Jett Cleary has sparkled on first-grade debut as the New Zealand Warriors moved into pole position for the minor premiership with a 46-32 victory over Newcasatle.
Newcastle prop Jacob Saifiti was sent off for a nasty high shot on Luke Laulilii as Jett Cleary received some special attention in his maiden NRL appearance, but the 21-year-old halfback held his nerve with three try assists in the win.
His father and brother, Penrith coach Ivan and captain Nathan, were both smiling from ear to ear as Jett became the first of them to win their first-grade debuts.
The Warriors’ win took them past the Panthers into top spot on the ladder heading into the final round of the season, albeit by just one point in for-and-against.
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At Western Sydney Stadium, the Sharks had their hopes of a top-four finish extinguished by a shock 38-18 loss to the Eels.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon said his team was clearly feeling the pressure ahead of the finals.
“There’s a difference between playing not to lose and playing the way I know we can play,” he said.
“I just think we’re uptight … and we’re playing teams with nothing to lose.
“We’ve got a lot on the line, we want to do well, we’ve been together a long time and it’s actually getting to us.
“We’re waiting for the semis, we’re not playing what’s in front of us.”
In the NRLW, the Tigers secured a maiden finals appearance with a thumping 44-14 victory over the Bulldogs, while the Warriors suffered a shock 22-18 defeat to the Dragons, and the Broncos dominated the Eels 44-10.
Look back at all the action in our live blog below, and check out all the stats in the full ScoreCentre.
NRL and NRLW live scores
And that’s where we’ll leave you
Another entertaining day of footy concludes with the top eight pretty well locked in.
We’ll be back for the final round of the season when I expect we will see some unrecognisable squads as teams rest players heading into finals.
Until then!
How the top eight looks
So, the finals picture becomes a little clearer as the penultimate round ends.
1st vs 2nd
The minor premiership will come down to who out of the Warriors and Panthers wins or wins by more points next week, tied on wins and with their for-and-against just one point apart.
The Warriors face Manly in Auckland on Saturday, so the Panthers will know what they have to do in the season-ending clash with the Tigers on Sunday from 4:05pm AEST.
3rd vs 4th
The Dolphins’ win over the Roosters yesterday took them even on wins and just four ahead of the Tricolours on for-and-against.
Both teams play on Friday, with the Dolphins facing the Titans on the Gold Coast before the Roosters take on rivals South Sydney.
5th to 8th
The Sharks are effectively locked into fifth spot and the Cowboys will be eighth. The Rabbitohs need to beat the Roosters to remain sixth, otherwise the Knights will leapfrog them with the two points from the bye.
Craig Fitzgibbon frustrated with ‘uptight’ Sharks
Craig Fitzgibbon says his team is struggling mentally and it’s affecting their performance heading into another finals campaign.
“[We were] flat. We got out-enthused and out-performed. We were never really in it.
“There’s a difference between playing not to lose and playing the way I know we can play. I just think we’re uptight … and we’re playing teams with nothing to lose.
“We’ve got a lot on the line, we want to do well, we’ve been together a long time and it’s actually getting to us.
“We’re waiting for the semis, we’re not playing what’s in front of us.”
Fitzgibbon also addresses his punching of the computer screen after Tom Hazelton was sent to the sin bin for a hip drop.
“You’d hit the screen if you were down 7-1 on penalties as well. When everyone’s livelihood’s on the line and you’re down 7-1 on penalties, you get frustrated.
“I shouldn’t have done that, to be fair.”
‘We got what we deserved’: Cam McInnes on Cronulla
The Sharks have now lost three of their past four games, with the only victory an unconvincing one over the Titans last week.
Tonight they completely missed the opening bell, were already trailing after 90 seconds and couldn’t get it back.
“Terrible start,” Cameron McInnes tells ABC Sport.
“At the moment we’re not coping with the six-agains, we’re dropping our heads. At periods this year we got stronger when they went against us.
“We got what we deserved.”
“It’s just attitude. Everyone wants to play tough but when that momentum goes against you you have to withstand that. We’ve got a bit of work to do.”
He says the top thing they need to fix is their intent, grit and resilience in defence.
“It’s as clear as day. Not good enough.”
FULL-TIME: Parramatta ends the Sharks’ top four dreams
Cronulla needed a lot to go right to make the top four, but it’s no longer even a mathematical chance as the Eels pull off a stunning upset.
The 13th-placed Eels win 38-18 and the Sharks, barring a massive loss to the Storm paired with a record victory for Souths over the Roosters next week, will finish fifth for the second straight year.
Another one for the road for Tallyn Da Silva
Sifa Talakai’s knock-on gives the Eels one more chance and Tallyn Da Silva scores off a trademark dummy-half sneak.
He stacked it as he tried to boot the ball into the stands on his previous try, and this time he scuffs it off the inside of his boot.
Junior Paulo with the miracle pass to seal the win!
Big Junior Paulo pokes his nose through the teeth of the defence and the reinforcements arrive but can only watch as he flings a brilliant offload out the back to Tallyn Da Silva to score under the posts.
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Mitchell Moses will kick the goal to make it 32-18 and seal the victory.
75′ Tom Hazelton is off to the bin for a hip drop
Ronald Volkman is down and yelps in pain as his foot is caught under big Tom Hazelton.
The bunker takes a look and Hazelton is off for 10 minutes.
Craig Fitzgibbon belts a monitor in the Cronulla coaches’ box.
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73′ Awful play by Brian Kelly
The Eels have the Sharks scrambling as they spin it right, but Ronaldo Mulitalo recovers to shut down Brian Kelly on the third.
Rather than take the tackle, Kelly grubbers and it’s cleaned up. The Sharks start the set right on their tryline, but the Eels miss out on two more potential plays with the ball in hand.
72′ Now the Eels get out the blowtorch
They’re peppering the Sharks’ line and Ronald Volkman flings a ball between his legs to Josh Addo-Carr, who tries a grubber.
He kicks it into Will Kennedy and the Eels challenge to see if Kennedy played at it.
I’m not sure he did, but the bunker says he did! Wow, another huge call to overturn the on-field decision.
69′ The Sharks are surging
The Eels can’t get past their 40m line.
The Sharks are storming back and over halfway on the second tackle.
A try here sets up a grandstand finish, but Will Kennedy knocks on as a high kick is batted back his way.
Now the Sharks are in
For the second time today, Sione Katoa dives in for a legitimate try just after the Sharks have one chalked off.
Another straightforward shift out to the right reaps rewards.
But pivotally it’s out wide instead of right next to the posts, and Nicho Hynes can’t convert from out there.
So the Sharks remain eight points in arrears.
63′ Addin Fonua-Blake is back on and scoring … or not
I thought his day was done when he went up the race after the hip drop from Junior Paulo, but the Sharks prop has returned and he’s scored!
He gets the ball just left of the posts with not much on, bumps Jack Williams, slips past Luca Moretti and goes through Apa Twidle to score.
But hang on, here’s the bunker.
Moretti has kept his hand under the ball and the on-field try is overturned!
Gee, it looked 50/50 to me, but the bunker saw enough.
Pure hustle earns the Sharks a try
Blayke Brailey belts what looks like a perfect 40/20, but it bounces up and back over the head of Apa Twidle.
The Eels fullback gets there in time to regather as Sifa Talakai bears down on him, but he’s brought down by Jesse Colquhoun and loses the ball as he’s hit by Briton Nikora.
Brailey has arrived and he scoops it up and beats Josh Addo-Carr to the tryline.
Twidle has his head in the turf and is cursing himself rotten, but Mitch Moses rushes over to him to tell him to keep his chin up. That’s a great display of leadership.
52′ Parramatta’s defence holds firm
The Sharks through Sione Katoa and Will Kennedy make a powerful start to the sets and get a restart midway through. Nicho Hynes gets away with an obstruction on the fourth and then, on the last, he hits Teig Wilton with a short ball and Mitch Moses crushes him to force the turnover.
44′ Sharks get away with blatant knock-on
Will Kennedy tries to pull his hands away from a bomb after letting it bounce, but it clearly hits his left wrist and goes forward. He charges forward and regathers, but there’s no whistle.
And the Sharks are suddenly on the attack.
41′ Eels kick off for the second half and the Sharks almost hand them a try!
Oregon Kaufusi offloads on the opening hit-up, straight into Blayke Brailey. Teancum Brown scoops the ball up and dives in, but he’s knocked on in picking up the ball.
The Eels get the scrum feed as Brailey knocked on.
What an awful performance this has been from the Sharks thus far.
The Clearys embrace Jett after his debut
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What a beautiful moment for this family of champions.
HALF-TIME: Sharks add a penalty goal to cut the Eels’ lead to 18
Parramatta has come out firing and leads 26-6 as the Sharks try one last play in the half. The whistle blows for a penalty against the Eels as the clock hits zero, and the Sharks decide to take the two points rather than try a final play.
The Eels lead by three converted tries as the teams hit the sheds.
dan