Andrew Pelechaty reviews the first game of Super Saturday: Cronulla-Sutherland against the Gold Coast. Here’s how the game went.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 4th | Try Corey Thompson (Gold Coast) | Gold Coast 4-0 |
| 5th | Goal Ashley Taylor (Gold Coast) | Gold Coast 6-0 |
| 17th | Try Josh Dugan (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Gold Coast 6-4 |
| 19th | Goal Shaun Johnson (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Scores tied 6-6 |
| 22nd | Try Siosifa Talakai (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 10-6 |
| 24th | Goal Shaun Johnson (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 12-6 |
| 39th | Try Jarrod Wallace (Gold Coast) | Cronulla-Sutherland 12-10 |
| 40th | Goal Jamal Fogarty (Gold Coast) | Scores tied 12-12 |
| 55th | Kevin Proctor (Gold Coast) – SENT OFF | Scores tied 12-12 |
| 56th | Try Sione Katoa (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 16-12 |
| 57th | Goal Shaun Johnson (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 18-12 |
| 59th | Try Wade Graham (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 22-12 |
| 61st | Goal Matt Moylan (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 24-12 |
| 62nd | Try Jack Williams (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 28-12 |
| 63rd | Goal Matt Moylan (Cronulla-Sutherland) | Cronulla-Sutherland 30-12 |
| 73rd | Try Keenan Hipgrave (Gold Coast) | Cronulla-Sutherland 30-16 |
| 74th | Goal Ashley Taylor (Gold Coast) | Cronulla-Sutherland 30-18 |
MATCH SUMMARY
1st Half
The Titans, on the back of their big win over North Queensland, opened the scoring with a try to Corey Thompson in the fourth minute, via a beautiful cut-out pass from Ash Taylor.
Josh Dugan scored Cronulla’s first try, scoring in the left corner after some nice second-phase football from Aaron Woods. Shaun Johnson – struggling with an upset stomach – levelled up with a brilliant kick from the sideline.
The Sharks went bang-bang with another try five minutes later: Johnson fooling the Titans’ defence and passing to Siosifa Talakai. It was Johnson’s 19th try assist, leading that stat for this season.
Sione Katoa tried his best Superman impression in the 30th minute, planting the ball in the left corner with his body in the air, but he was already out of bounds. A spectacular effort, but in vain.
The Titans got back into the game with a try to Jarrod Wallace right on halftime. Jamal Fogarty converted to tie the game 12-12 at the break.
After pushing Penrith and the Sydney Roosters all the way in recent weeks, the Gold Coast put themselves in a position to seriously challenge another top eight team.
it’s wasn’t all good news for the Titans, with Jai Arrow going off after late in the first half and not returning.
2nd Half
Cronulla successfully used a Captain’s Challenge early in the second half, but couldn’t take advantage of the prime attacking territory.
The Titans suffered another injury blow, with Dale Copley going off after 47 minutes.
With Cronulla in attacking territory, Wallace saved the Titans with a one-on-one steal; the Titans took advantage by marching 92 metres in the next set, with Kevin Proctor dropping the ball over the line on the last tackle.
Young Tonumaipea went close to scoring in the right corner, trying to replicate Katoa’s earlier effort by planting the ball down with one hand and his body in the air, but he was out of bounds.
Controversy erupted when Proctor bit Johnson – his New Zealand Test teammate – in a tackle. Proctor was sent off: a horrible way for the Titans captain to mark his 250th game. To Proctor’s credit, he came back out at fulltime and mended fences with Johnson, though that goodwill won’t save him from a likely lengthy suspension.
Johnson got some revenge on the Titans with a gorgeous cross-field chip kick for Katoa to score his 13th try of the season.
Wade Graham put the game away three minutes later. With Johnson going off early, Matt Moylan converted – extending the Sharks’ lead to 24-12.
Jack Williams charged down a kick and ran 30 metres to score as the Sharks blew the lead out to 30-12.
In another shock development, the normally sturdy Josh Dugan limped off the field with 10 minutes left. Nobody saw that coming.
The Titans got one back with a try to Keenan Hipgrave. While the game was over, It showed the Titans’ fighting spirit.
The Sharks won their seventh game from their last nine, briefly overtaking Canberra into fifth spot.
GAME HIGHLIGHT
The first 15 minutes of the second half was relatively quiet before Kevin Proctor was tackled by Shaun Johnson and bit his fellow New Zealander in the tackle. Proctor was sent off, which fired up the pro-Sharks Kogarah Oval crowd. It’s been 46 days since the last send off: with Addin Fonua-Blake marched against Newcastle at Brookvale Oval (for dissent) in round eight this year. Cronulla made the Titans pay, with tries to Sione Katoa, Wade Graham and Jack Williams within six minutes to put the game away. It was a shame for the Titans, as they were deep in the game before Proctor’s brain snap.
SQUADS
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks: 1. Will Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Josh Dugan 4. Jesse Ramien 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Matt Moylan 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Braden Hamlin-Uele 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Aaron Woods 11. Siosifa Talakai 12. Wade Graham 15. Scott Sorensen. Interchange: 13. Toby Rudolf 14. Connor Traceyย 16. Jack Williams 17. Royce Hunt.
Gold Coast Titans: 1. AJ Brimson 20. Young Tonumaipeaย 3. Brian Kelly 4. Dale Copley 18. Corey Thompsonย 6. Ashley Taylor 7. Jamal Fogarty 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Nathan Peats 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. Kevin Proctor (c) 12. Keegan Hipgrave 13. Jai Arrow.ย Interchange: 15. Tyrone Peachey 16. Jarrod Wallace 17. Sam Lisone 21. Beau Fermor.
