Ben Hunt has spent the week within the headlines however it was reverse quantity Nicho Hynes who stole the present as Cronulla eased to a 52-16 NRL thrashing of beleaguered St George Illawarra.
All eyes have been on Hunt in his first recreation for the reason that Dragons rejected his mid-season transfer to the Broncos, with the Dragons pursuing an upset of their native rivals on Thursday night time.
Saved quiet for almost all of the sport at Shark Park, the halfback should have felt each little bit of 945 kilometres from Brisbane because the Dragons conceded extra factors than in any earlier recreation in opposition to Cronulla.
Hunt ran the road that led to the Dragons’ second strive however went lacking within the second half as Cronulla piled the factors on with 5 unanswered tries.
Hynes, in the meantime, continued his upward trajectory since being dropped from the NSW State of Origin aspect and was instrumental in establishing a half-time lead that Cronulla by no means surrendered.
The Sharks might end the weekend as excessive as second on the ladder, whereas the Dragons proceed to languish in final place, but to win away from dwelling in 2023.
The Dragons have been up for the struggle early and made probably the most of a Sharks error to cross via Mikaele Ravalawa of their first set.
However as was the case in final week’s loss to the Warriors, their left edge defence was a serious supply of weak spot – three of Cronulla’s 4 first-half tries got here down that edge, with two extra following within the second half.
Hynes hit an open gap to undergo untouched after which despatched Briton Nikora over with the identical play, whereas Jesse Ramien had no competitors within the air as he introduced down a Matt Moylan kick to attain.
Hynes’ inside ball gave towering prop Tom Hazelton his second strive in as many video games, a lot to the delight of the Cronulla crowd that’s quick contemplating him a favorite.
Dragons fullback Tyrell Sloan scored a contender for strive of the yr after the break when his kick return become a 90-metre sprint during which he beat six defenders and dived over.
However that was as shut as Saints got here to snatching the lead again, winger Ronaldo Mulitalo crossing for a double and Nikora once more working the right line because the Sharks weaponised the perimeters for an enormous victory
The Sharks misplaced prop Braden Hamlin-Uele at half-time to a rib cartilage harm he suffered within the first hit-up of the sport.
Cronulla co-captain Dale Finucane was positioned on report for a harmful throw on prop Blake Lawrie, with Saints’ Tatau Moga an opportunity to hitch him on the cost sheet for hitting Ramien excessive.