FULLTIME :: Raiders with a big second half to secure the win. Back-to-back wins for the Green Machine.
Taylor Swift ringing around Robina. Raiders have shaken off some injuries and clunky play to record a big win here tonight. Croker meanwhile adds two more.
Semi Valemei might've had some issues tonight but he ices the cake tonight. Ball hits the ground and the winger scoops it up to go the rest of the distance.
PENALTY SHARKS! Obstruction which let Rapana score. CHALLENGE from Rapana. UNSUCCESSFUL.
Johnson goes short and who else but Xavier Savage grabs it.
Croker slams it over.
In all that. Sharks will finish with 12! Siosifa Talakai is binned for I assume backchat.
X got it given to him! Mulitalo loses it and some quick hands puts Savage over for his first in the NRL.
Rudlof spills a simple one. Raiders fans screaming justice at the TV.
PENALTY SHARKS! Scrum penalty. We're going for the repack.
Ryan James loses it. Incorrect play the ball. He can't challenge it.
Now Savage is nursing an arm injury. Raiders losing troops quickly here.
Croker raises the flags from in front.
Raiders make use of the penalty. Sam Williams with a flat pass to Hudson Young. The forward just had green pasture in front of him to the tryline.
PENALTY RAIDERS! Shoulder charge.
Big blow for the Raiders. Wighton has been subbed off.
Superb defense from the Sharks. Croker looked like he snuck through but Katoa and Johnson held him up. Raiders have a terrible kick which turns into a PENALTY SHARKS! Tackled in the air.
PENALTY RAIDERS! High shot.
Corey Harawria-Naera with a one-on-one steal! He weaves through the defense and Raiders are back on the attack.
PENALTY SHARKS! High tackle.
Sharks defend well! Raiders went for the power option on last and Velemei is held up. Changeover.
Trindall from the sideline. He keeps it straight and raises the flags.
Sharks just strolled across. They ran it on last. Trindall-Tracey-Mulitalo-TRY!
Croker from the left side: he is closing in on JT in third for pointscoring. He fades it wide.
Raiders go bang to start the half! Josh Papali'i offloads to Savage. The young fullback slices through to find Starling who just lobs it to Wighton.
We're back for the second half! Wighton who looked a bit dusty headed into the break, has joined his team out on the field. Sharks quickly follow after a topsy turvey first half. Who will take control and take the two points?
HALFTIME :: A wild half sees the sides locked at 12-all at the break.
Croker going to finish the half how it started. Shooting for goal. He studies over the kick and locks us up again.
PENALTY RAIDERS! Escort. That was a demolition derby in the catch there. Mulitalo crashed into his own man.
Hamlin-Uele hit rock bottom dropping that. Sharks were circling the tryline there.
PENALTY SHARKS! Ruck interference.
PENALTY SHARKS! Strip from Croker. All falling apart for the Raiders.
Trindall pilots the Sharks in front.
Sharks have levelled it up! Johnson skipped out right then gave Kennedy enough room to position Katoa to stroll over.
Oh no, Semi! He took the bomb centimetres from the sideline and steps out.
Wighton goes up for the chip kick and loses it forward.
Sione Katoa comes in for a run and loses it. Raiders up for this tonight.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Easy one there.
BUNKER TIME! Semi Valemi had a head of steam. Did he get it down but it looks like the winger was bullrushed over the sideline.
PENALTY SHARKS! Strip. CHALLENGE from Raiders, well Hodgson. He went straight to the official to dispute it. CHALLENGE SUCCESSFUL! Knocked on.
Trindall converts.
Jesse Ramien just bulldoses his way to the tryline! He cut inside and refused to be captured until he scored.
Sharks got jumbled near the end of the set. Kick down the short side and Ryan Sutton is there to drop on the ball.
Wighton with a handling error trying to pass before he got moving.
Croker adds another two from the tee.
PENALTY RAIDERS! High shot on a rampaging Sutton.
Raiders are on song! They went the length of the field with a bust down the right. Wighton weighs up the options and dribbles through for a dropout.
Second kick from in front by Croker is punched over.
First assignment from out wide for Croker. It is going to be an eight point TRY. Braydon Trindall with the high shot. Croker's first kick is over.
Raiders have come to throw it about today! Fourth tackle. Down the short side to Corey Harawira-Naera pushed it out then quick passes sees Rapana step across.
Raiders are making easy metres but cough it up here. Hodgson had the gears grinding but forgot about the ball.
Enterprise in that set from the Raiders. It swung right to left then right again. Last tackle was a damp squib as Rapana is tackled with it. Handover.
Sharks have the first shot at points. Trindall drifts left and Tracey is hammered.
KICK-OFF! Sharks put it high into the air and we're underway!
Here come the Sharks onto the well worn track at Robina. Led out by captain Aaron Woods who had his second child in the last week or so. Congratulations to him and his partner. Sharks are in their black, white and blue gradient jersey. The clap has made it to the coast! No! not that one! The Viking clap signals that the Raiders are on route. In their traditional lime green, with both their origin representatives back, it is time for some football!
Happy Saturday (I think it is, I don't know, lockdown has driven me to forget the days) and we head back to the Gold Coast! Two sides who are consistently inconsistent do battle in Canberra Raiders and Cronulla Sharks. Both sides coming off last start wins against Warriors and Sea Eagles but now on the glitter strip need to find consistency. Can the Raiders revive their season or will the Sharks take a huge bite out of their chances? Grab a drink, some snacks and a warm blanket to get ready for kick-off! It is set down for 5:35.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Grant Atkins
Touch Judges: Kasey Badger, Drew Oultram
Video Referee: Henry Perenara
CANBERRA RAIDERS (34)
Tries: Jordan Rapana, Jack Wighton, Hudson Young, Xavier Savage, Semi Valemei
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (4/5)
Penalty Goals: Jarrod Croker (3/3)
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (18)
Tries: Jesse Ramien, Sione Katoa, Ronaldo Mulitalo
Conversions: Braydon Trindall (3/3)