A 75th-minute penalty goal from James Maloney has taken Cronulla to a memorable 16-14 comeback win over Canberra and within one game of the NRL grand final.
Maloney kept dreams of a maiden premiership alive on Saturday evening when he calmly broke a 14-14 deadlock with a 25-metre shot after Raiders second-rower Elliot Whitehead was pinged for a high tackle.
It was a brave effort from the Sharks, who had captain Paul Gallen ruled out on game day with a back injury and then lost second-rower Wade Graham seven minutes into the match.
The Sharks were also down 12-0, but came back strongly through the second half of the match.
Final score:
Canberra Raiders 14
Cronulla Sharks 16
The Canberra Raiders host the Cronulla Sharks in the first week of the 2016 NRL finals series in what should be a cracking game. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 5.35pm (AEST).
For the Raiders, it will be their first taste of finals football since 2012. Many believe this squad has a great chance to break Canberra’s 22-year premiership drought.
Both teams have travelled vastly different paths in finishing 2nd and 3rd on the ladder. The Raiders have earned second spot and enter the finals on the back of 10 straight wins, while the Sharks have only won one of their last six matches.
A draw with the Titans in Round 21 broke Cronulla’s incredible 15-match winning streak during the season. It started their late-season form slump, with the Raiders beating them 30-14 in their next match. But the finals are a new competition.
Both Cronulla hooker Michael Ennis and Canberra fullback Jack Wighton escaped penalty after being reported for shoulder charges during last week’s final round of the regular season.
Sharks’ coach Shane Flanagan has made one change to the team that lost to the Storm in Melbourne last week, with centre Ricky Leutele returning and Gerard Beale dropping back to the bench.
Canberra five-eighth Blake Austin is still unavailable with a hand injury, but he’ll likely be back for week 2 or 3 of the finals series. Sam Williams will once again take his place.
The winner of this qualifying final will earn a week off next week. The loser will play the winner of tomorrow’s elimination final between Penrith and Canterbury next week.
Prediction
The Raiders have scored more points than any other team in the NRL this season, averaging 28 per match. If they can manage that again, they’ll win the game.
Expect the Cronulla defence to come out firing though, the big match experience of players like Gallen, Ennis, Lewis and Maloney will be invaluable.
Canberra by 4 points.
Join The Roar at 5:35pm AEST for live score updates and debate in our live blog.
Realist1975
Guest
Personally I would love to see either a Pathers Vs Sharks GF game or a Raiders vs Sharks GF. Canberra are a huge team and the Sharks looked so small out there. It was a great battle. Given the differences I knew we had a good chane of winning if we were close with 15 to go. Btw Flanagan needs credit for benching Townsend. Big call and a great decision as the pressure was getting to him.
Doogs
Guest
It does. Even though I was going for the Raiders I just loved the game and admired how the Sharks hung in. No sour grapes at all and wish them well
Doogs
Guest
Prior was 10 from 10. Great game and I don't even like the Sharks
Doogs
Guest
Maybe so Ian. I was going for the Raiders but I really admired how the Sharks hung in. Baptiste was going for a penalty. Sharks were on the rack. He was better to pass the ball out because Sharks were still coming back onside. To put your faith in getting a penalty is not always the best. I wish he had flung it out wide. I thought it was a selfish play and given his time again he would have played it differently. But a great match and my favourite game of the weekend even though I had the least interest. Hope to see more of it
Ian
Guest
That bombed try was where Baptiste ran into a bunch of offside defenders and the refs ignored it, like they ignored the Sharks being offside all night except the first 20 minutes, ie the bit where the Raiders were on top. They then changed the momentum of the game by ignoring offside for the rest of the game.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Hey Renegade. Yeah - it was a great game - the sort of game where no team was really on top and no team was going to score lots of tries. Can't say I was really disappointed in the end - the Raiders had won ten in a row and only lost that one by two - still had a chance in the last minute - and they gave it everything they had. Don't begrudge the Sharks the win - either side would have deserved it. And I don't think the Raiders will lose any admirers. Just had a look at the replay - Ennis was stirring up the crowd at the end of the game imitating the Viking clap - typical - he loves to get under peoples skins - but I guess I can live with it. Hoping a few Raiders players will tuck those images away in their memory banks. Loved the Viking clap - really adds to the atmosphere. And yes - I really hope Hodgson and Austin will be fit for next week. We'll need them both. Haven't heard any injury reports on Hodgson - he was killing it before he went off and I suspect the result may have been different if he'd played the whole match. Always lots of what ifs in sport.
Jono
Guest
Just read up on what they did. A Viking clap and a 'shush'. That's pretty much nothing, annoying, but nothing. In fact it is next to Saintly compared to some of the other stuff a number of Shark players get up to.
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's getting tiring isn't it?
Renegade
Roar Guru
Must have been an awesome atmosphere to be apart of Geoff. Hopefully it's the same type of turn out next weekend! I believe Austin is a certainty for next week, don't know how bad Hodgson's injury was though.
Jara W
Guest
Riled up the home crowd with some banter. I loved it! Certainly didn't think they overstepped the mark.
AGO74
Guest
Sorry Geoff - I realise you are disappointed and fair enough but re bird and ennis at the end it really wasn't that bad. We cry poor at the lack of personalities in game but then when players do something out of box they are lambasted....
Jono
Guest
Seen a few comments about Bird and others. What did they do?
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Well the Raiders were in front for much of the match but couldn't quite get the job done. I was there and despite being up 12-0 never felt as though we were on top of the Sharks. The try by Pryor just before half time proved decisive. Credit to the Sharks - they hung in there and never went away. Losing Hodgson hurt the Raiders badly but the Sharks were also without Gallen and lost Graham. The Raiders need to regroup and hope that Hodgson and Austin are fit if they want to progress further. No dramas with the refs. Poor form by Bird and a few other Sharks at the end of the game which lost them a bit of respect.
Jono
Guest
Not sure what your point is or what it has to do with my comment. I said the Sharks went on with it in the second and deserved to win.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Yep.
baz
Guest
Jono You look at the raiders try one was an intercept and the other was a fluke one where he looses the ball forward and regains it. I know fluke trys count but sharks esp in second half looked more dangerous with the ball Raiders also bommbed a try where if they had of spread the ball they score yet they took it one out where the few cronulla defenders were. Also lucky with the first no try.
Renegade
Roar Guru
Matty Prior was unbelievable... His had a terrific year but he went beast mode in a game where all the talk was about the raiders front row!
Cugel
Roar Rookie
Pretty lacklustre stuff, we just did not play any footy at all, Sharks did most of what passed for attacking play on the night. We were lucky to get a couple of nothing tries.
baz
Guest
Just wanna say that the ref's got a really bad call wrong where 2 players go up for the ball and the defender falls over. Basically if they think both calls are right they are seriously out of touch and limiting the ability to be able to make a contest of the ball.
John Coomer
Roar Guru
Thanks for joining me on tonight’s coverage, hope you enjoyed it. Feel free to leave your comments, and make sure you switch over now to the live Roar blog of the Melbourne/North Queensland qualifying final from AAMI Park.