In a disappointing turn of events for St George Illawarra, the team squandered a 12-point halftime lead for the third time this season, ultimately falling 30-18 to local rivals Cronulla at Shark Park on Thursday night.
Despite an early setback when a potential try for Cronulla was overturned by the Bunker, the Sharks quickly found their footing. Blayke Brailey’s break through the Dragons’ lackluster defence led to a try from Braydon Trindall, bringing the scores to parity. Dragons’ halfback Damien Cook responded impressively with a solo effort, levelling the match before Lyhkan King-Togia pushed the Dragons ahead with a remarkable try, breaking through tackles from two defenders.
The game took a swing in favour of the Dragons when Jesse Ramien was sin-binned for a professional foul, allowing Jack de Belin to push through three defenders to score another try, giving the Dragons a considerable lead before the break. Commentary highlighted the Sharks’ struggling body language as they headed into halftime, which echoed through the late stages of the match.
However, following the break, Cronulla displayed renewed enthusiasm. Briton Nikora marked his 150th game with a trademark short-ball try, and Trindall soon added another, putting the Sharks back in the lead. The Dragons further faltered when Nathan Lawson’s misjudged play under a high ball allowed Sione Katoa to capitalise with another easy try for Cronulla, forcing the Dragons to scramble.
As time ticked down, pressing moments arose for the Dragons, culminating in a failed captain’s challenge for David Klemmer after a contentious penalty was awarded against him. The Sharks’ lead was further secured after Luciano Leilua’s restart mishap, which saw replays questioning the referee’s decision that the ball hadn’t travelled 10 metres.
In the final moments, King-Togia attempted a creative chip kick, but it was intercepted by Katoa, who sprinted 60 metres for a decisive score. Despite the Dragons’ efforts to claw back late in the game, Cronulla held firm, securing a critical win amidst challenging conditions. After a rocky start, they navigated the match effectively to emerge victorious, as noted by commentators highlighting both teams’ defensive shortcomings and the resilience displayed by the Sharks to ultimately clinch the win.