halftime.

The game was effectively over when the Rabbitohs conceded three tries to the Sharks just before halftime.

"We seem to keep dropping away just before halftime, it seems to be a real problem for us," Sutton said.

"I'm sure it is going to be something we work really hard at training because it is hurting us at the moment.

"It happened against the Roosters and it happened against the Dragons. Hopefully it is something we can turn around," he said.

© 2006 AAP

 

[jonezy79]

it will take a while but our wingers need 2 come in and take the ball from dummy half a bit more lokk at other teams ,sing and bowen 4 cowboys ,grothe 4 parra albert is one of the quickest in the comp .as 4 gallen he is my favourite player mainly 4 tireless efforts ,he may drop a bit of ball but that is due to so many hit u-ps .once he and vagana come back from injury i think there should be big improvements ,if vagana was outside dykes in our last couple of games i beleive the scorelines would be in our favour ,dykes is a good starter of plays and vargs is one of the best finishers in the game .were not far off the mark.