Sure, Cronulla were in the mood and up for it but the Warriors weren’t at the races.
The home side scored six tries – and went close to a few more – while a hat-trick to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, which included a couple of superb finishes was one of the few bright spots for the Warriors.
A nightmare afternoon was compounded by injury. Luke Metcalf left the field late in the second half with a hamstring strain, moments after Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad suffered a nasty head knock, his second concussion of the season.
It’s the worst possible scenario ahead of the visit to Melbourne next Saturday, which has been a graveyard for Auckland teams for more than a decade.
The Warriors were dominated in almost every aspect. They were physically overpowered by the Sharks park and any momentum was undone by a string of errors, often at the worst possible occasions.
Tanah Boyd and Metcalf struggled to impose themselves again, while the Warriors’ edge defence was exposed badly, with familiar fragilities on the right.
The experiment of using Nicoll-Klokstad at centre didn’t really work – as he had a mixed match – though there were issues further inside.
After such a bright beginning to the season, there is a suddenly a long list of things to fix, while the confidence and belief has taken a hit.
The Warriors had started well, dominating possession, completing sets and winning the ruck.
That paid off with an early try to Watene-Zelezniak, after Erin Clark had created space with a delayed pass. But momentum swung with a Boyd error and it became a first half nightmare from there, especially on the right flank.
Cronulla made four clean breaks down that side, with three tries. Will Kennedy was untouched for his brace, as the defensive line got their numbers all wrong, allowing the zippy fullback to stroll through.
Taine Tuaupiki had earlier saved one try – after a long range bust but was partly at fault for the fourth. His dropped ball gave the Sharks possession and they found a way through – rather easily it must be said – before KL Iro forced his way over, despite Tuaupiki’s valiant attempt.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scores against the Sharks. Photos / Photosport
Against the run of play, Watene-Zelezniak’s spectacular 80m intercept try stemmed the bleeding, as the winger outpaced three cover defenders to dive over in the corner, after anticipating Braydon Trindall’s harbour bridge pass.
But it was only a temporary respite. Trindall went close, after a Nicholl-Klokstad pass went astray before second rower Billy Burns thundered across for the fourth – off a Nicho Hynes pass – with the Warriors’ defence again caught on their heels. The malaise was summed up in the final minute of the half.
A Warriors’ scrum move 10m out from the opposition line went horribly wrong, before the Sharks regathered to launch their own attack.
The Warriors got a response after the break, with Watene-Zelezniak completing the fourth triple of his career, after swift work on the right edge.
It was the best of the lot, with an improbable finish that defied physics. But errors again cruelled any momentum, before Teig Wilton was first to a precise grubber from Blake Brailey.
The sense that it was one of those days was compounded with interchange hooker Sam Healey being sent for an HIA, after a high tackle that went unpunished.
A Roger Tuivasa-Sheck drop led to Cronulla’s sixth try to Sione Talakai, which wrapped up the result for the home side.
Then came the Nicholl-Klokstad exit, after he got his head in the wrong place attempting to tackle Kennedy, before a distraught Metcalf limped off, wondering when he will ever catch a break.
Clark grabbed a late try – pouncing on a loose ball – but it was little consolation after a match to forget.
Sharks 34 (Will Kennedy 2, KL Iro, Billy Burns, Teig Wilton, Sione Talakai tries; Nicho Hynes 6 goals)
Warriors 22 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3, Erin Clark tries; Tanah Boyd 2 con, pen)
HT: 24-10
Michael Burgess has been a sports journalist for the New Zealand Herald since 2005, covering the Olympics, Fifa World Cups, and America’s Cup campaigns. He is a co-host o fthe Big League podcast.