NRL TEAMS - 2024 Round 4
3 days ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
Cronulla Sharks have produced a dogged second half to come out 16-14 victors against the Canberra Raiders in front of 25,592 fans in the Nation's capital.
In an enthralling contest, the Sharks have put themselves 80 minutes from the Grand Final led by evergreen hooker Michael Ennis and the unlikely Matthew Prior.
Canberra Stadium was filled to the brim with over 25 thousand packed in and ready to witness the first finals game in the capital since 2010. The Raiders coming in off ten straight victories started with a bang.
Josh Hodgson, in the conversation for player of the season basically passed the ball to himself after a show-and-go to dive in under the sticks for the opening score. Jordan Rapana profited from a loose pass from the misjointed Sharks to widen the gap to twelve.
All the momentum was with the home side, but the Sharks hung in there and stopped them from adding further points in the first half despite losing captain Wade Graham, who himself got the arm band after Gallen's gameday injury.
Matthew Prior was a constant menace for the Raiders defense and found himself on the end of a Michael Ennis flat pass to stroll over just before the break. So despite being down in most aspects, it was only six points the difference at the break.
Sharks started the second half as they finished the first - getting back to the game plan which won them sixteen straight during the season. Running hard, getting the ball to the men out wide and tired out the Raiders forwards.
Luke Lewis stayed alive from another Prior offload, and swept a kick to Valentine Holmes to touch down. The deficit was only two points, and all the momentum with the Sharks as both packs tested each other.
In a tight contest, it came down to experience and the visitors had it in spades. James Maloney added a pair of penalty goals to push the Sharks into the lead late but they still had to defend against one of the best attacking sides in the competition.
Raiders weren't able to find a way through and the small pocket of fans clad in black, white and blue went delirious in the stands as Cronulla move onto a preliminary final in Sydney. For the home side, they are at home next week again against either Canterbury or Penrith.
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