Raiders fall to another devastating home loss

An exciting finish saw today's clash at GIO Stadium go to extra time, with the Sharks sealing a 21-20 win via a Valentine Holmes field goal four minutes into extra time.

The Sharks controlled the first half brilliantly, while the Raiders showed early on that they wanted to control field position early on with some kicks early on in their sets.

Blake Austin attempted a 40/20 early on in the game that was touched by Michael Gordon before going out and gave the Raiders the perfect chance to get on the board. The Raiders couldn't convert possession to points though, through good defence from the Sharks.

The Sharks then had a run of possession and starved the Raiders of field position. The away side were the first to get points after Luke Lewis threw a superb cut out pass to get Valentine Holmes over out wide.

Canberra didn't go to the sheds empty handed at half time though, after Edrick Lee was awarded a try off the video ref.

The Raiders came out in the second half and seemed to have the run of play. This resulted in any early try to get them back into the game. Cronulla then hit back not long later and we all knew we were going to be in for an exciting finish.

From there, the Green Machine seemed to lack direction in attack and resulted to offloads. Plenty of ball found the ground before ending up in the right hands.

Another try and two penalty goals saw the Raiders hit the lead with six minutes to go.

In the dying minutes Andrew Fifita looked to have scored but the video ref awarded a no try after there was separation before putting the ball down.

It wasn't all bad news for the Sharks though as the Raiders were ruled to have tackled Fifita without the ball.

The Sharks levelled up the scores through a penalty kick right in front.

Extra time was no different to the second half - it was filled with plenty of exciting football.

Blake Austin made a break down the middle of the field but then missed a field goal attempt in the next tackle. It was then the Sharks' turn to make a break, this time down the sideline. This put the away side in great field position and Holmes was able to get the field goal to hand the Raiders a second heart breaking loss at home.

Next week the Raiders go to their seemingly preferred method of playing - away from home - when they visit the foot of the mountains to play Penrith at Pepper. Cronulla will take Ben Barba and Michael Ennis back to Belmore to face their former employers Canterbury in a Sunday afternoon classic.

Match Details

Canberra Raiders 20 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 21
Venue: GIO Stadium
Crowd: 9853
Halftime Score: Canberra Raiders 4 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 12

CANBERRA RAIDERS (20)
Tries: Edrick Lee (2), Josh Papalii
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Jarrod Croker (2/2)

CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (21)
Tries: Valentine Holmes, Ricky Leutele, Andrew Fifita
Field Goals: Valentine Holmes (1/1)
Conversions: Michael Gordon (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Michael Gordon (2/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Andrew Fifita
2 points - Luke Lewis
1 point - Josh Hodgson

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Saturday afternoon football for round 19. Today the Canberra Raiders host the Cronulla Sharks at GIO Stadium. Lots of changes for the home side today with Kurt Baptiste moving to the bench, Jack Wighton moves to halfback and Sisa Waqa goes to fullback. Joey Leilua will start in the centres. Ben Barba has been ruled out for the Sharks due to a knee injury. Massive changes for the Raiders today, how will this affect their attack?

1: And we're underway on this cold Saturday afternoon in Canberra! The home side receiving the ball off the kick off.

1: We're checking for a 40/20 here early on in play.

2: The ball was touched by Gordon before going out so it's a scrum to the Raiders.

6: Austin makes a break and throws the ball out wide but it was too high for Leilua and he knocks it on trying to bring it in. Scrum to the Sharks 22m out from their own line.

7: Penalty to the Sharks and they take the quick tap. Raiders on the back foot now.

8: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Valentine Holmes. Kick to come.
An excellent cut out pass from Luke Lewis sends Holmes over out wide!

9: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Great conversion from the sideline.

11: Another penalty to the Sharks and another quick tap. The quick tap then brings another penalty as Leilua was not back the 10m

12: We have yet ANOTHER penalty. This penalty brings a little scuffle between Hodgson and Fifita. A little mismatch in size. The Sharks elect to take the two.

12: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Penalty goal attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Easy kick from right in front.

14: Fifita has stayed down after a tackle and the crowd does not like it. Watching the replay and it doesn't look to be anything in it. The refs agree and we're playing on.

15: Raiders finally get a penalty for the Sharks being offside.

15: Another penalty to the Raiders right in front. They're eight points behind so decide to take the tap.

16: Waqa tries to offload and Feki scoops up the ball from the ground. Missed opportunity there for the Raiders.

17: Fifita drops the ball and it's ruled to be a loose carry. Looked to be Raiders hands on the ball though.

18: We have yet another lost ball. This one from Hodgson after Ennis knocks his arm. It's been rules as a double knock on so we have a Sharks scrum. Hopefully we can get a complete set soon.

19: Ennis puts the ball in behind the Raiders line and Lee knocks it dead. We've got a Raiders drop out.

20: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Ricky Leutele. Kick to come.
Great play down the side from the Sharks!

21: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon unsuccessful.
Another conversion out wide, this time from the other side, and it just goes wide of the posts.

23: Sharks have a great set with their forwards getting plenty of metres but finish it off with another error. They compound the mistake by giving away a penalty.

23: We're going to the video referee for a possible Raiders try

24: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Edrick Lee. Kick to come.
The video ref has given the green light!

24: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker unsuccessful.
The kick has been waved away.

27: Some very hot potato style play from the Raiders with lots of offloads. The ad-lib style of play didn't pay off with a dropped ball.

30: Sharks keep kicking to Lee's wing and Lee keeps coming up with the goods. The Sharks may need to change their game plan up a little.

32: Ennis kicks on the 2nd and it goes straight to Waqa. I bet he wishes he had that one over again. Someone else who wishes Ennis didn't kick is Waqa as he got absolutely hammered by Lewis!

34: Graham throws a terrible pass that misses everyone. Feki attempts to salvage the play but his foot goes into touch. Raiders scrum 20m out.

35: Austin runs at the line like he's a forward but doesn't come up with the four points. Wighton then kicks on the last and Bird comes up with a great catch and then has the ball stripped. Looks to be a one-on-one strip but the ref blows a penalty.

36: We have another penalty against the Raiders for being too slow in the ruck. Boyd has also now been put on report for a crusher tackle on Lewis.

37: Bird throws a forward pass to Graham and the refs miss it. Let's hope the Sharks don't score here.

38: Instant karma with Lewis throwing a forward pass that hits Gordon in the head. Raiders scrum.

38: We have a penalty-a-thon in this game! Penalty against the Sharks for holding down the play the ball.

39: It's all happening here! We're going to the video ref to check for a possible Raiders try. We're checking for a driver and whether he got the ball down.

39: NO TRY! It was a lose carry so we have a Sharks 20m tap.

40: The Raiders finish the first half exactly the same way as they started - with a 40/20 attempt on the 3rd tackle. This time they're not so lucky and the Sharks will get one more set before half time.

40: Half time. The Sharks controlled the first half and were strong defensively. The Raiders are really missing their regular halves pairing.

40: The Raiders get us underway for the second half!

44: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Josh Papalii. Kick to come.
Strong run by Papalii.

44: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Easy kick there for Croker.

44: Sharks now give away a penalty. Not a great start to the second half. Raiders now on the front foot.

45: And just as I say that, the Raiders get pulled up for a forward pass. On watching the replay it looked a little questionable. Raiders hard done by there.

50: Fensom with an offload that goes straight to the Sharks. Rapana then hits the ball forward when going in for the tackle so we've got a scrum to the Sharks.

50: FPN knees Gallen in the head in the scrum. I don't think the Sharks captain appreciated that.

50: We're going to the video ref for a possible Sharks try. We're checking for grounding which looks to be good.

50: TRY CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Scored by Andrew Fifita. Kick to come.
Fifita goes through the line untouched!

51: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Conversion attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
Gordon makes no mistake.

56: We're checking for a possible Sharks try. It's gone up as a try but there's no way it should be a try. Luke Lewis knocks the ball on and Bird catches it. The ref has called play on but there's no way Lewis could have knock the ball back. Hopefully the video ref can make the right call.

56: We have some sense from the video ref and it's been ruled a knock on. Gallen doesn't agree with the ref and the crowd lets him know what they think.

56: Raiders get a penalty and take the quick tap. The home side and their crowd are now fired up.

58: The Raiders make a meal of their last tackle. Waqa stutters on the sweeping play and nearly gets tackled with the ball, he gets the ball free but it's eventually knocked on by the Raiders. If Waqa kept going and passed the ball out wide we could have seen a Raiders try.

59: Wighton kicks the ball dead just in time. Raiders with the drop out.

63: Austin trying to tell his forwards to run forward but they keep on offloading! Their attack is hard to keep up with today!

63: Raiders scrum 30m out after the Sharks are ruled to have knocked on from a Papalii offload.

64: Hodgson puts a kick in behind the Sharks line and Lee is the first to the ball. The video ref is checking the offside and the grounding.

64: TRY CANBERRA RAIDERS
Scored by Edrick Lee. Kick to come.
There's no denying the speed of Lee. The video ref has awarded the try!

64: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANBERRA RAIDERS
Conversion attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
Important kick for Croker and he makes it.

64: The Raiders game plan for today - run, offload, run, offload, offload, run, offload, offload, offload, offload, offload, run, offload, offload.

65: Raiders end up with the ball off an Austin kick and Hodgson kicks the ball dead on the full. Looks like we're in for an exciting finish to the game!

67: Raiders are doing too many risky offloads. They really need to settle down if they're going to give themselves an opportunity to win this game.

70: Big play from Hodgson! Gordon gets the ball off a Raiders kick and Hodgson strips the ball in a one on one tackle!

71: We now have a penalty right in front to the Raiders! The home side are only two points behind and elect to take the shot at goal.

71: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CANBERRA RAIDERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
The kick sees the scores now level!

72: Don't go anywhere, we've got an exciting final eight minutes on our hands!

74: Big call by the refs, Hodgson looking to offload and Heighington's hand touches the ball and it's been ruled a strip! Raiders will take the two.

74: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CANBERRA RAIDERS
Penalty goal attempt by Jarrod Croker successful.
This kick puts the Raiders two points in front!

75: The Sharks with a short kick off and Raiders end up with the ball.

76: Leilua goes to play the ball and loses it. Big mistake there by the Raiders. Sharks scrum 40m out from their own line.

77: Excellent inside ball from Graham but Gordon tries to pass as he's getting tackled and throws it forward.

77: Sharks are trying to force and error with some tough defence.

78: Austin attempts to take the ball out of play but Gordon picks it up just before it goes over the sideline. Sharks need to go 90m to score.

78: Lewis tries to offload and Shillington knocks the ball on. Sharks scrum 25m out!

79: We're going upstairs for a possible Sharks try - it's been sent up as a try.

79: We could have an offside and a possible knock on in the grounding. Big call here for the video ref!

79: I don't think it is a try but I think it's going to be given a try.

79: NOT TRY!!!!!!

79: But we have a penalty as Fifita was tackled without the ball!

79: Of course the Sharks take the two.

80: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Penalty goal attempt by Michael Gordon successful.
He was never going to miss it from right in front.

80: Stand by for Golden Point!

80: The Raiders get us underway in extra time.

80: The Sharks complete their first set and the Raiders have the ball 10m out from their own line.

82: Austin with a great run and an offload. He then goes for the field goal attempt in the next tackle but misses.

83: Sharks with a break down the sideline. Then nearly score and now they are in field goal range.

83: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS
Field goal attempt by Valentine Holmes successful.
Holmes with the field goal to win the game!

84: Another heartbreaking loss for the Raiders at home. It was an exciting finish to an exciting game. Thanks for joining us today - stay tuned for the match report, and join us on our forums for more Rugby League discussion about the match.