Sharks coach Shane Flanagan has revealed he used fake stats during the week to motivate his players to a 20-6 victory over the Parramatta Eels an ANZ Stadium on Saturday.
After starting the season with one win from three starts, Flanagan brought his players together at the beginning of the week and gave them a lecture on why only some players were living up to the same statistical standards as last year.
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Maloney at niggling best in Sharks win
James Maloney was lucky o avoid a trip to the sin bin as the Sharks were too good for the Eels at Homebush.
The players were confused as Flanagan detailed a bunch of numbers as evidence to why they needed to lift their game.
Sharks captain Paul Gallen was so confused and concerned by what Flanagan had said he organised a meeting with the coach after training one afternoon to get the lowdown on what was going then.
As it turns out, it was Cronulla's very own version of fake news.
"I made it up," said Flanagan after his side's three tries to one victory over the Eels. "I said three of our players have reached their stats from last year. I threw out a couple of stats they weren't running as hard and not breaking as many tackles. I didn't research it and just made it up all the whole time.
"He [Gallen] came and had a meeting after training and asked: 'Where are these stats?'
It proved to work a treat as the return of star Eels halfback Corey Norman proved to be in vain for Parramatta as they succumbed to their second straight defeat.
There were high hopes Norman, who missed the Eels clash last week against the Titans, could reignite Parramatta's auspicious start to the season in the driver's seat at No.7.
The challenge of taking it to last year's premiers, however, proved a little too much for Brad Arthur's men as they were outclassed in a dull spectacle.
Norman was far from the Eels' worst but was upstaged where it mattered by Sharks five-eighth James Maloney, who scored a try of his own en route to racking up 12 of Cronulla's 20 points.
"Defensively we were outstanding," Flanagan said. "They threw a lot at us. We stood up to them and showed what we are about. That was us of last year."
The Sharks had an early scare when Maloney went down in back play in the third minute but he soldiered on in what was a sound performance that helped the men from the Shire to their second win from four starts.
It alleviated any fears they were nursing a premiership hangover but there were not enough signs to show they were title contenders at this early stage of the season.
Meanwhile, Parramatta blew a chance to go to outright second on the ladder and will rue an unusual number of ball carrying errors and defensive lapses more akin to Eels teams of the past few years.
"When you put that much effort into a game of footy you need to come away with a better result," Arthur said. "Completions were below 60 per cent and having to make an extra 70 tackles, we didn't give ourselves a chance. [There was] a lack of composure and patience."
Gallen was his usual workmanlike self, amassing 216 metres from 23 carries to go with 31 tackles from his 56 minutes on the field.
Both teams had just as much to play for, coming off disappointing losses last weekend when it looked like they were just getting their seasons kick-started.
Despite having favourable field position in the opening exchanges, it was Parramatta who conceded the opening four-pointer as Cronulla hooker Jayden Brailey dived over in the 10th minute.
It was an offload from Andrew Fifita that served up the Sharks' first points on a platter and if there was any concern Parramatta weren't switched on from the get-go, that was confirmed when they kicked out on the full from the restart.
Cronulla were proficient with their offloading game, while Parramatta were guilty of making too many handling errors , particularly deep in Sharks territory.
By half-time, they had made nine errors and that number inflated to 17 by the 80-minute mark.
By comparison, Cronulla made 16 errors but their scoreboard pressure allowed them to take risks in a second half which saw only eight points scored.
The frustration began to build and it looked like the Eels were trying too hard, as evidenced when the Sharks crossed for try number two.
Centre Ricky Leutele lured in four Parramatta defenders as he darted for the left corner before a ball out the back presented winger Sosaia Feki with a direct line and his sixth try in four matches against the Eels.
Just as Cronulla looked like going into the main break with a 12-point advantage, veteran David Gower scored a try to burst the Sharks' bubble and keep them within touching distance at 12-6.
Forwards carried harder in the second half and the game was brought to life when Maloney appeared to hit Bevan French around the chin.
However, it was that man Maloney though that extended the Sharks lead to 20-6, to go with his earlier penalty, in the 55th minute with his second try of the year.
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