Cronulla Sharks vs Canberra Raiders highlights: Raiders win 30-14

Roar Guru

6th August, 2016

8235 Reads

Kickoff: 5:30pm (AEST)
Venue: Southern Cross Group Stadium
TV: Live, Fox Sports
Last meeting: Cronulla 40 – 16 Canberra
Head-to-head: Cronulla 19, Canberra 14
Betting: Cronulla $1.53, Canberra $2.55
Last five rounds: Cronulla WWWWD, Canberra WWByeWW

Cronulla Sharks
1. Ben Barba 2. Sosaia Feki 3. Jack Bird 4. Gerard Beale 5. Valentine Holmes 6. James Maloney 7. Chad Townsend 8. Andrew Fifita 9. Michael Ennis 10. Sam Tagataese 11. Luke Lewis 12. Wade Graham 13. Paul Gallen
Interchange: 14. Joseph Paulo 15. Chris Heighington 16. Matt Prior 17. Jason Bukuya

Canberra Raiders
1. Jack Wighton 2. Edrick Lee 3. Jarrod Croker 4. Joey Leilua 5. Jordan Rapana 6. Blake Austin 7. Aidan Sezer 8. Junior Paulo 9. Josh Hodgson 10. Shannon Boyd 11. Josh Papalii 12. Elliott Whitehead 13. Shaun Fensom
Interchange: 14. Adam Clydsdale 15. Luke Bateman 16. Iosia Soliola 17 Joseph Tapine

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The Sharks and Raiders line up for Round 2. (AAP Image/Lukas Coch)

John Coomer

Roar Guru

6th August, 2016

169

8235 Reads

Match result:

The Cronulla Sharks have coughed up their first loss in a very long time – going down by 16 points to the Canberra Raiders on Saturday.

» Click here to read the full match report

Final score
Sharks 14
Raiders 30

Match preview:

Ladder leaders the Cronulla Sharks host the third-placed Canberra Raiders in Round 22 in the Shire. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 5:30pm (AEST).

Cronulla’s 15-match winning streak may have come to an end, with the thrilling golden-point draw against the Titans at the Gold Coast last Monday night, but the fact remains they still haven’t been beaten since Round 3, against Manly.

That was way back in March.

Tonight they face a Canberra team full of confidence after their 54-4 demolition of South Sydney last weekend.

At the start of 2016, very few would have predicted the Sharks and Raiders would be in the top four with the finals only five weeks away. But a Cronulla win ensures they remain at the top of the ladder, while a victory for Canberra consolidates their top-four spot.

Sharks five-eighth Jimmy Moloney beat a dangerous contact charge at the judiciary during the week, allowing coach Shane Flanagan to name an unchanged line-up.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has been forced to make one change, with winger Edrick Lee out with a calf injury, replaced by his younger cousin Brenko Lee.

Canberra have the best attacking record in the NRL this season, but Cronulla have plenty of strike power of their own.

The Raiders will be keen to erase the memories of the last time the two teams met, back in Round 7 this year, when the Green Machine were thumped 40-16 in Canberra.

Prediction
The match will be an early preview of finals football and a great test of the Raiders’ credentials as a 2016 premiership contender.

Cronulla to win a close one at home.

Join The Roar at 5:30pm (AEST) for score updates and debate in our live blog.

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