GAME OVER. Canberra win by five.
No evidence of the ball hitting the ground. Foot touches the line. NO TRY. Canberra should hold on.
IKUVALU GOES OVER..... OR DOES HE? Bunker to decide. He's in the corner. Cummins sends it up no try.
Ikuvalu with metres down the left edge! Cronulla with 4 tackles and a minute to go inside Canberra's 30m.
1:36 on the clock and Cronulla have the ball and a full set from their own 30m line.
1:36 on the clock and Cronulla have the ball and a full set from their own 30m line.
Oh no, Kennedy's thinking too far ahead and spills the Hynes pass. GIO Stadium ERUPTS.
Cronulla get it back from the kickoff and go on the attack!
Schneider puts them five points ahead with about 3 and a half minutes left to play.
FOREVER YOUNG! Canberra roll up the park and exhausted Cronulla defenders can't stop the big man from rolling over the line after a great inside offload from Timoko.
Ramien has impeded Cotric trying to catch a high ball and it's a Raiders penalty. Big chance for them to surge up the park and look to level things up - or go ahead.
Moylan smashes one over and the Sharks lead for the first time!
Horsburgh loses it inside Cronulla's half and the Sharkies now have a big shot at going in front.
Canberra hammering Cronulla's line but not yet able to get through.
Moylan finds some space but once he's dragged down, he loses control getting up to play it. Canberra scrum inside their own 20m.
And there is a touch in the lead up. NO TRY and knock on. Cronulla scrum.
Off to the Bunker with Jack Wighton claiming a try. Cummins sends it up no try, with a knock-on seeming likely.
They're looking to go down the short side on the last and it's Mulitalo... tackled easily. Not the best final tackle option.
Another penalty for Cronulla and they have a chance to take the lead here...
Cronulla with a captains challenge after losing the ball.... it's SUCCESSFUL with replays showing back-rower Elliott Whitehead has stripped the ball. Sharks penalty to help them toward halfway.
Nicho nails it from out wide and scores are level.
Hynes beautiful and puts Wilton into enough space to breeze over the line and suddenly Canberra are no sure bet.
Hynes bangs another over to reduce the margin back to six points.
Kennedy bursts through after some sustained territorial dominance. Superb line running and gets it down - just - inside the dead ball line.
Katoa goes close but prodigal son Nick Cotric says "not happening" and puts him over the sideline.
Back underway and some early field position for Cronulla.
I digress, 40 seconds of play after the conversion. Canberra get a couple of tackles in, surge up field, then the siren sounds. HALFTIME - Raiders 18 Sharks 6.
Geez that's a good end to the half for the Green Machine. Schneider makes it a 12-point margin as the teams head for the tunnel.
CNK ALL DAY! Charnze has Canberra's third in the shadows of halftime, and Cronulla heads drop. Starling grubbers from dummy half and it sits up perfectly for the fullback next to the uprights.
Cronulla looking promising down the right edge... until Sione Katoa spills it.
All Raiders for the last six or seven minutes. Another repeat set forced.
Canberra looking good after Cronulla got back into the contest. Plenty of possession inside Cronulla's half and now force a repeat set.
The flowing locks of Nicho Hynes put it over the sticks from close range.
Brailey picks up Cronulla's first try of 2022 after throwing a dummy from the scrumbase. There's some fisticuffs after but nothing of note.
Cronulla finally with some good possession in good field position. Canberra spill a last-tackle kick and Moylan will feed a scrum mid-field just 10m from Canberra's line.
From the opposite side of the ground and a bit further out - it's... just inside the uprights!
Josh Papali'i off for a HIA for Canberra.
Semi makes up for his previous error and goes over on the right edge for Canberra to extend their lead.
OFFICIALS NEWS: Sideline Official Matt Noyen has strained his hamstring. Liam Kennedy replaces him.
ON REPORT: Teig Wilton for contact with the head. Canberra with a penalty just inside Cronulla's half.
New half Brad Schneider lines up his first attempt in first grade and it goes over!
What a way to celebrate - a nice short side play down the left and Canberra have the numbers, Wighton finishing off in game 200.
INJURY NEWS: Canberra hooker Josh Hodgson is off with a leg complaint.
After all that, Valemei spills it over the line and Cronulla have a 20m restart.
Less than six minutes gone and Canberra have their third penalty of the game.
Canberra drop a cheeky grubber into the line through Wighton and Rudolf jumps on it but there's a bobble so it's a knock on and more Canberra ball.
Canberra pick up another penalty and will continue to pile on the pressure.
Canberra with the better of the opening exchanges, making metres in as far as Cronulla's 40m before picking up a penalty which gives them a full set in the opposition half. Ramien with a high tackle.
Underway at GIO Stadium. Cronulla have the first set of the game.
A minute's silence for Peter Mulholland, who passed away after the end of the 2021 season.
Game 2 of the 2022 NRL season and its the Green Machine up against the boys in the black white and blue. As with any season opener both sides will be aching to get that first-up win and put in a good performance for their fans. In team news, both sides are 1-17 - Canberra's Jack Wighton celebrates his 200th NRL appearance while Cronulla welcome new star signings Nicho Hynes and Dale Finucane. Should be a good one. Kickoff 6pm.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Ben Cummins
Touch Judges: Darian Furner, Matt Noyen
Video Referee: Chris Butler
CANBERRA RAIDERS (24)
Tries: Jack Wighton, Semi Valemei, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Hudson Young
Conversions: Brad Schneider (4/4)
CRONULLA-SUTHERLAND SHARKS (19)
Tries: Blayke Brailey, William Kennedy, Teig Wilton
Field Goals: Matt Moylan (1/1)
Conversions: Nicho Hynes (3/3)