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South Sydney and Cronulla were asked by NRL officials if they wanted the game postponed as concerns surrounding the playing surface grew amid fears for players' safety because of the torrid conditions in the lead up to Cronulla's 18-10 win at Remondis Stadium on Monday night.
The diehard few – 3978 officially – who turned up deserve recognition for braving what was a hurricane-like wind and heavy rain throughout the three-tries-to-two win by the Sharks. Some even wore wetsuits to combat the conditions, while Dylan Walker's return was hampered by mud in his eye during the match's opening exchanges. The big screen was lowered because of safety concerns, while the posts shook throughout the game.
Sharks skipper Paul Gallen told Triple M that the NRL's general manager of football operations, Nathan McGuirk, had asked the clubs if they had any concerns surrounding the playing surface. If either club objected, the match could have potentially been deferred. But you sense the Sharks would play every game in these conditions. Even minus Gallen and Andrew Fifita, the performance was a trademark Cronulla slog.
Michael Ennis starred, laying on two tries with his boot, but it was hard to fault any Sharks player in a superb team showing, the Sharks now having beaten competition heavyweights the Roosters and South Sydney in recent weeks.
They were helped by a 7-2 penalty count, while the Sharks remarkably completed at 90 per cent despite the rain.
A last-tackle shift presented Cronulla with the first try-scoring opportunity. Valentine Holmes found some space on the outside of opposite Alex Johnston before an infield pass was knocked into touch by the covering South Sydney defence. They were not to be denied in the next set when they attacked the same corner. This time it was Michael Gordon standing on the wing to score after seven minutes after he picked up a bouncing pass from centre Gerard Beale.
After withstanding South Sydney pressure, Cronulla marched up the field following a high tackle on Chris Heighington by George Burgess. A last-tackle grubber by Ennis found Luke Lewis to give the Sharks a 10-0 lead after 23 minutes.
The Rabbitohs' defensive efforts were rewarded and they got on the board just before half-time. A Luke Keary line break set the Rabbitohs up for a last-tackle raid against a compressed Cronulla defence. From that play the ball, a Bryson Goodwin pass found Johnston to get the Rabbitohs within six at half-time.
Such was the force of the wind, the Sharks' lead looked slender at best. But the Rabbitohs failed to capitalise on the second-half advantage.
South Sydney almost opened the scoring in the first half only for George Burgess to be denied because of a double movement. Ennis went close to scoring at the other end of the field moments later only to be held up.
Ennis did draw an offside penalty with the Sharks extending their lead by two.
Cronulla's eight-point lead would be shortlived when Jack Bird fumbled the restart and a Keary grubber set up a try for Chris McQueen.
An Ennis grubber for Jayson Bukuya ensured victory for the home side.
