Whereas his Melbourne group heaped extra finals distress on Cronulla, coach Craig Bellamy rapidly declared Penrith are nonetheless the group to beat for the NRL premiership.
On the again of a Harry Grant hat-trick, minor premiers Melbourne consigned the Sharks to their seventh-straight finals loss with a 37-10 victory on Saturday.
The margin was better than Penrith’s 30-10 win over the Sydney Roosters on Friday however Bellamy fortunately handed title favouritism to the three-peat champions.
“With Nathan Cleary coming again, that is clearly an enormous plus for [Penrith],” Bellamy stated.
“Everybody is aware of they’re the group to beat, successful three premierships in a row, that is not simple to do.”
The qualifying remaining win earned Melbourne a preliminary remaining berth and every week off, whereas Cronulla subsequent weekend will face the victor from the North Queensland versus Newcastle elimination remaining.
Melbourne’s 27-point win seemed shaky at half-time when the Sharks scored with seconds remaining till the break to cut back their deficit to 4 factors.
Bellamy stated he felt “deflated” strolling into the change-room at half-time however realised his group nonetheless felt in management.
“The gamers did not appear too involved about it and within the second half, they accomplished one hell of a job,” he stated.
“We dominated possession, and clearly with that area place, after which the factors got here.
“We could be actually pleased with what we did.”
Cronulla appeared to haven’t any solutions for the Storm onslaught with coach Craig Fitzgibbon saying the house facet was on a special stage.
“We have been simply starved of area place they usually had an vitality about them the place they seemed like they have been working downhill … they performed very well,” Fitzgibbon stated.
Sharks skipper Cameron McInnes stated they’d be able to go once more subsequent weekend.
“There is a large alternative forward of us and all the things’s there,” the lock stated.
“You clearly need to win and go the shorter route [to a preliminary final], however groups would kill to be right here, so no complacency or little doubt and damaging vitality.”
AAP
