Cronulla’s unassuming playmakers, Will Kennedy and Braydon Trindall, have once again proven their worth in a 36-22 victory over the Warriors. Despite not having much hype surrounding them, the duo has been instrumental in another point-scoring performance at Shark Park. The Sharks’ win came at a cost, as the Warriors faced some setbacks with Luke Metcalf suffering a late hamstring injury. In addition, Jesse Ramien and Tom Hazleton also sustained injuries, with both players set for scans. Braden Hamlin-Uele was ruled out of next Saturday’s match against the Roosters after failing a HIA in reserve grade on Saturday.
Ramien and Hazleton’s injuries have raised concerns, especially since Trindall has shown strong form this season. Mawene Hiroti is expected to step in as a replacement for Ramien, following Cronulla’s decision to reject an offer from the Titans to release him this season. Meanwhile, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad had a tough day against the Sharks, with his performance falling short multiple times. He left the field early due to a neck issue, but coach Andrew Webster mentioned that Metcalf’s injury might not be as severe as previous hamstring problems he has experienced.
Despite the challenges, the Sharks excelled, with Trindall and Kennedy repeatedly targeting the Warriors’ right-edge defense. Their strategy proved effective, leading to several successful plays. Kennedy’s bald head was a standout feature during the game, as he scored twice within four minutes. His first try came when Trindall held up the defensive line, while the second was the result of a well-executed scrum play.
Kennedy, who took a reduced one-year deal to stay with Cronulla, is among more than a dozen first-graders coming off-contract at the Sharks. However, his performance this season has been impressive, and he has expressed openness to moving to another club if a rival offers a better deal for 2027 and beyond. “I’ll do whatever is best for my family. I just had a newborn, so it was only right for me to stay that one more year here,” Kennedy said. “I want to keep playing footy. If I stay here, happy days. I love this club. But if I have to do what’s best for my family then I have to do it.”
Trindall continued to showcase his form as one of the game’s top halves, working closely with Nicho Hynes to dismantle the Warriors’ defense. A 24-10 halftime lead reflected the Sharks’ dominance, despite the pre-game drizzle. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s hat-trick kept the Warriors in the game, particularly with a 90-metre intercept that would have resulted in another Sharks try had the veteran winger not caught it. KL Iro and Billy Burns also contributed to the Sharks’ scoreline, with Burns scoring from a Hynes short ball.
Coach Craig Fitzgibbon was frustrated by the 10-1 penalty count against his team but remained pleased with Cronulla’s resilience. “The most pleasing thing was whatever was going against us in the run of the game, I didn’t think we flinched, we kept going,” Fitzgibbon said. “We haven’t won [a penalty count] this year, but we’ve got to look at why that keeps happening… I’m not sure what’s happening there. They probably were penalties, they might be fair. But if we’re dominating we might have more than a penalty in a game.”
