Two sin bins and a last-minute match-winner: Cronulla’s season continues to slip

So long as Cronulla escaped Saturday night without any injuries or suspensions, they could have considered it a win, regardless of the score.

But that’s not what happened.

Instead, the Sharks went into the 79th minute of the match ahead on the scoreboard, despite having two men sent to the bin in the opening 10 minutes, before a Harry Grant flick pass to Trent Loiero clawed back victory for Melbourne on the siren, 24-20.

To say it was a deflating end for the Cronulla faithful inside Shark Park would be an understatement.

Now, the Sharks head into their elimination final against the Cowboys next Saturday on a two-game losing streak, after an embarrassing loss to Parramatta which squandered their chance of a top-four finish and resulted in coach Craig Fitzgibbon taking his frustrations out on a computer monitor.

Fitzgibbon was unhappy again after the match. But not for losing the game – for the officiating of referee Todd Smith who called 18 infringements in the first half alone, and for both of Melbourne’s opening tries. Hugo Peel’s opener came from a forward pass and the second from Sua Fa’alogo appeared to be grounded on the dead-ball line.

“You’ve been around as long as I have. If you don’t know what a forward pass looks like at this point of your career, I don’t know either,” Fitzgibbon said to reporters.

The positive for Cronulla is they get their star players back next week, with Nicho Hynes, Braydon Trindall, Blayke Brailey and KL Iro all having been rested against Melbourne.

It’s fair to say Cronulla will need far more convincing and consistent performances if they hope to contend for the premiership a decade after the club lifted the trophy for the first and only time.

The Sharks will start as favourites for their clash against the Cowboys, but it will be Trindall’s first game back after three weeks off following a shoulder injury, and the match will likely be held at the more neutral venue of Allianz Stadium rather than their beloved ‘Shark Park’.

Saturday was anything but reassuring for Cronulla fans after Melbourne stormed to a 12-0 lead following the double sin-binning.

Debutant Michael Gabrael was sent to the bin in the fifth minute of the match – and the first tackle of his NRL career – for a shoulder charge on Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown.

The Melbourne winger was stretchered off and taken to hospital for a precautionary check after experiencing neck pain.

Then Ronaldo Mulitalo left Cronulla with only 11 men on the field after he was also sent to the bin for striking Melbourne hooker Harry Grant in a melee.

Despite the brain snap, Multialo should also be available for selection next week.

However, Cronulla will have to wait for the match review committee’s verdict on a possible hip-drop tackle by Addin Fonua-Blake on Cooper Clarke.

The Sharks fought to get back into the contest and went into the sheds ahead 18-12 at half-time after tries to Sione Katoa, Riley Jones and Billy Burns.

Cronulla’s comeback coincided with Melbourne halfback Jarhome Hughes succumbing to a hamstring injury – a concern for the Kiwis with World Cup selection around the corner.

The Sharks appeared to have the match sealed up with a penalty goal from Niwhai Puru the difference between the sides heading into the final minute of the game.

But Melbourne’s never-say-die trio of Cameron Munster, Grant and Sua Fa’alogo managed to find a spark in the final minute of the match to set up Loiero’s try and save Craig Bellamy the embarrassment of his worst win-loss ratio since the 2002 season.

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Billie Eder is a sports reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.AdvertisementAdvertisement