Warriors’ finals hopes ended as Sharks lock in top-eight spot with thrilling win

The Sharks are finals bound after defeating the Warriors 22-14 with a thrilling finish to end the Warriors’ finals hopes and lock in the top eight.

It was a brutal 80 minutes of fight between two teams who knew their seasons were on the line.

MATCH CENTRE: Sharks vs Warriors score, updates, video

After missing last week through injury, try-scoring machine Sione Katoa returned doing what he does best. The nifty winger scored the opening try but it was star playmaker Shaun Johnson, who was also returning from injury, that was most impressive.

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Johnson showed exactly why he leads the competition in try assists as he put in a perfectly weighted kick for Katoa to collect and score.

Johnson then later backed it up with some solid defence. Warriors half Chanel Harris-Tavita looked sure to score until Johnson’s tackle forced an error.

It was all about Cronulla’s No.7 as Johnson set up the Sharks’ second try, again off a perfectly weighted kick. Johnson put the grubber in for Josh Dugan who took an air swing at it, but not to worry because Ronaldo Mulitalo was there to ground the ball and get a four-pointer.

Mid-season recruit Jack Murchie got the Warriors on the board with an important try two minutes before half time. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck put on a bit of razzle dazzle footwork before offloading to Murchie who dived over.

The Warriors were first to get over in the second half after capitalising off three consecutive penalties when Peta Hiku threw a sneaky no-look flick pass to Adam Pompey who crossed in the corner. Harris-Tavita nailed the conversion to lock up scores 12-all.

Harris-Tavita was terrific on the boot under pressure and he once again delivered the goods. The 21-year-old nailed a long-range penalty goal to take his team out to the lead with 15 minutes to go.

As the clock ticked down, the intensity went up a notch.

The Warriors were hindered by a bad cork to playmaker Kodi Nikorima’s arm and a calf complaint for Tuivasa-Sheck but with their season on the line, the duo pushed on. Then Hiku was taken from the field after he came off second best in a brutal clash with Cronulla’s Siosifa Talakai.

The Sharks smelt blood in the water and went for it. Sharks’ big man Toby Rudolf, who recently turned his back on a deal with the Warriors, crashed over with pure determination to score his first NRL try and snatch back the lead.

They doubled down and Mulitalo scored the match-winner with two minutes left on the clock to win the game 22-14.

Re-live the action live in the blog below. If you can’t see it, click here.