‘What were they thinking?’: NRL followers fume over ‘totally avoidable’ picture

What a distinction a matter of weeks make?

After being nearly written off simply two weeks in the past, the Cronulla Sharks are as little as one win from all however sealing their place within the NRL Finals after a crushing 36-6 drubbing of the Gold Coast Titans on Friday evening.

Watch each sport of each spherical of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. Join now and begin streaming immediately >

But whereas the Sharks have been sturdy on area, followers lashed out on the jersey conflict.

With either side having a lightweight blue color scheme, the Sharks had a black strip throughout the highest of the jersey and the shoulders with a block of sunshine blue under, whereas the Titans have gentle blue up prime which fades right into a darkish blue on the backside of the jersey.

Clear as mud on the published. Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

Although there are variations together with the Sharks’ black shorts to the Titans’ white, from a distance it was onerous to inform.

Social media was swamped with followers struggling to inform the perimeters aside.

Jersey conflict apart, it was a win the Sharks simply needed to have.

After a 44-12 loss to the Warriors in spherical 20, Phil Gould stated the Sharks can be “cannon fodder” heading into the finals with the aspect’s poor document in opposition to prime eight sides.

At the time, Gould stated on Channel 9’s 100% Footy that he didn’t assume the Sharks might make the post-season and: “If they get there, I think they would be cannon fodder, which is what happened to them last year. They sort of got through to the top-four, but went out in straight-sets.”

While the Sharks have been following the prediction with a loss to Manly and Penrith within the subsequent weeks, Cronulla defeated South Sydney 26-16 in Perth in spherical 23, earlier than the drubbing of the Titans.

The Sharks have fun Jesse Ramien’s strive. Photo by Brett Hemmings/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

It’s believed finals groups will want 32 factors to make finals this season and the Sharks at the moment are as much as 30 — with the Storm and Raiders to play one another on Sunday, the aspect ought to end the spherical in fifth.

The Sharks have a tricky run dwelling in opposition to the Cowboys, Knights and Raiders — all of that are nonetheless within the hunt for the highest eight.

Playing a Titans who re-signed Tino Fa’asuamaleaui to a document 10-year NRL deal, in addition to David Fifita for a three-year, $1m a 12 months contract, the Sharks have been dominant from the outset.

While the Titans pair secured their futures, it comes on the finish of every week the place talismanic ahead Wade Graham introduced his retirement and his teammates turned up for him.

Graham even strolled over for a strive within the second half because of Braydon Trindall’s third help of the evening, whereas fellow forwards Cameron McInnes and Toby Rudolf additionally crossed the stripe because the Sharks feasted on the Titans by the center.

Friday’s outcome was a non-negotiable for the Sharks who obtained their season again on observe with a shock win over Souths in Perth, they usually now management their very own future with three tough video games to come back.

Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au

Rating
( No ratings yet )
Loading...