86 SPORT SATURDAY MARCH 31 2018 Penalties galore as Cronulla pips Storm STEVE ZEMEK

CRONULLA upset Mel- bourne 14-4 last night in one of the most dour affairs of the NRL season, marred by a massive penalty count. The Sharks rattled the pre- miers from start to finish but the wash-up will centre on ref- erees Matt Cecchin and Alan Shortall who blew 30 penalties. On another three occasions Storm players were marched 10 metres for back-chat. The game will place further scru- tiny on NRL CEO Todd Greenberg and referees boss Bernie Sutton and their crack- down on infringements. The game was a stop-start affair with the Storm failing to cross for a try despite the home side giving away 14 penalties. Both sides were frustrated by persistent whistleblowing and referee Cecchin finally ran out of patience when he sin- binned Storm skipper Camer- on Smith for dissent. Smith was last year mock- ingly labelled “referee Camer- on Smith” by Sharks coach Braidon Burns of the Rabbitohs scores a try against the Bulldogs at ANZ Stadium yesterday Picture: AAP IMAGE/DAN HIMBRECHTS Shane Flanagan and the crowd was whipped into a frenzy when he was banished to the sheds for back chat. Centre was also put on report for a grapple tackle late in the game. Controversial win for The Sharks ran out winners after a try-less second half with three Chad Townsend penalty goals and a Joe Stimson pen- alty goal the only times the scoreboard changed. The Sharks, minus Mat Rabbitohs over Dogs Moyland and , went to half-time up 8-2 de- spite having Luke Lewis sin- MATT ENCARNACION Inglis that forced lead referee RABBITOHS cause we had plenty of oppor- 10 minutes to give their team a binned for 10 minutes midway Ben Cummins to apologise to 20 tunities to win that one.” 12-0 lead. through the first-half and SOUTH Sydney scored twice captain Josh Jackson. Rubbing salt into the South Sydney eventually being on the end of a 10-5 pen- in the final five minutes to Cummins pulled Jackson BULLDOGS wound for the Bulldogs is a jaw got one back but only after tak- alty count in the first 40. claim a dramatic but contro- out in the 34th minute to warn 16 injury to fullback Moses Mbye, ing advantage of a retreating The only try of the game versial four-point win over him over repeated penalties in- SOUTH SYDNEY while prop also Jackson following his conver- came when Canterbury yesterday. side their 20-metre line, but al- Tries: B Burns H Hunt G Inglis C picked up an ankle injury. sation with the referee for re- showed great pace to get on The Rabbitohs were trailing lowed play to resume, despite Murray The Rabbitohs also face a peated infringements. the outside of and Goals: A Doueihi 2 16-10 in their annual Good Fri- the forward still moving back nervous wait, with star forward Rabbitohs coach Anthony Josh Addo-Carr and popped a day clash at ANZ Stadium into the defensive line. CANTERBURY on report for Seibold admitted they had flick pass for Edrick Lee. Tries: J Morris 2 when Hymel Hunt crossed in The Rabbitohs spread the Goals: K Foran 4 striking Josh Morris with his practised scenarios when they the 75th minute to give the ball on the first play and Inglis Crowd: 32,471 at ANZ Stadium arm on a regulation carry in had to score twice in the final SHARKS home side a sniff. powered over a retreating the second half. Winger Rob- five minutes to steal victory. 14 Rookie playmaker Adam Jackson to cut a 12-0 deficit to Referees: B Cummins, P Gough ert Jennings was also forced off “I think it was six points Doueihi thought he’d blown a six, with Cummins apologising with concussion. with seven minutes to go, that STORM chance to force golden point to the Bulldogs skipper. don’t blame them at all for the The match started omin- was a game scenario practised 4 when he missed the tricky con- “I’m sorry Josh, I didn’t re- loss. We had plenty of oppor- ously for the Bulldogs, who lost at training numerous times CRONULLA version, but Cameron Murray alise,” Cummins told Jackson tunities to win that game. We Mbye following a sickening during the pre-season,” Seib- Tries: E Lee sliced through two minutes after the try. Both Jackson and turned over a hell of a lot of head collision with Jennings in old said. “The boys were talk- Goals: C Townsend 5 later to stun the crowd of coach Dean Pay were livid ball in the last 20 minutes,” the sixth minute. ing about it on the field, that MELBOURNE 32,471. with the incident but admitted Jackson said. “If you want to But they wasted no time this was a training scenario. Goals: J Stimson 2 Crowd: 13,196 at Southern Cross But the Bulldogs are certain their team were also to blame win a game of footy with two showing their resilience, with We were really confident that Group Stadium to feel aggrieved over a con- for the loss. men down, we’ve just got to get twins Brett and Josh Morris we could at least give ourselves Referees: M Cecchin, A Shortall tentious first-half try to Greg “I just want to say that I better game management be- twice linking up in the space of a chance and we did.” Poor individual performances the catalyst behind Raider’s bad start

OLIVER CAFFREY Hingano will make his Can- said. “Unfortunately I’ve had horror show the worst of the dog telling me why we can’t berra debut after replacing to make that decision with bunch. They were never be- win the close games, telling me RICKY Stuart says individual Austin in the squad for today’s Blake, but he’s got a few friends hind against the Warriors until we’re unfit and that we can’t performances are costing Can- clash with Manly at Lottoland. there at the moment.” ’s final field hold on to leads, my opinion is berra and Blake Austin has Stuart said if things didn’t The Raiders are desperate goal with 40 seconds left, en- it’s an individual thing. paid a price for their 0-3 start improve for the Raiders he to avoid losing the first four suring it was Canberra’s 11th “There’s poor choices being to the NRL season. would be forced to make fur- games of the season since the loss by six points or less since made, especially in defence The Raiders coach con- ther changes. 1997 Super League when they the start of 2017. and some poor choices when cedes the former Dally M five- “I hate having to drop play- recovered to make the prelimi- Stuart said he needed we need tough people to stand eighth of the year is not alone ers because I know how im- nary final. “tough people” to help the up. To win tight games, you in his struggles, but he felt Aus- portant playing first grade is to Their three defeats have team turn the tide in tight need to be a tough person tin needed to be dropped. everyone, I’ve always found it been by a combined total of matches. mentally and we need to be Former Warriors player Ata hard to drop people,” Stuart five points, with last Saturday’s “I’ve had every man and his better in that area.” Canberra coach Ricky Stuart

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