In a new series brought to you by VB, Sharks Media will highlight the Hard Earned 'Moment of the Match' after every Cronulla victory.
Ronaldo Mulitalo surged into outright fourth on the all-time Sharks try-scorers list with his first NRL hat-trick in Friday night's 58-6 thumping of Wests Tigers, headlined by a scintillating long-range effort on a kick return at PointsBet Stadium.
The winger secured the VB Hard Earned Moment of the Match when he got the ball from fullback Will Kennedy on his own 10-metre line, beat Tigers backrower John Bateman with a Mark Gasnier-esque shimmy and whooshed clear up the sideline.
With a fervent home crowd willing him on, Mulitalo dashed 50 metres before linking with five-eighth Braydon Trindall in support. Trindall turned the chasing defenders inside out, then tossed the footy back to the No.5 to finish the play.
The 58th-minute four-pointer took Mulitalo's career tally at the Sharks to 78 tries, moving him three clear of Mat Rogers (75). Steve Rogers (82), David Peachey (110) and Andrew Ettingshausen (166) are in the 24-year-old's sights.
"He's a funny one, Ronnie," Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said post game.
"He's polarising for people that don't know Ronnie, because he's just happy to wear what he does. He's (got his) heart on his sleeve, gets over the top sometimes, but he just delivers. The boys love him. He's an energy provider for us.
"The amount of community work and selfless actions that guy does is seriously underestimated. When you get a chance to coach a player like that, they're the ones you love to work with ... It's an honour to have him here," Fitzgibbon concluded.
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