NRL: Dragons beat Sharks to steal Gasnier show

Mark Gasnier of the Dragons leaves the field after playing his final game at WIN Jubilee Oval. Photo / Getty Images

It was meant to be Mark Gasnier's farewell to WIN Jubilee Oval, but the return from injury of partner in crime Matt Cooper stole the show as St George Illawarra demolished Cronulla 38-8 in Monday night's NRL clash.

Cooper, who had last played in round 13 before missing four games with a fractured eye socket, set the tone for the Dragons' first half mauling of the Sharks with his side's first try in just the fourth minute with the first touch of his return.

Gasnier, playing his final match at Kogarah, played little part as his side showed who was boss by running in four first half tries on its way to a crushing 24-0 lead at the break.

While the NSW centre announced last week he would call it quits at year's end, Cooper will play on and proved a constant handful all night in front of 16,879 fans.

The Dragons scored six tries to two with Brett Morris, Michael Weyman, Jake Marketo, Jamie Soward and Jon Green joining Cooper, and Soward booting seven from seven.

The Sharks rallied briefly early in the second half, with Josh Cordoba and Colin Best bagging tries but it was never going to be enough to continue what had been a four-game winning streak.

Further souring the night for Cronulla, winger Matthew Wright was stretchered off early in the second half with a neck injury, while inspirational captain Paul Gallen injured a calf muscle.

Wright was taken to hospital as a precaution but Sharks officials were confident the injury was not serious.

The premiers simply blew the Sharks off the park with four unanswered tries on the back of a mass of possession in the first 40 minutes, making the Sharks' recent revival and round two 16-10 win over Wayne Bennett's men seem like distant memories.

Cooper's early opener was followed by Morris' five minutes later, which came after a superb offload from backrower Ben Creagh and, when Weyman crashed through the tackle of former teammate Jeremy Smith, it was 18-0 after 18 minutes.

Marketo latched onto a clever offload from halfback Nathan Fien two minutes before halftime to have the Sharks in a seemingly hopeless position.

Cronulla got some hope when Cordoba crashed through Cooper to score seven minutes after the break and Best capitalised on a long ball from Wade Graham seven minutes later to make it 24-8.

But late tries to Soward and Green ensured the Dragons went back into third place with a win achieved without injured stars Ben Hornby, backrower Beau Scott and hooker Dean Young.

Gasnier said much of the emotion had been taken out of his final appearance at the ground also graced by his famous uncle Reg by his pre-season decision to retire.

But he was also unaware of new NRL rules meaning home finals can no longer be played at suburban grounds.

"I guess I can understand where they're coming from," a surprised Gasnier said.

"In France (rugby union) they had a lot of success moving it to the bigger grounds.

"But at the end of the day it kind of defeats the purpose of a home semi-final."

He praised stand-in skipper Cooper, who turned 32 earlier this year.

"While it was a bit disappointing not to touch much ball, when they're playing like that down there you can only sit back and admire it," he said.

Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said his side could bounce back in Saturday's home clash with Newcastle.

"We're definitely still in this competition," he said.

- AAP