The Cronulla Sharks turned a 12-6 halftime deficit into a 34-12 derby win over the St George Illawarra Dragons on Sunday, finishing far stronger than they started and reminding the competition how hard Shark Park can be when Cronulla finds its rhythm.
That result matters because the Sharks did it without Nicho Hynes and Blayke Brailey, yet still found enough punch to run in five tries and post a margin that looked unlikely when they were completing only 61 per cent of their sets in the first half. The turnaround was immediate after the break: Cronulla scored two tries in as many minutes, with Will Kennedy diving over and Sam Stonestreet racing away after a Dragons error from the ensuing scrum.
St George Illawarra had been in front after early pressure, helped by six errors from Cronulla in the opening 20 minutes and a Will Kennedy hospital pass that led to a Stonestreet mistake and a Dragons try. But once the Sharks cleaned up their own ball, the game tilted sharply. Ronaldo Mulitalo added another double, Addin Fonua-Blake powered through a long stint in the middle, and Cronulla produced six line-breaks in the second half while the Dragons failed to break through at all.
For the Dragons, the loss was compounded by Jaydn Su'A leaving late with a pec injury in his first game back since round seven. He had returned after a lengthy ban and a calf problem, only to now face likely scans, which leaves St George Illawarra waiting to see how serious the setback is. The timing is particularly harsh after the Dragons ended Brisbane's drought-breaking run last week, only to run into a Sharks side that backed up its win over Manly and kept home momentum alive.
Cronulla now heads to New Zealand next week to face the Warriors, carrying a win that showed more than scoreline comfort. The Sharks were short on spine talent and still found a way to pull clear, while the Dragons are left with a loss and another injury concern hanging over a derby they had started well enough to control.
