Round 8
New Zealand Warriors 20 l. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 22

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Sharks spoil Warriors home record
Sun May 6, 2007
Source: www.warriors.co.nz

Cronulla's run of five straight losses at Mt Smart Stadium ended when it held out the Vodafone Warriors for a two-point win in tonight's eighth-round NRL encounter.

Ironically the 22-20 scoreline was identical to the Sharks' last win at the ground in 1999.

It also ended the Vodafone Warriors' perfect home record this season after three straight wins against Parramatta, Brisbane and North Queensland.

Head coach Ivan Cleary was unimpressed on a night when he said the team's discipline and attitude were unsatisfactory. The discipline issue was reflected in a second half penalty count that favoured Cronulla 5-0. And it was amplified by the fact four Vodafone Warriors were placed on report by referee Gavin Badger - Tony Martin, Michael Witt, Logan Swann and Nathan Fien.

Cronulla had gone into the match in trying circumstances with a number of its players facing their third match in six days. The Sharks lost three players - Brett Kimmorley, Brett Kearney and Brett Seymour - from their originally-named line-up. The previously injured Adam Dykes returned to lead the side from halfback while former Vodafone Warriors Misi Taulapapa and Henry Perenara were promoted from the club's reserve grade side.

It was clear from the outset that this was going to be a tricky assignment for the Vodafone Warriors. On the back of their aggressive defence and Dykes' outstanding kicking game, the Sharks applied enormous pressure on the Vodafone Warriors. While Tony Martin opened the scoring with a 13th minute penalty it was Cronulla which produced the first try when centre Ben Pomeroy benefited from a Dykes kick, Luke Covell converting for a 6-2 lead.

With halftime almost up, interchange prop Sam Rapira offered evidence that the Vodafone Warriors could transform things in the second half. He powered across for his third career try - and his second of the season - to help his side to an 8-6 lead at the break. Optimism that they'd go on with it was underlined immediately after the break when Michael Witt scored from a Grant Rovelli bomb, Martin's conversion taking the Vodafone Warriors to a 14-6 lead. But from there the Sharks struck a rich vein of scoring form.

In a matter of three minutes Greg Bird had scored twice and soon fullback Misi Taulapapa made it three tries in the space of 12 minutes to take Cronulla into a 22-14 lead.

Just as swiftly the Vodafone Warriors forced their way back into the scoring action when Louis Anderson was awarded a try on the ref's call after the video referee referred it back to Badger.

With Martin kicking his fourth goal from as many attempts, the home side was down just 20-22 with 19 minutes still to play. A second comeback win in as many weeks was in view. But it never came. Cronulla spent much of the second half camped deep inside the Vodafone Warriors' territory, aided by the lop-sided penalty count.

Try as they might, the Vodafone Warriors couldn't concoct a go-ahead try on a night when Cleary said the side had played poorly.

The errors came and with it the defensive load climbed to such a point the Vodafone Warriors made 357 tackles, 122 more than Cronulla. In the second half alone, they made 230 tackles compared with just 120 for the Sharks.

Topping the tackle count for his side was Micheal Luck with 47 while Logan Swann made 40, Nathan Fien 38, Ruben Wiki 37, Steve Price 34 and Sam Rapira and Michael Witt 28 each. With such a defensive load, it was remarkable the Vodafone Warriors were still within range of winning the match.

Match details:

Vodafone Warriors 20 (Sam Rapira, Michael Witt, Louis Anderson tries; Tony Martin 3 conversions, penalty).
Cronulla Sharks 22 (Greg Bird 2, Ben Pomeroy, Misi Taulapapa tries; Luke Covell 3 conversions).
Halftime: 8-6 Vodafone Warriors.
Referee: Gavin Badger.
Crowd: 13,587.

Report source: www.warriors.co.nz


Stuart names unchanged squad with no standby players
Tue May 1, 2007
Cronulla coach Ricky Stuart has at this stage named an unchanged side for Saturday night's clash against the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

The Sharks were disappointing for the opening 70 minutes against Newcastle last night with Stuart threatening to make changes for the Warriors clash.

Cronulla is the most hit sit by the City-Country clash on Thursday night at Coffs Harbour with Ben Pomeroy, Brett Kimmorley, Paul Gallen, Lance Thompson, Greg Bird and Reece Williams all taking part in the match.

Luke Douglas withdrew from the Country side today, replaced by South Sydney co-captain Peter Cusack.

While the Sharks side at this side is unchanged it will be no surprise if Stuart names a whole new team following Thursday's annual City-Country clash.

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS v NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS
Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
5:30pm (AEST), 7:30pm (NZ), Saturday, May 5, 2007

1 Brett Kearney
2 David Simmons
3 Ben Pomeroy
4 Fraser Anderson
5 Luke Covell
6 Brett Seymour
7 Brett Kimmorley
8 Ben Ross
9 Kevin Kingston
10 Luke Douglas
11 Paul Gallen
12 Lance Thompson
13 Greg Bird

Subs:
14 Craig Stapleton
15 Dayne Weston
16 Reece Williams
17 Isaac De Gois

Tue May 1, 2007
• Ah Van to play fullback for Warriors against Cronulla
  

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