Cronulla defeated the Panthers 15-14 at Centrebet Stadium in Round 5.
It could be argued the Panthers’ loss was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Up until their encounter, Penrith had begun season 2012 with two wins and two losses… until the Sharkies broke their heart with a one-point victory. They have not recovered since, winning just three of 14 games since.
Led by Jeremy Smith, Paul Gallen and new recruit Todd Carney, Cronulla grafted their way to an important victory on the back of some determined defence and intelligent attack. Carney might’ve booted a field-goal to secure victory with seven minutes remaining, but it was the team’s all-round performance that got them home.
Cronulla conceded just four penalties and committed eight errors in the match (a combined total of six offences less than their opponents) and kicked for almost 200 additional metres on the way to a famous away-from-home victory.
