Sharks teammates encourage Ronaldo Mulitalo to target Nawaqanitawase

Cronulla players have encouraged Ronaldo Mulitalo to be at his niggling best on Saturday night, saying they thrive on watching – and listening to – the winger getting under rivals’ skin.

Mulitalo and Sydney Roosters winger Mark Nawaqanitawase staged one of the best running battles of the season in June, and the Cronulla flyer was peppered by journalists on the weekend about a rematch.

“This time of the year is about being selfless, not worrying about my own agendas; I think there’s no time for my bullshit,” Mulitalo said, before quickly adding: “When I cross the white line, all sanity goes out [the window].”

As Mulitalo cooled his heels with a dip in the ocean on a brilliant Monday morning in the Shire, teammates hoped his mouth was running red-hot at Allianz Stadium in the sudden-death semi-final after last Saturday’s 26-16 elimination final win over the Cowboys.

“It was two competitors going hard at it last time – two great wingers in our game – hopefully Ronnie can get one over him and give us some energy,” star playmaker Nicho Hynes said.

Prop Addin Fonua-Blake added: “Ronnie goes out there constantly and puts his balls on the line every week, and wears his heart on his sleeve. That’s why I respect him so much. He says it how it is, then he goes to the fight.

“He gets me up a lot when I see him go toe to toe with the best. We’ll need his energy this week.

“I’m usually going through the wringer and don’t have the energy to breathe [in the middle], but sometimes you hear him and you think, ‘That was a good one’.

“Marky and the Roosters have had the last laugh the last two times. This weekend we need to control our energy and make it a contest.”

Centre KL Iro plays inside Mulitalo on the left edge and has the best view when it comes to the New Zealand international antagonising his rivals.

“That night against the Roosters, they were both going at it, and I tried to settle them both down,” Iro said. “I’m always in the middle of it all. I’m a quiet guy.

“But Ronnie brings that huge energy for us. When he came back into our squad this year [after injury], which was Magic Round against the Bulldogs, he made a massive difference – he’s that ball of energy we need. We feed off that. He’s one of the best wingers in the world who knows what he needs to do.”

The 26-year-old Mulitalo said after the round-16 clash with Nawaqanitawase: “I can’t remember the last game that everyone watched two wingers have a crack at it. We had to put some respect on the wingers and show that we can get into the rumble as well.

“You know I’m not scared of anything. I put my nuts on the line, put my everything on the line to get out there and give you guys a show.

“It’s a gentleman’s game, it’s a rough man’s game, and after 80 minutes if you’re still carrying on, you’re a cry baby. It was a good contest.”

Mulitalo was praised by coach Craig Fitzgibbon on the weekend for showing some restraint when fellow antagonist and North Queensland hooker Reed Mahoney was doing his best to put him off his game.

Meanwhile, Fonua-Blake was keen for the battle up front against top of the props Naufahu Whyte.

“He’s probably been the best prop in the game this year,” Fonua-Blake said. “He’s been outstanding. Every time I play, I want to play against the best, and Naufahu is the best.”

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