THE season-opening Railcon Season Launch Shield clash at Cec Glenholmes Oval has produced one of the most controversial matches in years, with three players sent off and two sin-binned during a fiery clash.
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The Shellharbour City Sharks won the game 44-16 against a plucky Warilla-Lake South Gorillas, however only really got on top midway through the second half when the weight of numbers took over.
These games are traditionally tough, but it only took eight minutes for the game to erupt when the first player was sent off when Gorillas captain Aaron Henry was given an early shower after an alleged shoulder charge went wrong, leaving Sharks lock Brad Chapman with a badly damaged ear that ended his day.
The Sharks then conceded the first try of the day when they let a high kick bounce and Gorillas centre Tyson swooped to race over. Chad Lisch converted for the home side to lead 6-0.
Unfased, the Sharks hit straight back when five-eighth Cole Skelly slipped through the defence and centre Zac Hill dived over. Half Matt Carroll converted to level the scores.
This gave the Sharks confidence and they peppered the Warilla line and resulted in two soft tries to prop Dylan McGregor giving them breathing space going into halftime, but more drama followed.
With halftime fast approaching a scruffle erupted resulting in Warilla being reduced to 11 for the remainder of the game when back-rower Joel Skeates was sent off and their five-eighth Ben Cotter and Sharks’ Garrett Field went to the sin-bin.
The Gorillas struck first after the break when classy halfback Josh Kent sliced through the defence to score near the posts to close the gap to six, before McGregor went over for his hat-trick and from that point it was a matter of how far the Sharks as they rammed home the two-person advantage.
The Sharks were reduced to 12 late in the game when replacement Todd Price made a less-than-ideal debut after leaving Albion Park Eagles in the off-season when he was sent off on a touch judges report.
In a solid Sharks performance McGregor backed up his hat-trick against Picton in a recent trial with another treble, Matt Carroll, Brock Skelly and Hans Schuster all played well.
Josh Kent, Chad Lisch and Mark Walsh tried hard to lift the under-manned Gorillas.
The win also secured the annual Jarrod Morgan Shield for the Sharks.