Experience shows as Sharks fall at preliminary hurdle

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What Cronulla would give to have Penrith’s big-game experience.

Headed into Saturday night, Penrith had 77 matches of preliminary and grand final experience in their side.

Cronulla had just five.

And the Panthers’ experience in State of Origins dwarfed Cronulla’s, to the lopsided tally of 64 to 5.

Cronulla were gallant at Accor Stadium, and arguably better than they ever have been against the dominant force that is Penrith in the past five years.

But ultimately, in the moments that mattered, the difference in experience showed.

Penrith needed only one opportunity to land their first blow.

After Nathan Cleary nailed an early 40-20 to put Penrith on the attack, the halfback put on a clinic.

The Panthers drew defenders to the right with two hit ups, he hit Paul Alamoti with a face ball and put the left centre through a hole to score.

In comparison, Cronulla couldn’t take enough of their chances.

They had two sets on Penrith’s line midway through the first half, but Kayal Iro coughed up the ball early in the first attacking raid on the left edge.

Moments later, it was Trindall who did the same on the right trying to force the pass.

More Sharks errors came in the second half on attack, most notably when Ronaldo Mulitalo put the ball down early in an attacking set.

And while the Cronulla were able to get back to 10-6 down with a miraculous Sione Katoa put down, again Penrith showed they don’t need two invitations.

With the game in the balance, Nicho Hynes put a ball out in front of Oregon Kaufusi just as Cronulla passed halfway and the prop put it down on the fourth tackle.

That allowed Penrith to stretch the Sharks on the left, before Cleary again kicked into acres of open space out wide on the right for Brian To’o to score untouched.

And moments later the Panthers’ spot in the grand final against Melbourne was booked, when Dylan Edwards pin-balled his way down field and Cleary eventually put Alamoti over.

There is no question Cronulla took another step this season, shaking their tag as being a team that feasts on lower-ranked opponents by showing they can compete with the big boys.

But it’s what they do with the experience of 2024 that will prove decisive in the Craig Fitzgibbon era, with a squad that has now been together for five seasons.

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