SHARKS 12, BULLDOGS 6
Jacob Preston celebrates after scoring in the first-half.Credit: Getty
KEY POINTS
WILL NICHO BE RIGHT FOR ROUND ONE?: It’s the question on every Cronulla fan’s lips – will they see their star halfback in their season opener? Hynes was sidelined on Friday night with a quad injury, which meant it was up to Braydon Trindall and Daniel Atkinson to steer the team around the park. Trindall has locked down the No.6 jersey, but his performance on Friday night, which included a kick straight to opposition Drew Hutchison in the in-goal, proved he’s still got plenty to learn before round one.
CRICHTON IS THE MEDICINE BULLDOGS NEEDED: He played just 20 minutes on Friday night, but Stephen Crichton has put some life back into this Bulldogs team. Canterbury fans were electric at Belmore, erupting when he had a teeth-rattling hit on Sione Katoa and Will Kennedy. Crichton wasn’t perfect by any means, he dropped the ball after he was the recipient of a Briton Nikora and Blayke Brailey thumping, and gave away a penalty for a leg pull that led to Cronulla’s first points, but he was on the sideline all night, motivating and encouraging the team.
TOUGH NIGHT FOR BLAKE TAAFFE: He came to the Bulldogs to be a permanent No.1, but Blake Taaffe was anything but clean on Friday night. The former South Sydney utility had an error-riddled second-half, and couldn’t seem to catch a break when it came to kicks from Cronulla. A ball from Daniel Atkinson went through his hands, and a perfectly-placed kick from Braydon Trindall went over the sideline after Taaffe got a hand to it. Conditions were slippery on Friday night, but Taaffe needs to tighten the screws if he’s going to play his part in the Bulldogs rebirth.