The Cronulla Sharks have surged into the NRL preliminary finals, while the Canberra Raiders have become just the second minor premier in the NRL era to have their season end in the second week of the finals.
Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes led from the front to guide his team to a 32-12 win at Canberra Stadium, setting up a preliminary final against the Melbourne Storm, in Melbourne, on Friday.
The Raiders were left shattered at full-time as their season came to an end, becoming the first minor premier to bow out of finals in straight sets since the 2009 St George Illawarra Dragons.
The Raiders were on top for much of the first half, before Hynes set up a try and scored one of his own in the final five minutes before the break.
Canberra was able to level the scores at 12-all early in the second half, but the Sharks lifted to score 20 unanswered points.
Raiders prop Josh Papalii told ABC Sport at full time, what was a successful year, was also a failure.
Papalii says he thought they started really well, all their hard work, trying to keep their back five in their corner, and he thought they did that.
He says they just couldn't kick on tonight, and that's what the Sharks can do if you give them enough ball.
In contrast, the Sharks will now prepare for a second preliminary final in as many years.
The Sharks were eliminated by the Penrith Panthers in 2024, but Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon was confident his team could continue their winning form next weekend.
Fitzgibbon says the boys are hungry, they're making the right choices and decisions and it's time for them to stand up.
He says they are playing Melbourne, in Melbourne, in six days, and that is a challenge, but they are ready for it.
The Sharks take on the Storm in the preliminary finals at 5.50pm Friday.
[Source: abc.net.au]
