NRL: Brookvale hoodoo continues for Sharks

Chris Heighington of the Sharks is lifted into a heavy tackle by Anthony Watmough and Brenton Lawrence of the Sea Eagles. Photo / Getty Images.

Cronulla's Brookvale Oval hoodoo has continued, after they were thumped 24-4 at the iconic venue by Manly on Sunday.

In an emphatic response to their poor effort against Wests Tigers last week, the Sea Eagles blew Cronulla off the park early in the NRL round six fixture and the Sharks never recovered.

The visitors have now won just five games in 37 starts at Brookvale.

Jorge Taufua was almost unstoppable in the first half in his first game of the year after recovering from a shoulder injury, as he put up his hand for a place in Laurie Daley's NSW side.

A Taufua bust laid on Steve Matai's opener in the third minute and then he scored one himself in the 21st minute with Brett Stewart throwing the final pass.

In between Brenton Lawrence scored his own four-pointer after racing 25m after latching onto a looping Stewart pass.

Taufau's try put the home side ahead 16-0. Matai then added to that for his double, his fourth of the year, in the 33rd minute

The game was all but over in the 54th minute when Peta Hiku crossed after toeing ahead a Stewart offload, putting the Sea Eagles ahead 24-0.

Hiku moved onto the right wing for Taufua with former Kangaroos flyer David Williams dropped.

Glenn Stewart was solid in his return from an ankle problem as the game deteriorated as a spectacle the later it got into the second half.

Todd Carney was disappointing for the Sharks as he looked to put his State of Origin claims forward, while Andrew Fifita also struggled.

Cronulla have won just one of their first six games, a 37-6 round five defeat of the troubled Warriors.

The Sharks finally registered on the scoreboard when Wade Graham grounded a Jeff Robson kick that Hiku failed to grab in the 80th minute.

-AAP