Luke COVELL [
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Sun September 5, 2010
by ABC Sport
Source: www.abc.net.auThe Panthers piled on nine tries to Cronulla's two to end the 2010 NRL season in second spot with a 50-12 demolition in front of their home fans at Penrith Stadium on Saturday night.
Having secured a home final last round, Matthew Elliott's charges could not finish lower than fourth and needed only a win to jump to second and set up a clash with the seventh-ranked side, likely to be the Sea Eagles.
First-half doubles to Frank Pritchard and Michael Jennings helped the Panthers race out to a 28-6 half-time lead, and when Pritchard made it a hat-trick the game was more than won for the hosts.
Brad Tighe also joined in the festivities with a four-pointer on each side of the break to help the home side to its third straight victory going into the finals.
The Panthers, who have not played finals football in six years, were never headed by a Cronulla side that finished with a 7-17 record for the season.
The magnitude of the win was extraordinary considering the Panthers were without skipper Petero Civoniceva (suspension), Luke Walsh (ankle) and Lachlan Coote (groin), while Test backrower Luke Lewis was a late withdrawal due to a calf complaint.
But Elliott need not have worried as Frank the Tank carried the load, the powerful Kiwi starting the rot with a rampaging try after just three minutes and giving the Sharks left-side defence little rest all night.
It was a sad end to the career of Cronulla winger Luke Covell and skipper Trent Barrett, who will no doubt wake up on Sunday thankful he will never have to tackle the likes of Pritchard again.
New South Wales Origin captain Barrett announced in July that this would be his last year in the NRL, after a 15-season career with stints at Illawarra, the Dragons, Wigan and the Sharks.
Covell, 28 and a one-time New Zealand international, decided to leave the game on his own terms after recovering from revolutionary LARS surgery on his knee to correct an injury sustained in round four.
The pair bowed out in their final home game last round by stunning the Titans 30-16 at Shark Park.
The Panthers had their fair share of luck early with video referee Paul Simpkins hitting them with a double whammy when a Blake Ferguson try was denied due to a doubtful foot on the sideline and Jennings grabbed his first despite an apparent rake and knock-on in the lead-up from Kevin Kingston.
But the Panthers got going at almost a point a minute as they raced out to a 24-0 lead before Ferguson got his reward with a brilliant chip and chase effort.
Jennings' second came on the stroke of half-time when Sharks backrower Adam Cuthbertson threw an off-load without any purpose, the New South Wales three-quarter soccering the scraps before pinning the ears back to finish off a 50-metre effort.
It came after both side had been reduced to 10 men when Grant Millington and Panthers rake Masada Iosefa were sin-binned following an exchange of punches.
Pritchard clinched his hat-trick after the break before Nathan Gardner produced one of the Sharks' rare highlights with the full-back racing 92 metres to score after picking up a clearing kick.
Penrith: 50 (F Pritchard 3, M Jennings 2, B Tighe 2, W Graham, N Smith tries; M Gordon 7/9 conversions)
Cronulla: 12 (B Ferguson, N Gardner tries; L Covell 2/2 conversions)
Source:
ABC SportClick here for audio interviews and other related linksSun August 29, 2010
by ABC Sport
Source: www.abc.net.auCronulla marked the final home game of retiring veterans Luke Covell and Trent Barrett with an impressive 30-16 win over the second-placed Gold Coast Titans on Saturday night.
The Sharks led from siren to siren with a display that far exceeded the side's average attacking output this season (13 points), running in five tries to the Titans' three.
Losing at Shark Park meant Gold Coast is now out of the race for the minor premiership, an honour only Wests and St George Illawarra can stitch up.
Adding insult to injury, John Cartwright's men failed to cement a home semi-final and must beat the Tigers to secure their place in the top four next round, with the Warriors looming.
Covell had a fairytale ending to his 10-year stint in The Shire, crossing the line to open the Sharks' accounts and kicking all five of his conversion attempts.
The winger said he had to thank his troops for putting in such a hard fight against a team playing for such high stakes.
"They really got the job done, they really stuck to the gameplan and I can't thank them enough," he said.
"[The Titans] have got a lot to play for, they want some confidence leading into the semis but I think we were just too good tonight and it was a great win."
Five-eighth Barrett, who has called time on 13 seasons in the NRL, had his playmaking duties usurped by Cronulla lock Paul Gallen, who sandwiched a four-pointer of his own with two try assists, one in each half.
Both scoring plays - one to Nathan Gardner, the other to Luke Douglas - involved the hulking number 13 throwing fancy flick passes to his man after making crushing runs to the line.
First half fatigueGold Coast looked nothing like a side that had won its previous five encounters, including victories over premiership hopefuls St George, the Warriors and the Roosters, but in the Titans' defence they were backing up from Monday night's win at the SFS.
All the momentum was Cronulla's early on, and when one of the game's less speedy wingers in Covell intercepted a shoddy Titans pass and ran 40 metres to score, the Sharks sparked into action.
"I think that was the longest try I've ever scored in my career," Covell laughed.
"It was a real good night and thanks to the crowd for showing up."
Tim Smith almost put William Tupou over but his feed was ruled to have gone forward, but more points were not far away when Gallen put Gardner over soon after.
Flying Titans winger Kevin Gordon came close, planting the ball with an athletic dive, but the touch judge's flag went up after his left boot caught the chalk.
Two of the visitors' three tries came in the same fashion. Bodene Thompson plucked two Mat Rogers cross-field bombs out of returning Cronulla centre Ben Pomeroy's clutches to touch down on either side of the break.
Gallen displayed another piece of crafty attack when he pulled off a tidy show-and-go from dummy half before continuing to angle his run and barging over for his own try, the half-time scoreline reading 18-6.
The Titans came out looking much more energetic after the break, going to the air on several occasions, but they were unable to convert the momentum into points.
Smith and Douglas sealed the result late in the second stanza, and Jordan Atkins crossed for a consolation effort for the Titans, who now fall to third place and could finish the round as low as fifth.
Cronulla: 30 (L Covell, N Gardner, P Gallen, T Smith, L Douglas tries; L Covell 5/5 conversions)
Gold Coast: 16 (B Thompson 2, J Atkins tries; S Prince 2/3 conversions)
Source:
ABC SportClick here for audio interviews and other related links
======================================================================================================
 2010 NRL Telstra Premiership
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
12 games; 5 tries, 17/22 goals, 54 points.
[View] Round 1 [13 Mar 10] L 10-14 v Storm (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 2 [20 Mar 10] L 16-30 v Warriors (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 3 [29 Mar 10] L 8-30 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 4 [03 Apr 10] W 11-0 v Eels (H). [WG]
[View] Round 19 [17 Jul 10] L 18-48 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 20 [24 Jul 10] L 13-20 v Raiders (A). [WG]
[View] Round 21 [31 Jul 10] L 22-24 v Tigers (A). [WG]
[View] Round 22 [07 Aug 10] L 10-37 v Warriors (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 23 [13 Aug 10] W 18-12 v Roosters (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 24 [21 Aug 10] L 4-24 v Storm (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 25 [28 Aug 10] W 30-16 v Titans (H). [WG] 14 Pts; 1t, 5/5g
[View] Round 26 [04 Sep 10] L 12-50 v Panthers (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
======================================================================================================
2009 NRL Telstra Premiership
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
24 games; 8 tries, 51/75 goals, 134 points.
[View] Round 1 [14 Mar 09] W 18-10 v Panthers (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/5g
[View] Round 2 [23 Mar 09] L 12-24 v Knights (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 3 [29 Mar 09] L 6-10 v Dragons (A). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/1g
[View] Round 4 [05 Apr 09] L 12-24 v Bulldogs (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 5 [11 Apr 09] L 14-24 v Raiders (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/4g
[View] Round 6 [19 Apr 09] L 10-34 v Cowboys (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 7 [24 Apr 09] L 26-32 v Rabbitohs (A). [WG] 14 Pts; 2t, 3/5g
[View] Round 8 [02 May 09] L 12-19 v Roosters (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 10 [16 May 09] L 22-26 v Panthers (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 11 [23 May 09] L 4-26 v Dragons (H). [WG]
[View] Round 12 [30 May 09] W 13-10 v Eels (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/3g
[View] Round 13 [07 Jun 09] W 18-10 v Warriors (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 14 [14 Jun 09] W 24-22 v Raiders (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/5g
[View] Round 15 [22 Jun 09] W 46-12 v Broncos (H). [WG] 18 Pts; 1t, 7/9g
[View] Round 16 [27 Jun 09] L 12-19 v Roosters (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 17 [04 Jul 09] L 4-24 v Cowboys (A). [WG]
[View] Round 19 [18 Jul 09] L 26-32 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 1t, 3/6g
[View] Round 20 [25 Jul 09] L 10-30 v Storm (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 1t, 1/2g
[View] Round 21 [02 Aug 09] L 0-30 v Eels (H). [WG]
[View] Round 22 [10 Aug 09] L 10-30 v Broncos (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 1t, 1/2g
[View] Round 23 [16 Aug 09] L 10-56 v Tigers (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 24 [23 Aug 09] L 10-20 v Titans (A). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 25 [30 Aug 09] L 16-18 v Sea Eagles (A). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 26 [05 Sep 09] L 24-26 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
======================================================================================================
2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
26 games; 15 tries, 73/103 goals, 206 points.
[View] Round 1 [15 Mar 08] W 16-10 v Sea Eagles (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 2 [23 Mar 08] W 17-16 v Storm (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/5g
[View] Round 3 [29 Mar 08] L 4-18 v Gold Coast (A). [WG]
[View] Round 4 [05 Apr 08] W 18-16 v Dragons (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 5 [14 Apr 08] W 12-10 v Rabbitohs (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/3g
[View] Round 6 [19 Apr 08] L 20-21 v Panthers (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/4g
[View] Round 7 [27 Apr 08] L 16-20 v Tigers (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 9 [10 May 08] W 24-18 v Cowboys (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 10 [17 May 08] W 13-6 v Broncos (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 11 [26 May 08] L 22-30 v Bulldogs (A). [WG]
[View] Round 12 [01 Jun 08] W 30-14 v Gold Coast (H). [WG] 18 Pts; 2t, 5/6g
[View] Round 13 [08 Jun 08] W 24-22 v Panthers (A). [WG] 14 Pts; 3t, 1/5g
[View] Round 14 [14 Jun 08] W 24-8 v Warriors (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/6g
[View] Round 15 [22 Jun 08] W 16-14 v Eels (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 16 [30 Jun 08] W 36-24 v Raiders (A). [WG] 20 Pts; 2t, 6/6g
[View] Round 18 [12 Jul 08] L 6-34 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/1g
[View] Round 19 [19 Jul 08] W 16-13 v Knights (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 20 [25 Jul 08] L 12-18 v Broncos (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 21 [02 Aug 08] W 13-12 v Dragons (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/3g
[View] Round 22 [09 Aug 08] W 28-14 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 23 [16 Aug 08] L 4-18 v Warriors (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 1t
[View] Round 24 [22 Aug 08] W 20-0 v Roosters (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/6g
[View] Round 25 [29 Aug 08] W 32-6 v Tigers (A). [WG] 16 Pts; 1t, 6/6g
[View] Round 26 [06 Sep 08] W 28-22 v Cowboys (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Finals Week 1 [13 Sep 08] W 36-10 v Raiders (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 1t, 3/7g
[View] Finals Week 3 [26 Sep 08] L 0-28 v Storm. [WG]
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2007 NRL Telstra Premiership
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
22 games; 10 tries, 68/83 goals, 176 points.
[View] Round 1 [17 Mar 07] W 18-0 v Panthers (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 1t, 3/4g
[View] Round 2 [26 Mar 07] L 16-18 v Gold Coast (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 3 [31 Mar 07] L 16-26 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t (33rd), 2/2g
[View] Round 4 [09 Apr 07] W 40-4 v Dragons (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 6/7g
[View] Round 5 [15 Apr 07] L 12-14 v Tigers (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 7 [30 Apr 07] L 16-20 v Knights (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 8 [05 May 07] W 22-20 v Warriors (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/6g
[View] Round 9 [11 May 07] W 16-8 v Broncos (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 10 [20 May 07] W 30-20 v Bulldogs (A). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/5g
[View] Round 11 [26 May 07] L 12-13 v Roosters (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 12 [02 Jun 07] L 24-26 v Cowboys (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 13 [11 Jun 07] W 20-16 v Dragons (A). [CT] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/4g
[View] Round 14 [16 Jun 07] L 2-12 v Warriors (H). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/1g
[View] Round 15 [24 Jun 07] L 12-16 v Rabbitohs (A). [WG]
[View] Round 17 [08 Jul 07] L 12-14 v Bulldogs (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/4g
[View] Round 19 [20 Jul 07] L 22-29 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG]
[View] Round 20 [29 Jul 07] L 16-30 v Broncos (A). [WG]
[View] Round 21 [06 Aug 07] L 16-17 v Storm (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 22 [11 Aug 07] W 25-24 v Eels (A). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 23 [18 Aug 07] L 28-29 v Tigers (H). [WG] 16 Pts; 2t, 4/5g
[View] Round 24 [25 Aug 07] W 28-12 v Titans (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 25 [01 Sep 07] W 22-12 v Raiders (A). [WG] 14 Pts; 2t, 3/5g
======================================================================================================
2007 International Test Matches
New Zealand
1 games; [View] Centenary Test [14 Oct 07] L 0-58 v Australia (H). [WG]
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2006 NRL Telstra Premiership
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
24 games; 8 tries, 80/101 goals, 192 points.
[View] Round 2 [18 Mar 06] L 12-16 v Broncos (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 3 [25 Mar 06] L 18-20 v Sea Eagles (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 4 [01 Apr 06] W 24-22 v Rabbitohs (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/5g
[View] Round 5 [08 Apr 06] L 24-28 v Roosters (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/4g
[View] Round 6 [16 Apr 06] L 16-42 v Tigers (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 7 [22 Apr 06] W 24-22 v Cowboys (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 8 [28 Apr 06] W 40-12 v Panthers (A). [WG] 20 Pts; 2t, 6/7g
[View] Round 9 [07 May 06] W 30-12 v Dragons (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 1t, 4/5g
[View] Round 10 [14 May 06] W 38-28 v Raiders (A). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/8g
[View] Round 11 [21 May 06] L 24-32 v Bulldogs (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t, 2/5g
[View] Round 12 [27 May 06] W 34-20 v Warriors (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/6g
[View] Round 14 [10 Jun 06] W 26-4 v Cowboys (A). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/5g
[View] Round 15 [17 Jun 06] W 15-12 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 16 [24 Jun 06] W 26-16 v Knights (A). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/5g
[View] Round 17 [02 Jul 06] L 12-26 v Broncos (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 18 [09 Jul 06] L 10-22 v Tigers (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 19 [16 Jul 06] L 32-38 v Roosters (A). [WG] 12 Pts; 6/6g
[View] Round 20 [21 Jul 06] L 12-28 v Storm (A). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/2g
[View] Round 21 [28 Jul 06] L 18-22 v Knights (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/4g
[View] Round 22 [05 Aug 06] L 10-12 v Warriors (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 1t, 1/2g
[View] Round 23 [12 Aug 06] L 14-34 v Eels (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 24 [19 Aug 06] L 28-32 v Panthers (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 25 [26 Aug 06] L 4-18 v Dragons (A). [WG]
[View] Round 26 [02 Sep 06] L 24-26 v Raiders (H). [WG] 16 Pts; 2t, 4/5g
======================================================================================================
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
22 games; 9 tries, 75 goals, 186 points.
[View] Round 1 [12 Mar 05] W 20-14 v Panthers (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/4g
[View] Round 2 [20 Mar 05] L 20-46 v Sea Eagles (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t (35th), 2/4g
[View] Round 3 [26 Mar 05] W 18-10 v Eels (A). [WG] 10 Pts; 1t (59th), 3/3g
[View] Round 4 [03 Apr 05] W 26-12 v Bulldogs (H). [WG] 14 Pts; 1t (4th), 5/5g
[View] Round 5 [09 Apr 05] W 38-6 v Cowboys (H). [WG] 14 Pts; 1t (27th), 5/7g
[View] Round 7 [23 Apr 05] L 12-16 v Broncos (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/3g
[View] Round 8 [30 Apr 05] W 30-10 v Storm (A). [WG] 10 Pts; 5/7g
[View] Round 9 [07 May 05] W 28-24 v Warriors (H). [WG] 8 Pts; 4/5g
[View] Round 10 [15 May 05] W 32-26 v Raiders (A). [WG] 12 Pts; 6/6g
[View] Round 11 [22 May 05] W 30-22 v Panthers (A). [WG] 14 Pts; 2t (18th, 64th), 3/6g
[View] Round 12 [28 May 05] L 26-34 v Eels (H). [WG] 10 Pts; 1t (77th), 3/5g
[View] Round 13 [04 Jun 05] L 14-56 v Cowboys (A). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/3g
[View] Round 14 [10 Jun 05] L 18-34 v Tigers (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/3g
[View] Round 15 [17 Jun 05] W 16-10 v Roosters (H). [WG] 4 Pts; 2/4g
[View] Round 17 [03 Jul 05] L 10-22 v Broncos (A). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/2g
[View] Round 18 [09 Jul 05] L 14-24 v Souths (A). [WG] 2 Pts; 1/3g
[View] Round 22 [06 Aug 05] W 40-16 v Storm (H). [WG] 12 Pts; 6/8g
[View] Round 23 [13 Aug 05] L 8-14 v Roosters (A). [WG] 8 Pts; 1t (67th), 2/2g
[View] Round 24 [21 Aug 05] W 68-6 v Sea Eagles (H). [WG] 20 Pts; 10/12g
[View] Round 25 [27 Aug 05] L 14-44 v Knights (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 1t (53rd), 1/3g
[View] Round 26 [03 Sep 05] L 22-26 v Souths (H). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/5g
[View] Finals Week One [10 Sep 05] L 22-28 v Dragons (A). [WG] 6 Pts; 3/4g
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2004 NRL Telstra Premiership
Wests Tigers
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Covell, Luke
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