Played At: Windsor Sporting Complex
Referee: Chris Sutton
Crowd: 300
Penalties: Windsor 7-6
Half Time: Windsor 12-6
Cronulla Sharks 24
Tries: D Simmons 3, J Caine, D Rauicava
Goals: B Green 2/5
Windsor Wolves 12
Tries: J Bateman, S Blackett
Goals: T Iselin 2/2
When They Scored
7th Min: Windsor 6-0 (Bateman Try, Iselin Goal)
14th Min: Windsor 12-0 (Blackett Try, Iselin Goal)
23rd Min: Windsor 12-6 (Simmons Try, Green Goal)
48th Min: Windsor 12-10 (Caine Try)
60th Min: Sharks 14-12 (Simmons Try)
74th Min: Sharks 20-12 (Simmons Try, Green Goal)
80th Min: Sharks 24-12 (Rauicava Try)
Cronulla Sharks
1. Isaac Gordon
2. David Simmons
3. Jess Caine
19. Daniel Rauicava
5. Misi Taulapapa
6. Jon Tavinor
7. Blake Green
18. Ryan Verlinden
9. Corey Hughes (c)
10. Ian Donnelly
15. Brad Barrett
22. Jack Afamasaga
13. Anthony Killingbeck
Interchange
8. Tim Weyman
11. Trent Grubb
14. Inoke Tapaatoutai
17. Mark Delamont (Not Used)
Match Report
A hat-trick of tries to Cronulla winger David Simmons inspired his side to its sixth straight victory.
The best part of the game was played in driving rain which resulted in poor handling and one out running. The Sharks played the better football in the end this showed on the scoreboard at fulltime. The Sharks did well to grind their way back into the game after being down 12-0 after just 15 minutes of play.
Windsor opened the scoring in the 7th minute through skipper Josh Bateman, Bateman was on the end of a wonderful offload from prop Andrew Pearn who managed to slip a miracle ball to Bateman who scored under the sticks. Trent Iselin added the extras. Windsor went twelve points clear in the 14th minute when the Sharks let a bomb bounce, the ball was taken by prop Shane Blackett who crossed under the posts. Iselin extended Windsor's lead to 12. The Sharks registered their first points of the evening in the 23rd minute through winger David Simmons, Simmons kicked into the in-goal area and won the race to the ball scoring his first of three tries. Blake Green slotted the kick from a tough angle to reduce the margin to just a converted try. The game went into a real dour struggle, with the rain teaming down both sides didn't control the ball well and we went to half time at 12-6.
It took the Sharks eight minutes to register their first points of the 2nd stanza when Green crabbed across field, found Isaac Gordon with a pass who intern got the ball to Jess Caine who strolled across to score. Green missed the conversion attempt from wide out. The Sharks hit the lead for the first time in the match in the 60th minute when Corey Hughes placed a well directed cross field kick which was knocked down by Simmons, the ball was picked up by Caine, then knocked down by a Windsor defender and dived on by Simmons to score. Green missed with his attempt at goal to leave the score at 14-12 in favour of the visitors. The Sharks went eight points clear in the 74th minute, Green was at it again with a cross field kick straight into the waiting arms of Simmons who crossed for his hat-trick of tries. Green slotted the conversion leaving the score at 20-12. The Sharks finished the scoring in the 80th minute through centre Daniel Rauicava who weaved his way passed some tired Windsor defence to score.
The Sharks best was Blake Green, he lead the side around the park well and had a hand in 4 of the 5 tries scored. Ryan Verlinden also deserves special mention for his devastating hit-ups, every week he makes metres for the Sharks and is a main contributer to their victories.
