68 SPORT SATURDAY JULY 29 2017 Cronulla defeats careless Warriors

ANGELO RISSO

AUCKLAND: The Warriors fell 26-12 to Cronulla in Auck- land last night, reducing the Auckland-based side’s hopes of qualifying for the NRL finals for the first time since 2011. As has been customary for much of 2017, multiple errors and repeated knock-ons ult- imately proved the Warriors’ undoing. Despite another decent showing up front, where the Warriors outran the Sharks with the ball, the defending premiers ran in four tries to two to cement their place in the top four with five regular- season games remaining. The Warriors are on the precipice and will have to win their last five which include tough matches against Can- berra and Manly to have any chance of a top-eight finish. Coach watched on as the Warriors again squandered chances and gifted the Sharks easy tries. In a mostly tight first half, Ken Maumalo failed to judge a Sharks grubber kick and gave Kurt Capewell the easiest of Parramatta’s Kirisome Auva’a and Michael Jennings celebrate after another Eels try against at ANZ Stadium last night Picture: AAP IMAGES tries after four minutes, before Mason Lino’s 32nd-minute knock-on allowed Fa’amanu Brown to score. The Sharks’ first two tries — both against the run of play — sandwiched a juggling Solo- Slippery Eels blast past mone Kata intercept try in the 29th minute. There was a brief Warriors rally in the second half, with Lino putting Bodene Thomp- son over to get his side back to within two points. Broncs with slick finish Former Warrior went over on the left edge in the 62nd minute, restoring the PARRAMATTA have all but After going into round 21 in EELS the shoulder to hit the Broncos Sharks’ eight-point buffer, be- wrapped up an NRL top-eight seventh, they have moved to 28 winger as he lay prone on the fore Jayson Bukuya capitalised spot with a spiteful 28-14 win 28 points alongside the Bron- ground, setting off a push-and- on a Matt Prior line break to over Brisbane at ANZ Stadium cos. BRONCOS shove. score the Sharks’ fourth and last night. The Broncos, who came 14 The Broncos jumped out to wrap up the result. The Broncos were struck a into the game in third, scored PARRAMATTA a 12-0 lead thanks to early tries massive blow midway through two tries in two minutes, but Tries: K Auva’a 2 B French T to and James Rob- SHARKS the second half when hooker didn’t trouble the scoreboard Moeroa erts to look well in control. Goals: M Moses 5 C Norman 26 Andrew McCullough was as- in the second half. then or- sisted from the field with a With the scores locked at BRISBANE chestrated a Parramatta fight- WARRIORS Tries: M Gillett J Roberts 12 knee problem. 14-14 heading into the final 20 Goals: J Kahu 3 back, grubbering for Tepai It’s an injury which could minutes, Kirisome Auva’a Moeroa before throwing a har- CRONULLA have major ramifications for broke the deadlock when he Refs: A Shortall, A Klein bour bridge pass for Auva’a to Tries: F Brown J Bukuya K Capewell their title push. danced down the sideline for Crowd: 12,182 at ANZ Stadium even the scores. S Feki The Eels not only proved the match-winning try five Brisbane had salt rubbed Goals: V Holmes 5 they deserved to return to fi- minutes from fulltime. for which Nathan Brown was into the wound when Mitchell NZ WARRIORS nals football for the first time There was plenty of feeling put on report. Moses booted the ensuing Tries: S Kata B Thompson since 2009, they also signalled between the two sides after However Kenny Edwards penalty conversion to go ahead Goals: I Luke 2 they were capable of troubling they nearly came to blows over could be in more trouble over before tries to Auva’a and Parramatta’s Refs: Matt Cecchin, Gavin Reynolds the competition’s best sides. an ugly hit on Jonus Pearson the incident after he led with French finished off the job. wraps up Anthony Milford Crowd: 9771 at Mt Smart Stadium Our 2007 win can’t be erased: Bellamy Rookie key for Dragons finals push CRAIG Bellamy sees some as part of their salary rort- (by the Storm) without a doubt ST George Illawarra’s premier- Dufty turned in a debut to that Euan is, and such a world- similarities in his current crop ing penalties, but not in the but when you look at the pen- ship hopes could rest in the remember in the Dragons’ 50- class player that Josh is, and the of Melbourne players to the eyes of Bellamy or the 2007 alties that were put on that hands of a 21-year-old after point effort against Manly last position he holds in that team that won the 2007 grand players. “You talk to any of team and see the other penal- coach Paul McGregor insisted week, giving McGregor what arena,” McGregor said. final, which he rates as the best those players and they know ties that have been given to form would dictate who finish- could be a season-defining se- McGregor admitted the Storm side ever. how hard they worked that other teams I think everyone es the season in the key No.1 lection risk on Aitken’s return. Dragons hold the key to this Players from that team flew year to win the grand final, ” would agree it was harsh.” jumper. McGregor dodged crowning year’s final make-up of the top into Melbourne yesterday for a the Melbourne coach said. The 2007 team included McGregor this week opted the 21-year-old Dufty as the eight, with his men needing to lunch to celebrate the 10-year “They can say what they three of the current Storm line- to push star to the long-term replacement for beat the Knights to stay two anniversary of that emphatic like and erase what they like up in , Cooper centres following a shoulder Cronulla-bound Dugan next points ahead of ninth-placed triumph over Manly, who the but they’re not going to erase Cronk and , while injury to Euan Aitken, keeping year, but said it was easy to re- Penrith. Storm plays tomorrow. these guys’ memories of what , are rookie Matt Dufty at fullback tain him as custodian this week. The last-placed Knights are That premiership was later they did in 2007. still playing in the NRL and Is- for today’s clash against New- “It was a likely replacement aiming to avoid their ninth loss erased, as was their 2009 title, “The wrong thing was done rael Folau with the Wallabies. castle. for such an important player in a row.

NTNE01Z01MA - V1