Cronulla beats Melbourne amid storm over penalties, Rabbits beat Dogs
Cronulla Sharks have upset Melbourne 14-4 in one of the most dour affairs of the NRL season, marred by a massive penalty count.
The Sharks rattled the premiers from start to finish but the wash-up will centre on referees Matt Cecchin and Alan Shortall who blew 30 penalties.
On another three occasions Storm players were marched 10 metres for back-chat.
External Link: Sharks v Storm summary
The game — which ended on a sour note with both sides grappling with each other and squaring up as the cheerleaders celebrated the Sharks' win 30 metres away — will place further scrutiny on NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg and referees boss Bernie Sutton and their crackdown on infringements.
The game was a stop-start affair with the Storm failing to cross for a try despite the home side giving away 14 penalties.
Both sides were frustrated by persistent whistleblowing and referee Cecchin finally ran out of patience when he sin-binned Storm skipper Cameron Smith for dissent.
External Link: Sharks v Storm chalkboard
Smith was last year mockingly labelled "referee Cameron Smith" by Sharks coach Shane Flanagan and the 13,196-strong crowd was whipped into a frenzy when he was banished to the sheds for back chat.
Centre Will Chambers was also put on report for a grapple tackle late in the game.
The Sharks ran out winners after a try-less second half with three Chad Townsend penalty goals and a Joe Stimson penalty goal the only times the scoreboard attendant was bothered during the second stanza.
External Link: Sharks v Storm stats
The home side went to half-time up 8-2 despite having Luke Lewis sin-binned for 10 minutes midway through the first-half and being on the end of a 10-5 penalty count in the first 40.
The only try of the game came when Jesse Ramien showed incredible pace to get on the outside of Curtis Scott and Josh Addo-Carr and popped a flick pass for Edrick Lee.
The Sharks were without strike weapons Matt Moylan (knee) and Josh Dugan (leg) but showed strong defensive resolve to keep the Storm try-less and collect the win.
AAP
Rabbits just get the points over the Dogs
South Sydney Rabbitohs have scored twice in the final five minutes to claim a controversial four-point NRL win over Canterbury in their annual Good Friday clash.
The Rabbitohs were trailing 16-10 at the Olympic stadium when Hymel Hunt crossed in the 75th minute to give the home side a sniff.
Rookie playmaker Adam Doueihi thought he blew a chance to force golden point when he missed the tricky conversion but Cameron Murray sliced through two minutes later to stun the crowd of 32,471.
But the Bulldogs are certain to feel aggrieved over a contentious first-half try to Greg Inglis that forced lead referee Ben Cummins to apologise to captain Josh Jackson.
Cummins pulled Jackson out in the 34th minute to warn him over repeated penalties inside their 20-metre line, but allowed play to resume despite the forward still moving back into the defensive line.
External Link: Rabbitohs v Bulldogs summary
The Rabbitohs spread the ball on the first play and Inglis powered over a retreating Jackson to cut a 12-0 deficit to six, with Cummins apologising to the Bulldogs skipper.
"I'm sorry Josh, I didn't realise," he was heard saying after the try.
Rubbing salt into the wound for the Bulldogs is a suspected broken jaw to full-back Moses Mbye, while prop Aiden Tolman failed to finish the match after picking up an ankle injury.
The Rabbitohs also face a nervous wait, with star forward Sam Burgess on report for striking Josh Morris with his arm on a regulation carry in the second half.
External Link: Rabbitohs v Bulldogs chalkboard
Winger Robert Jennings was also forced off with concussion.
The match started ominously for the Bulldogs, who lost Mbye following a sickening head collision with Jennings in the sixth minute.
But they wasted no time showing their resiliency, posting first points when Brett tapped a Jeremy Marshall-King kick back into the path of looping brother Josh a minute later.
With Mbye injured, Foran took over the kicking duties and applied some reverse swing on a sideline conversion that any cricket team would be proud of.
External Link: Rabbitohs v Bulldogs stats
The Rabbitohs blew a chance to hit back when Burgess ran around brother Thomas on his way to the tryline, and the Bulldogs brothers made them pay not long after.
A blindside run by Will Hopoate ended in Brett finding space along the touchline and the veteran winger again found his twin for his third try in two weeks.
Incredibly, Foran's conversion from in front this time went under the crossbar.
South Sydney eventually got one back but only after taking advantage of a retreating Jackson following his conversation with the referee for repeated infringements.
AAP
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