Sharks hold on to win finals thriller
NOW that was a true classic.
Cronulla live. Penrith are gone.
But don’t let anyone tell you the young Panthers went bowing out of the 2018 NRL finals race without one hell of a fight.
In one of the most thrilling and heart- stopping matches of the season, a field goal to Chad Townsend set up a showdown with reigning premiers Melbourne next Friday night as the Sharks held on for a gutsy, gritty 21- 20 victory.
If there is one team that doesn’t mind playing the Storm in Melbourne it is the Sharks.
And after their gritty and gutsy performance last night they will head south backing their chances as they fight off for a spot in the grand final. It finished up last night with three tries apiece but Cronulla scored all theirs in the opening 40 minutes and Penrith dominated the second half.
The poor old Panthers looked absolutely gutted as they collapsed to the ground at full- time.
But they deserved plenty of credit for the wonderful second- half fightback that brought the crowd of 19,211 at Allianz Stadium to life.
Nathan Cleary had an opportunity to level the scores when he had a clear shot at a field goal with four minutes left on the clock.
But unfortunately for Penrith fans the young halfback this time failed to find the mark.
Though Cleary had a fine game while his halves partner James Maloney had a night to forget.
The match up between Maloney and Matty Moylan was all the talk in the build up but on the night it was the Sharks’ five- eighth who emerged a clear winner in their showdown.
The Panthers looked absolutely gone when they went to the break trailing 18- 2.