The Cronulla Sharks have recorded a club record 12th consecutive win as they pulled past the Parramatta Eels with 34-24 victory.
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In a frenetic first half which saw each side cross for three consecutive tries, it was the Eels who opened the scoring as Bevan French grounded an inventive Corey Norman grubber with four minutes played, Michael Gordon converting to extend a surprise early lead to the Eels.
A slick Eels side then went further ahead on 11 minutes with French again the try scorer. A wayward pass from the Sharks was read brilliantly by the young winger who showed pace aplenty to race away and score his second of the evening. Gordon made no mistake with the conversion to make 12-0 early to the Eels.
Having dominated the first 20 minutes, the Eels would top it off with another try, this time to forward Danny Wicks. Isaac De Gois found Wicks out of dummy half, very close to the line, and there was no stopping the big man. Gordon again converted to make it 18-0 in favour of Parramatta.
With 26 minutes played, the Sharks would switch on to grab their first try. Sosaia Feki crossing over down the left untouched after a quick switch on the last. James Maloney was unable to convert but the Sharks were hungry for more points.
Five minutes later, Cronulla would cross again, this time through Ricky Leutele. Some stellar passing allowed the winger to barge over down the left. Maloney converted to make it 18-10 to the Eels.
The Sharks would grab a third consecutive try on 37 minutes as Gerard Beale benefitted from desperation on the last as his side kept the ball alive following a kick to the right corner. Maloney unable to convert but he would add two points from a penalty to make it 18-16 to the Eels at half-time.
Keeping their momentum going, Cronulla would get their first taste of the lead as Leutele grabbed his second try after a nice offload from Ben Barba on 45 minutes. Maloney converted to put the Sharks ahead 22-18.
It remained all one way for the next 20 minutes as the Sharks were somehow kept out by a desperate Eels side ruing the lead they let slip. Cronulla eventually added another try on 69 minutes as Beale dodged past Semi Radradra down the right and burrowed over the line. Maloney converted to take Cronulla’s lead to 28-18.
After playing on the back foot for 40 minutes, the Eels managed a response on 73 minutes as French sealed his first NRL hat-trick. The winger gifted space out wide and sidestepped Barba to give Parramatta some hope. Gordon converted to reduce the Sharks lead to 28-24.
With the game in the balance, the Sharks would cement the win with the last play of the game as Feki grabbed his second after crossing over in the corner. Maloney converted to add icing to the Cronulla cake.
The Sharks did well to respond from 18-0 down and sealed a club record 12th consecutive win. Not all bad for Parramatta who started brightly before fading with Bevan French a real stand out.
Final Score
Cronulla Sharks 34
Parramatta Eels 24
The Roar’s NRL MVP votes
3 – Bevan French – A hat-trick of tries and didn’t shy away from defensive duties, a star of the future
2 – Ricky Leutele – Two tries and three line breaks for the winger
1 – Sosaia Feki – Also scored a double, made two line breaks and ran 225 metres with the ball
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