Sharks

Jaydn Su’A was binned for the second week in a row and it cost the Dragons dearly.

Su’A was controversially given his marching order for a late hit on Panthers halfback Sean O’Sullivan last week.

This time it was a high shot on Sharks star recruit Dale Finucane and Su’a was put on report for the 16th minute incident.

But not everyone was convinced he deserved the sanction which which proved a game-changing moment.

Sharks centre Jesse Ramien was binned in the 73rd minute for a high shot on Dragons forward Jack Gosiewski - but the score was already 36-6.

It looked for all money like Canberra had brought back the Faders tag when they coughed up an 18-6 lead to trail 19-18 with less than five minutes to go after Matt Moylan kicked his first field goal since 2016.

It brought back memories of last year’s constant heartbreaks when they blew seven double-digit leads to eventually miss the finals.

But perhaps the Green Machine has turned a new leaf this season because they lifted in the face of adversity to snatch back the lead at the death when Young fought through some flimsy defence to send Ricky Stuart into raptures.

Ennis admits playmaker Shaun Johnson will be a big loss, but in coach Craig Fitzgibbon and star recruits Nicho Hynes, Dale Finucane and Cameron McInnes, brought to the club on deals worth a combined $6.3 million, he believes the Sharks can rediscover their DNA.

“Shaun Johnson contributed a lot as a ballplayer there is no doubt about that,” Ennis told Foxsports.com.au

“But in terms of the overall squad, I think the inclusions of Cameron McInnes, Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes are enormous for them.

The Eels are level on points with the Melbourne Storm, just a point behind the table-topping Penrith Panthers, who the Warriors play this Friday.

The Titans earlier beat the North Queensland Cowboys 30-10 on the Gold Coast to now be the top ranked side in the state.

They're up to 13th, just ahead of the Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos.

Photo NRL 

The Sharks beat the North Queensland Cowboys 26-16 in Townsville on Saturday night.

But the result did not come without some worrying pre-match moments for the visitors, who scored five tries to three on their way to victory.

Six Sharks players, including Kiwis halfback Shaun Johnson, failed pre-game temperature checks, putting their participation in the game in doubt.

All six were eventually cleared to play after passing a subsequent second test.

Earlier on Saturday, Parramatta scored a controversial 19-16 win over Manly.

The Sharks lost Fifita barely seven minutes into their Magic Round win over the Titans and Prior not long after.

But veteran skipper Paul Gallen lifted in the pair's absence along with big contributions from bench forwards Brayden Hamlin-Uele, Jack Williams and Jayson Bukuya to overturn an 18-10 halftime deficit to run home 26-18 winners over an ill-disciplined Gold Coast at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.

Johnson will play his first game for the Sharks against Newcastle on Friday night, after he was released by the Warriors in an ugly split at the end of last year.

His pick up couldn't have come at a better time for Cronulla, who lost their biggest attacking weapon in Holmes last November.

Holmes led the Sharks last season for tries, linebreaks, tackle busts and running metres, hitting his best just as Cronulla made a run to the preliminary final.

"I think what he brings to the side is a bit of X-factor which we lost with Val," Morris said of Johnson.

Down 18-0 after 30 minutes on Friday night, the Panthers mounted a memorable fightback but fell agonisingly short in front of 19,211 at Allianz Stadium.

A 75th-minute field goal to Sharks halfback Chad Townsend proved decisive as rival playmaker Nathan Cleary hooked his attempt to level the contest soon after.

The Sharks now meet arch-rivals Melbourne at AAMI Park next Friday night in what shapes as a mouth-watering preliminary final.

Due to All Blacks commitments Damian McKenzie, Brodie Retallick, Anton Leinert-Brown and Nathan Harris have returned to New Zealand following last week's win over the Stormers in Cape Town.

Add to that the injury toll the chiefs have suffered and they're without a total of 20 players for the match.

In the forwards, Liam Polwart starts at hooker for Harris, Tyler Ardron moves to lock in place of Retallick and Pita Gus Sowakula gets a start in the number eight jersey.

The hosts scored five tries to two in a dominant performance, notching the biggest win in their rivalry and the second-largest over any New Zealand side.

Fullback Curwin Bosch and second five-eighth Andre Esterhuizen led a compelling display on attack for the Sharks, who also strangled the Highlanders at the breakdown.

The home side held sway at scrum time, exacerbated by a Kings Park turf which broke up badly.

Their fourth win from 10 was comfortably their best and lifts the Sharks just inside the top eight with six games to play.