Cronulla Sharks book preliminary final berth with 32-12 win over disappointing Canberra Raiders

Nicho Hynes noted during the week how the Shire club rarely received the accolades they deserved, and whenever they won, the focus was often on the losing team, bad calls, or which players the opposition had out injured.

“I just don’t think that we get any respect – ever,” he proclaimed.

Under coach Craig Fitzgibbon, they have made four straight finals series.

Fitzgibbon said after the win: “I don’t think we’re any further ahead than what we’ve ever been.

“The only thing I can say is the boys are hungry, they’re making the right choices and decisions.

“We’ve been together for that period of time now, I guess it’s time for us to stand up, or we need to make some changes, or we need to look at what we do and the way we do things.

“We’re playing Melbourne in Melbourne in six days. Like, c’mon, that’s a challenge.

“But we’re ready for that. We’re actually ready. All I can say is we’re ready.”

On Saturday night, Cronulla defended their line for what felt like an eternity in the first half, only to hit the sheds 12-6 ahead after Ronaldo Mulitalo and Hynes scored within three minutes.

Cronulla came into the game having given up just three tries in their previous two games, and were in no mood to give the Raiders any leg-ups.

They kept turning the home side away, and their scramble defence was outstanding. There was plenty of focus on holding the Raiders players up and trying to get as many as three or four defenders into tackles.

The Green Machine hit back early in the second half via Savelio Tamale, but from that moment, Cronulla were in control.

Billy Burns skipped through some soft defence from Zac Hosking and Fogarty to score, Hosking then clipped Blayke Brailey high to put the Sharks eight points ahead. Then, KL Iro all but sealed the win when he was on the spot to mop up an ugly Trindall bomb that took a wicked bounce.

Prop Addin Fonua-Blake was brilliant. Mulitalo was also top shelf.

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There was a concerning moment when Tom Hazelton was knocked out when tackled by Tom Starling. The pair clashed heads, Starling did nothing wrong, but Hazelton, who grew up in nearby Goulburn, was out cold before he hit the ground. One positive was the fact he could walk from the field.

The Raiders faithful were in full voice, with club legend Bradley Clyde blowing the Viking horn, and one kid enjoying a ‘shoey’ when he realised he was on the big screen at half-time. For the record, it was a can of Sprite.

Grant Atkins has to be in the running to referee the grand final. Listening to the sports ears at the ground, Atkins is clear with his messaging, and like all good players, appears to have plenty of time with what he is doing.

Who knows, he might be officiating the grand final that features the Sharks. Up, Up, Cronulla.

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