Mulitalo, Katoa cash in as Sharks sink Warriors
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Wingers Ronaldo Mulitalo and Sione Katoa bagged five tries between them as the Sharks downed the Warriors 38-16 at Moreton Daily Stadium on Sunday.
After trailing 12-0 early the Sharks steadied the ship to run in five tries in 25 minutes to lay the foundation for their eighth win of the season.
In the early going it was all the Warriors as a penalty against Mulitalo for a strip gave the home side a shot and Reece Walsh made the Sharks pay with a solo try in the seventh minute.
The try was Walsh's first of the season as he carved between Mulitalo and Siosifa Talakai to give the Warriors an early shot of confidence.
When Wayde Egan scooted over from dummy half in the 12th minute the Warriors had a double digit lead but the Sharks were quick to respond through Katoa after a Nicho Hynes bomb was tapped back by Jesse Ramien.
Talakai the bulldozer
Adam Pompey then put the kick-off out on the full to invite the Sharks into the attacking zone again and Talakai crossed for his sixth try of the season to get it back to 12-8.
When Jack Murchie played the ball facing the sideline in the 22nd minute and was penalised the Sharks again marched down field and Mulitalo finished off slick lead-up work by Hynes and Matt Moylan to score.
Continuing the theme of Warriors mistakes leading Sharks tries it was Chanel Harris-Tavita spilling a pass in the 33rd minute and Moylan strolling over on the left side to make it 20-12 to the Sharks.
Egan catches the Sharks off guard
A second try to Katoa in the final minute of the half ensured the Sharks had turned a 12-point deficit into a 12-point lead and looked set to go on with the job.
The Warriors' job was made even harder with the loss of forward Ben Murdoch-Masila to a dislocated elbow but they started the second half strongly and managed to close the gap when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored a spectacular try in the corner to make it 24-16.
Mulitalo completed his double in the 59th minute when he accepted a pass from Moylan, put a move on Walsh and flirted with the sideline before planting the ball down.
The Sharks put the game out of reach in the 63rd minute when Walsh fumbled a Jesse Ramien grubber in the in goal and Will Kennedy was on hand to ground the ball for a 34-16 lead.
With time running out Katoa joined Mulitalo on 10 tries for the season when he picked up a loose ball 60 metres out and raced away to ice the victory.
Katoa grabs his double
Match Snapshot
- The Warriors completed their first nine sets but only six of the next nine sets as they lost their way in the lead-up to half-time.
- Chanel Harris-Tavita left the field in the 20th minute for a HIA which he passed and was able to return to the action.
- Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored 10 tries in his past 10 games.
- The half-time tally of 36 points was the second highest amount of points in a first half this season. The Eels and Titans piled on 48 points in the opening 40 minutes in round one at CommBank Stadium.
Match: Warriors v Sharks
Round 14 -
home Team
Warriors
12th Position
away Team
Sharks
5th Position
Venue: Kayo Stadium, Redcliffe
- Sharks winger Sione Katoa was placed on report in the 48th minute for a high tackle on Chanel Harris-Tavita.
- Euan Aitken left the field in the 59th minute for a HIA which he failed.
- Sharks five-eighth Matt Moylan had a night out in Redcliffe with one try assist, two line break assists and a line break.
- Tohu Harris was the only Warriors forward to run for more than 100 metres. The veteran had 18 hit-up for 126 metres.
- Shark Braydon Trindall was placed on report in the 74th minute for a hip drop tackle on Wayde Egan.
- Siosifa Talakai had 22 runs for 212 metres in another powerful display.
Kennedy scores from a Walsh mishap
Plays of the Game
Ronaldo Mulitalo's double took him to 10 for the season and 37 for his career in just 51 games. His first try in the 24th minute was laid on beautifully by five-eighth Matt Moylan, who is racking up plenty of try assists and line break assists in an impressive season alongside Nicho Hynes in the halves. After a slow start in Redcliffe the Sharks attack clicked into gear and wingers Mulitalo and Sione Katoa continued their tussle for top tryscorer honours.
Moylan finds Mulitalo as Sharks score three straight
Anything Ronaldo can do, DWZ can do better... the Warriors winger scored an absolute cracker in the 53rd minute when he flew through the air to plant the bal down in the corner. Watene-Zelezniak took off five metres from the goal line and did brilliantly to control the ball as he came back to earth to touch down for the 60th try of his career.
DWZ puts his hand up for try finish of the year
What They Said
"We've all had some inconsistent periods across the team but when we put it together and we compete hard, we were physically there tonight but mentally we wobbled in and out of the game, but I'm also understanding of the fact that game was so stop-start it was really hard to get into any rhythm, largely due to our discipline." - Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon
Sharks: Round 14
"We make an error and then our resilience to defend that wasn't there. It's as simple as that, that's where we need to get better. I spoke to the group earlier in the week about having some resilience, having some steel and we got the same result tonight. We fell back into some habits that we have to get out of this team right now." - Warriors interim coach Stacey Jones
Warriors: Round 14
What's Next
The Warriors face a daunting challenge in their second game under Stacey Jones when premiers Penrith come calling in Redcliffe. Forward leader Addin Fonua-Blake is a chance to return from a foot injury and would be a welcome addition in the wake of Ben Murdoch-Masila's elbow injury.
The Sharks are taking their home game to Coffs Harbour in round 15 and will be expecting a bumper crowd at C.ex Coffs International Stadium for their clash with the Titans. Craig Fitzgibon's men already have a win over Gold Coast to their name in 2022 - a 25-18 triumph at Cbus Super Stadium when Lachie Miller debuted in dazzling style and centres Connor Tracey and Siosifa Talakai ran for 283 metres between them.
