Cronulla in final

Press, 5 August 1983, Page 22

Cronulla in final

NZPA Sydney The financially embattled Cronulla-Sutherland has clinched a crack at $llB,OOO worth of KB Cup rugby league prize money — and it took a player who turned out for two seasons as an amateur to earn a place in the competition final. The former South Sydney lock forward, Greg Nixon, who spent two seasons playing as an amateur to preserve his State water polo claims, had a hand in two Sharks tries as Cronulla swept to an enthralling 12-10 semi-final win over Eastern Suburbs at Leichhardt Oval. Nixon set up the fullback, Andrew Ettingshausen, in the thirty-first minute and Ettingshausen kicked through for the wing, Chris Gardner, to score. Gardner’s unconverted touch-down brought Cronulla back from an 8-4 deficit as it battled a heavily lopsided penalty count.

The referee, Barry Barnes, penalised the Sharks, 16-10, and Cronulla struggled through 21 minutes without a penalty in the first half. Nixon had a hand in Cronulla’s match-winning try in the fifty-fifth minute when his grubber kick popped up into the hands of the centre, Steve Anderson, who scored. That put the Sharks ahead, 12-8, ana they clung grimly to their lead throughout the last quarter. Eastern Suburbs drew first blood with a Mike Eden penalty goal in the fifth minute when the referee ruled Cronulla off-side. However, six minutes later, Gardner took a poor pass from Roosters’ lock Kevin Hastings and ran 60 metres to score. Eastern Suburbs’ halfback, Alan Neil, struck back for his side when he took a pass from the second rower, John Mackay, who drew three defenders on the Cronulla 10metre line.