Journey Man
Making Souffle of today's faeces
Haig's match report from www.sportsnews.com.au
Cronulla halfback Brett Kimmorley scored three tries and set up the rest in the Sharks' 68-6 mauling of Manly, which secured their position in the 2005 NRL finals series and threw the Sea Eagles' plans off track.
The Sharks began the match hungrier against a band-aid Manly side riddled by injuries and illness, and when Des Hasler's men lost fullback Brett Stewart to a serious-looking back injury early in the match, Cronulla took full advantage.
Not allowing their opponents to reshuffle their line-up, Stuart Raper's charges ran in seven unanswered tries in the first half, taking a 38-0 lead into the break to the delight of the Toyota Park home crowd.
Kimmorley was outstanding in that first period, scoring two tries and producing a running and passing game that resulted in line breaks galore for Cronulla and subsequent missed tackles from a Manly team that were simply inept, and resembling nothing like a team playing for a finals' spot.
However their opponents were scintillating; piling on a further 30 points through five converted tries in the second 40 minutes, with Kimmorley being joined by makeshift pivot Nigel Vagana as three-try scorers, before experts jumped into the record books to see where to etch new entries.
The 62-point win was the Sharks' biggest ever victory, while doubling as Manly's worst ever loss. Meanwhile, winger Luke Covell's ten goals was a record-equaling haul from a Cronulla goalkicker.
With Kimmorley and Vagana grabbing half of their team's 12 overall tries, Beau Scott twice, Paul Gallen, Matt Hilder, Jason Stevens and Paul Mellor were others to cross for four-pointers. Manly's only try was scored by Steven Menzies.
The Sharks will be hoping for repeat performances in the coming two weeks ahead of the NRL finals series to join the elite in October with some momentum on their side.
"We know we can play this kind of football," beamed coach Raper. "It was simply outstanding."
Manly must go back to the drawing board, apologise to their coaching staff and supporters for their pathetic display and regroup to win one of their two upcoming matches to earn their spot in the NRL top eight.
Coach Hasler will realise his side looked anything but a top eight side this afternoon, and will certainly entertain making changes in their run-in to the business end of the season.
Haig's match report from www.sportsnews.com.au
Cronulla halfback Brett Kimmorley scored three tries and set up the rest in the Sharks' 68-6 mauling of Manly, which secured their position in the 2005 NRL finals series and threw the Sea Eagles' plans off track.
The Sharks began the match hungrier against a band-aid Manly side riddled by injuries and illness, and when Des Hasler's men lost fullback Brett Stewart to a serious-looking back injury early in the match, Cronulla took full advantage.
Not allowing their opponents to reshuffle their line-up, Stuart Raper's charges ran in seven unanswered tries in the first half, taking a 38-0 lead into the break to the delight of the Toyota Park home crowd.
Kimmorley was outstanding in that first period, scoring two tries and producing a running and passing game that resulted in line breaks galore for Cronulla and subsequent missed tackles from a Manly team that were simply inept, and resembling nothing like a team playing for a finals' spot.
However their opponents were scintillating; piling on a further 30 points through five converted tries in the second 40 minutes, with Kimmorley being joined by makeshift pivot Nigel Vagana as three-try scorers, before experts jumped into the record books to see where to etch new entries.
The 62-point win was the Sharks' biggest ever victory, while doubling as Manly's worst ever loss. Meanwhile, winger Luke Covell's ten goals was a record-equaling haul from a Cronulla goalkicker.
With Kimmorley and Vagana grabbing half of their team's 12 overall tries, Beau Scott twice, Paul Gallen, Matt Hilder, Jason Stevens and Paul Mellor were others to cross for four-pointers. Manly's only try was scored by Steven Menzies.
The Sharks will be hoping for repeat performances in the coming two weeks ahead of the NRL finals series to join the elite in October with some momentum on their side.
"We know we can play this kind of football," beamed coach Raper. "It was simply outstanding."
Manly must go back to the drawing board, apologise to their coaching staff and supporters for their pathetic display and regroup to win one of their two upcoming matches to earn their spot in the NRL top eight.
Coach Hasler will realise his side looked anything but a top eight side this afternoon, and will certainly entertain making changes in their run-in to the business end of the season.
