A controversial penalty try to Cronulla helped the Sharks to a 19-18 golden-point extra-time win over the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday night.
Sharks five-eighth James Maloney, backing up from State of Origin on Wednesday night, slotted a field goal in the second half of extra time to end an enthralling contest that gave Cronulla a club record-equalling 11th straight win.
The game had its first flashpoint eight minutes into the second half when Cronulla were awarded a penalty try. Jayson Bukuya looked like he would reach a Michael Ennis grubber first, only for Warriors back-rower Simon Mannering to hold him back before putting the ball dead. Referee Grant Atkins ruled no try, but video referee officials Matt Cecchin and Bryan Norrie awarded Bukuya the try with Maloney converting from in front to give Cronulla an 18-10 lead.
Warriors captain Ryan Hoffmann remonstrated with Atkins, clearly unhappy with the decision.
Earlier, David Fusitu'a, starting at fullback in place of the benched Tuimoala Lolohea, helped put the Warriors in front after breezing past Ricky Leutele before putting former Shark Blake Ayshford in to score next to the posts to open the scoring after 20 minutes.
The Sharks looked like they had hit straight back when Ben Barba raced 40 metres to score. But the video referees ruled Barba had knocked on.
The visitors stretched their lead to 10-0 in the following set when Shaun Johnson decided to run the ball on the last tackle. The halfback found Bodene Thompson before Ayshford put another former Shark, Jonathan Wright, in to score in the corner.
Cronulla looked like the bye week had taken its toll and Wright could have had his second try just after the half-hour mark when Barba slipped fielding a Johnson grubber on his goal-line. Barba knocked the ball backwards but Wright could only knock on attempting to ground the ball.
The Sharks finally sprung to life with two tries in the final five minutes of the half to somehow lead 12-10 at the break.
With Cronulla camped on the Warriors' line, Ennis picked up the ball from dummy half and threw a dummy to his right – spinning around 360 degrees in the same motion – to score next to the posts. Leutele then showed great strength to score in thecorner on the stroke ofhalf-time.
Cronulla lost Andrew Fifita to a concussion test after returning the kick-off and Valentine Holmes to a glute injury midway through the second half.
The Warriors reduced the deficit to two points when Thomas Leuluai reached out to score with 20 minutes remaining before Luke made it 18-18 with a penalty goal with five minutes to play.
Maloney missed with a field goal attempt to win the game before the Warriors almost stole the win in normal time with a miraculous play of their own. Sharks halfback Chad Townsend broke the Warriors' line in the first set of golden-point extra-time but Barba dropped Townsend's pass with the line open. Both sides created chances in an enthralling first half of extra-time before two minutes into the second period Maloney nailed an ugly drop goal from 30 metres out to keep the Sharks on top of the table.
Cronulla paid tribute before kick-off to club legend Greg Pierce, who died after a long battle with cancer on Friday night. Pierce, the club's first Australian captain, was named a Sharks Immortal in 2005.
