Scoreboard
Cronulla Sharks 22
Tries: Valentine Holmes 2, Michael Ennis
Goals: Michael Gordon 5
Field Goals: nil
Gold Coast Titans 24
Tries: James Roberts 2, Dave Taylor, A Paasi
Goals: Aidan Sezer 4
Field Goals: nil
Match Review
An intercept by James Roberts has given the Gold Coast Titans an unexpected 24-22 victory over the Cronulla Sharks at Remondis Stadium.
With three minutes to go Wade Graham was looking to spread the ball out wide, when the flying winger grabbed the ball out of thin air and went on an untouched seventy metre run to score under the posts and level scores at twenty-two all. Aidan Sezer’s conversion put the Titans ahead by two.
Despite the short kick off and some desperate play, Cronulla slumped to their tenth consecutive home defeat as the chorus of boo’s echoed throughout the ground on full time.
Cronulla fans deserve a please explain about their farcical ending to the game. Twice within the last fifteen minutes the Sharks opted to take two points. Michael Gordon’s conversion fifteen minutes from time was fair enough with scores level. The bizarre decision from Paul Gallen to go for goal with eight minutes to play when only ahead by two went back to bite the Sharks.
Michael Ennis will also be under pressure for his efforts in Gordon’s thirty-seventh minute try being denied on video review. There’s no doubt he held back Matt Srama as Gordon found an easy path to the line. Cronulla could have gone into the break up by fourteen instead of 14-6.
It was in the ten minute period before the Gordon no-try that either team looked in control of the game. Valentine Holmes made the most of a lucky deflection from Josh Hoffman to score the Sharks opening try after twenty-seven minutes. Ennis went over six minutes later after a well executed move involving Paul Gallen putting Gordon into space and drawing the fullback for the final pass. This was after the Titans opened the scoring after a little luck of their own when Matt Prior lost the ball one on one and Dave Taylor eventually scoring the try.
The Titans needed to score first to stay in the game after the break. Some clumsy defending at the back by Gordon in shielding the ball over the dead ball line saw Roberts ground the ball just inside the dead ball line.
Holmes was in for his second with a smart cross-field kick from Jeff Robson finding the winger unmarked in strolling over the line. Approaching the hour debutante Agnatius Paasi ploughed through the Sharks defense for scores to be level at eighteen all.
Cronulla looked in the box position to post their first competition points for the season before a lack of confidence and poor decision making cost them. Roberts try in the dying minutes has put the Sharks season in a precarious position with a trip to Allianz Stadium on Easter Sunday to play Sydney Roosters looking unlikely to produce a win. On the flip side the debut of Jack Bird was impressive. Shane Flanagan may need to opt for Bird ahead of Graham at five-eighth for next week’s tough assignment.
Another debutante Kane Elgey was good in the Gold Coast win. Despite being put under pressure from Ennis early on, he fought back well and demonstrated he’s capable of being a long term option at halfback ahead of Dan Mortimer. But the start was Roberts. Despite the off-field attention, Roberts is a class act on field. He’s ability to get to the line will help lift the Titans up the ladder over the coming weeks. He’s scored twenty tries in thirty-two matches over the last five seasons. They will be ready to test Brisbane in the Queensland derby at CBUS Super Stadium on Good Friday.
NothingButLeague Man of the Match: James Roberts (Gold Coast Titans)
