Burton's brilliance seals 'thrilling' golden point victory
Matt Burton has emerged the hero for his Bulldogs side after slotting a golden point field goal to defeat the Sharks 15-14.
The five-eighth missed two attempts in normal time but made it count in the 83rd minute, hitting the upright before it went over.
"Matt Burton stands up ... he's such a sweet striker of the ball," Andrew Johns said on Nine.
Post-game, Burton described the game as a "thriller" before revealing he thought he'd sealed it earlier.
Matt Burton celebrates his field goal.
"I thought I nailed that second one, it was going straight and then just drifted across the top but when I got that third chance I couldn't miss," he told Nine.
The match started with the Bulldogs on fire as Viliame Kikau and Reed Mahoney made it 12-0 inside 13 minutes.
Cronulla kept themselves in the game when Briton Nikora opened the scoring for his side with the Bulldogs leading 12-6 at half-time.
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Sione Katoa then put his side in striking distance when he scored in the corner before Nicho Hynes missed the conversion.
The Sharks then hit the lead when Braydon Trindall went over in the 62nd minute. However, Hynes missed the kick again and it was 14-12.
Toby Rudolf then gifted the Bulldogs a penalty right in front with four minutes to go after holding Bailey Hayward off the ball.
"I think he's been hooked," Andrew Johns said on Nine.
Burton then added the extras to make it 14-14.
The five-eighth missed two field goals before full time.
Hynes had first crack in golden point, gifted an opportunity 15 metres out and right in front. However, he hooked it to the left.
Johns described it as a "sitter" post-match.
Burton then didn't make another mistake, slotting home the winner.