Despite a strong first half, the Canberra Raiders suffered a disappointing 40-10 defeat to the Cronulla Sharks this Thursday night at GIO Stadium Canberra to cap off their Pre-Season Challenge.
The Raiders took on the Sharks with both teams hoping to tighten the last few screws before their respective hit-outs in Vegas.
An early penalty against the Raiders for a high shot put the Raiders on the back foot as a kick-to-touch sent them into their own 20. Sharks Winger Ronaldo Mulitalo looked dangerous on the left edge, but the line held strong, and the scores remained level.
But in the eighth minute, Raiders fullback Kaeo Weekes opened the scoring with some phenomenal footwork from out the back. After taking the ball from his own tryline Weekes gave Nicho Hynes and Bryan Nikora the slip at the ten to run the length of the field before throwing out an offload to Raiders five-eighth Ethan Strange who planted the footy under the posts.
Raiders Halfback and Captain Jamal Fogarty added the extras without breaking a sweat.
Not losing momentum, three minutes later a high kick from Jamal Fogarty was picked up by Raiders centre Seb Kris to put four more points on the board. Unfortunately, Fogarty’s conversion attempt hit the post leaving the score at 10-0 in the twelfth minute.
The Sharks fought back as a lofty kick at the fifty found its way past Raiders reserve Chevy Stewart on the tryline and into the hands of Sharks winger Mulitalo who knocked the bomb back to Nicho Hynes who walked it across the line and under the posts.
Hynes put away the conversion bringing the score to 10-6.
As the margin narrowed, the Sharks spent the next five minutes in their own 20, furiously defending their line. The Raiders came close to scoring a handful of times with a nudge from Raiders winger Savelio Tamale just rolling dead, letting the Sharks off the hook.
Disaster struck with three minutes left in the half as a handy cut-out pass from Hynes went over the top of Tamale’s head and into the hands of Sharks right winger Samuel Stonestreet to level the scores at 10-10.
Switching up their kicker proved beneficial to the Sharks as their five-eighth Braydon Trindall locked the extra points in from deep in the right corner, giving the Sharks a two-point lead as they went to the sheds.
The Sharks carried over their momentum to the second half as prop Addin Fonua-Blake powered the footy straight across the line for his first-ever try for the Cronulla Sharks, with Trindall's conversion extending the Sharks’ lead to eight points.
Soon after, a bomb from Nicho Hynes at the 45 sent the ball sky high and towards the Raiders’ line. An unlucky bounce off Raiders reserve Jensen Taumoepeau’s chest was scraped up by the Sharks with Braydon Trindall grounding the ball and adding his own extras.
Continuing their run of tries, Trindall put up a bomb of his own which was scooped up by Sharks centre Jesse Ramien. Trindall locked in his fourth conversion of the evening to add the extras. Sharks reserve Tuku Hau Tapuha was next up, taking an inside ball and crashing over from short range, with a conversion from Dan Atkinson blowing the lead out to 36-10.
Adding insult to injury, a 76th minute try from Sharks reserve Chris Vea'ila pushed the scoreline even further out to 40-10, where it remained as Atkinson missed his conversion to the right.
After an unfortunate end to the preseason, the Raiders will look ahead to their round one clash against the Warriors in Vegas on Sunday the 2nd of March.
