Round 15
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 46 d. Brisbane Broncos 12

2009 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Sharks thrash Baby Broncos
Tue June 23, 2009
Source: www.sharks.com.au

The Cronulla Sharks have produced an outstanding performance to come out convincing 46-12 winners over the Brisbane Broncos on Monday night. The home-side has now won four games on the trot, performing brilliantly in front of 8,117 fans.

Minus Origin representatives, Paul Gallen and Trent Barrett, the Sharks may have gone into the match under strength, but that didn't stop their young guns from stealing the limelight once again.

The home side couldn't have asked for a better start to the game, with halfback Scott Porter nailing a 40/20 off the back of the first set. From there, Blake Ferguson took full advantage, scoring one of the best tries of the season. Ferguson, who looked to have been bundled into touch mid-air, somehow kept his right arm free to place the ball down in the corner to score the first points of the match.

Two minutes later, the Broncos hit back with a try to Brisbane's Corey Parker. The stand-in Captain barged his way through the Sharks defensive line after shrugging of a number of Sharks players five metres out from the line. He then converted his own try to give his side a two-point lead.

The Sharks weren't about to play second fiddle to the baby Broncos though, with Scott Porter testing out the Broncos' right flank with a high cross-field bomb. Brisbane winger Jharal Yow Yeh challenged for the ball but knocked on with Sharks centre Mitch Brown swooping on the loose ball to cross for the Sharks second try of the night. Covell converted to take the score to 10-6, and shortly after the Sharks were up by six after the Broncos gave a penalty away in front of their own posts.

Playing some enterprising football, the Sharks continued to press in attack and it paid off in the 31st minute when Grant Millington muscled his way through the Broncos defensive line to motor his way over for his first try of the season. Covell converted taking the margin out to 12 going into half time.

Coming back from the break, the Broncos didn't muck around crossing in just the 43rd minute with a try to Steve Michaels and Parker converted to trail by just six points.

That didn't destabilise the Sharks though with Millington crossing for his second try of the night after Terrence Seu Seu served up a short ball to put the second-rower through a gaping hole. Covell re-established the Sharks 12 point lead with a successful conversion.

The Sharks were impressive in defence and continued to hit the Broncos hard throughout the second half. The black, white and blue were unlucky not to capitalise on their enthusiasm after forcing their opponents back into their own goal area before referee, Gavin Badger, ruled offside in the 52nd minute.

But that wouldn't hinder the Sharks determined effort to increase their lead and soon after, Ferguson crossed for his second try of the night.

In the 63rd minute, Ferguson capped off a remarkable performance with a hat-trick, making a line break down the left touchline to streak away and run almost 70m to cross for the Sharks sixth try of the night.

With five minutes remaining, Kade Snowden barged his way over off an inside ball from Corey Hughes, whilst Covell added to his points tally after the Brisbane fullback gifted the Sharks winger a try under the sticks giving the Sharks their biggest ever win against the Broncos.

Meanwhile in the early match at Toyota Stadium the Toyota Cup Sharks struggled against a tough Broncos outfit going down 34-18 to the Queensland side, while on Saturday afternoon the NSW Cup Sharks continued their good form beating competition leaders Wentworthville 16-6.

NRL
SHARKS 46
Blake Ferguson 3, Grant Millington 2, Mitch Brown, Kade Snowden, Luke Covell tries. Luke Covell 7 goals
beat
BRONCOS 12
Corey Parker, Steve Michaels tries. Corey Parker 2 goals


Preview: Sharks v Broncos - NRL Round 15
Mon June 22, 2009
The odds will be stacked against the Broncos when they make the trip south tonight.

Key personnel are missing to Origin selection and confidence levels among the rest of the squad are low after successive hidings at the hands of the Storm and the Bulldogs.

There are real signs of a slump beginning to emerge at Brisbane, who started the season with a flourish but have capitulated meekly in recent weeks. And this week there is no Hunt, Folau, Hodges, Lockyer, Wallace or Thaiday to lend a hand.

Instead, the Broncos will field the youngest backline in the club's history as they try to arrest the slide.

The Sharks are not exactly dripping with experienced talent either, after Trent Barrett and Paul Gallen were called to arms by Blues' selectors and former rep star Anthony Tupou joined the club's lengthy injury list.

The Sharks have five first-season players in their starting 13 but at least they have some confidence behind them after stringing together three successive wins.

Look to a Sharks try as First Scoring Play and a Cronulla win by 1-12 points.

For First Tryscorer look to Nathan Stapleton, Blake Ferguson or Luke Covell for the Sharks or Antonio Winterstein or Jharal Yow Yeh for Brisbane.

Monday June 22, 2009
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Brisbane Broncos at Toyota Park, Woolooware, Sydney (NSW)

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
1 Nathan Stapleton, 2 Blake Ferguson, 3 Matt Wright, 4 Mitch Brown, 5 Luke Covell [c], 6 Blake Green, 7 Scott Porter, 8 Kade Snowden, 9 Corey Hughes, 10 Johnny Mannah, 11 Atelea Vea, 12 Luke Douglas, 13 Reece Williams. Subs: 14 Jacob Selmes, 15 Grant Millington, 16 Ben Pomeroy, 17 Terence Seu Seu.

Brisbane Broncos
1 Dale Copley, 2 Antonio Winterstein, 3 Steve Michaels, 4 Alex Glenn, 5 Jharal Yow Yeh, 6 Andrew McCullough, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 Nick Kenny, 9 PJ Marsh, 10 Joel Clinton, 11 Josh McGuire, 12 Ben Te'o, 13 Corey Parker [c]. Subs: 14 Guy Williams, 15 Palmer Wapau, 16 Lagi Setu, 17 Ashton Sims.

Date: Mon June 22 2009, 7:00PM AEST GMT+10 [Mon June 22 2009, 9:00AM GMT]
Referee: Gavin Badger

Predictions:
Matthew O'Neill: Sharks by 2
Dennis Righetti: Sharks by 4

OVERALL:
Total Games: 40
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks wins: 15. [Pts: 665]
Brisbane Broncos wins: 25. [Pts: 829]
Draws: 0

Biggest wins:
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks: 30 pts: 1988 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup - Round 8 - [View] Sat Apr 23: Sharks 38 d. Broncos 8 [Crowd: 10115]
Brisbane Broncos: 38 pts: 1991 J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup - Round 10 - [View] Fri May 31: Broncos 40 d. Sharks 2 [Crowd: 17546]

Biggest Crowd: 1997 SL Telstra Cup - Grand Final - [View] Sat Sep 20: Broncos 26 d. Sharks 8 [Crowd: 58912]

Last 50 games against each other form line (most recent matches at end of line):
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks: WLWLLLLLLLWLWLWLLWWWWLLLLWWLLWWLLLLLWLWL
Brisbane Broncos: LWLWWWWWWWLWLWLWWLLLLWWWWLLWWLLWWWWWLWLW

Last 10 games:
2008 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 20 - [View] Fri: Brisbane Broncos 18 d. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12 [Crowd: 27905]
2008 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 10 - [View] Sat: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 13 d. Brisbane Broncos 6 [Crowd: 13431]
2007 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 20 - [View] Sun: Brisbane Broncos 30 d. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16
2007 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 9 - [View] Fri: Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 16 d. Brisbane Broncos 8
2006 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 17 - [View] Sun: Broncos 26 d. Sharks 12 [Crowd: 25863]
2006 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 2 - [View] Sat: Sharks 12 l. Broncos 16 [Crowd: 14221]
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 17 - [View] Sun: Broncos 22 d. Sharks 10 [Crowd: 23900]
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 7 - [View] Sat: Sharks 12 l. Broncos 16 [Crowd: 17864]
2004 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 21 - [View] Sat Jul 31: Sharks 12 l. Broncos 16 [Crowd: 12565]
2004 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 13 - [View] Sun Jun 6: Broncos 22 l. Sharks 30 [Crowd: 26691]

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