Sharks surge into NRL grand final after dominating defending champs Cowboys

Just minutes after the Sharks knocked Green’s North Queensland from the NRL finals, to book a berth in Sunday week’s season decider, Green reflected on his his time in the Shire.

“They’ve got some players of the future”, Tamou said.

Luke Lewis of the Sharks reaches out to score a try during the NRL preliminary final between the Cronulla Sharks and the North Queensland Cowboys.

“It’s masochism for the Cowboys, with them just punishing themselves over and over”.

Their 32-20 demolition of a listless North Queensland at Allianz Stadium sent the 36,717-strong crowd into raptures on Friday night.

However, the Sharks had already done enough to avenge their 39-0 semi-final loss to the Cowboys previous year.

After 29 minutes the Cowboys had just 29 per cent of possession, and despite a gallant defensive effort to withstand the early onslaught, the visitors had little in the tank to muster the strength to turn the tide.

Tamou’s influence at the club won’t have ended with Friday night though.

Given the toll the ASADA saga took on both the club and Gallen, it was largely assumed he would finish his career without a premiership.

A 2005 premiership victor with Wests Tigers, Heighington is one of several Sharks players who boast grand final experience.

But this was Cronulla’s night from the get-go, and not even a double movement from Andrew Fifita or Coote narrowly beating Townsend to the ball to deny him a try would change one of the most one-sided halves in recent memory.

An awkward start for Lachlan Coote whose slippery fingers let the Cowboys down.

“Obviously plenty of people have spoken about what happened in Canberra but it was a decision made for the best interests of the team”.

The Cowboys looked like a heavyweight boxer trying to hang in for the final bell at the end of the 12th round.

The Cowboys were given a reprieve when the bunker found a double movement, but the Sharks kept storming, crossing in the 22nd minute when Sosaia Feki leapt over in the left corner on the end of a left-side shift.

The defending premiers were on the defensive for most of the first half and ran out of steam as the Sharks pulled away in the second spell.

“For me it was about getting back to basics”.

Townsend said halves partner Maloney’s experience helped him get past his period of uncertainty.

Maloney led the Sharks attack superbly, scoring two tries and kicking five goals in a dominant display.