A week after Kurt Gidley produced a one-man demolition job on Penrith, Sharks coach Ricky Stuart revealed that shutting down Newcastle's multi-talented maestro was the key to Cronulla's victory at Toyota Stadium.

Gidley was still his usual bundle of energy on Saturday night, carrying the ball 157 metres and handling it 103 times, more than any other player in the match.

He also made six tackles, a couple of them try-savers, but was unable to carve up the Sharks with line breaks from dummy half, as he did so effectively against the Panthers.

"If you practise and talk about something all week and the players execute it, of course, as a coach, you're happy," Stuart said.

"It's a tough job controlling someone like Kurt Gidley.

"He's a world-class player, and to be able to control him is a big factor in being able to win a game of footy against Newcastle especially when he has so many touches and he plays two positions.

"You have to be able to find out whether he's going to be on the edge sweep, at the back of a play, or whether he's going to be coming out of dummy-half, or is he playing No.7.

"It's not just physically tough, it's mentally difficult for the players . . . I was just happy with the way they controlled him."

Meanwhile, Stuart spoke out in defence of Cronulla skipper Paul Gallen after he was penalised three times and also placed on report for a high tackle on Cooper Vuna.

"He is working towards becoming a better captain, and I've got all the confidence in the world that is going to happen," Stuart said.

"I've got no dramas at all with Gall being captain of this football team, because I want him to be captain and every player wants him to be captain."

Gallen, who made a game-high 170m in attack and 21 tackles in 80 minutes, admitted he was frustrated with his treatment from referee Tony Archer.

"I think I'm probably targeted a little bit," he said. "I've probably built that reputation so I've probably only got myself to blame for it.

"I'm doing my best to curb my ways and get a better relationship with the referees.