Craig Fitzgibbon insists Cronulla’s season is not in a critical condition, despite the Sharks slumping to their fifth defeat in six games with a 20-16 loss to Gold Coast. After again starting slowly and finding themselves 14-0 down just after halftime, the Sharks clawed back to within four points late on Friday night. But ultimately they were unable to make up enough ground to claim victory in Coffs Harbour, as the lowly ranked Titans held on for their fifth win of 2024.
Royce Hunt dropped a ball just short of the tryline, Jack Williams fumbled another on attack, and Nicho Hynes had a ball for Jesse Ramien called forward. Fitzgibbon was also left to question why Will Kennedy was denied, when he put a ball down on Titans fullback Keano Kini’s outstretched leg and foot. “I didn’t know you were allowed to lead with your feet,” Fitzgibbon said. “Nicho’s forward pass ... didn’t know it was a forward pass, but it’s happened a few weeks in a row now.