Billy Burns of the Sharks scores a try against the Raiders. Photo: Photosport
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, this 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 were able to level the scores at 12-all early in the second half, but the Sharks lifted to score 20 unanswered points.
"What was a successful year, was also a failure," Raiders prop Josh Papalii told ABC Sport at full-time.
"I thought we started really well. All our hard work, trying to keep their back five in their corner, and I thought we did that.
"We 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.
"The boys are hungry, they're making the right choices and decisions... It's time for us to stand up," he says.
"We're playing Melbourne, in Melbourne, in six days. That's a challenge, but we're ready for that.
"That's all I can say: We're ready."
- ABC
