Embracing the big stage, the Sharks are eyeing a spot in the preliminary final as they prepare for a sudden-death clash with the top-seeded Raiders at GIO Stadium on Saturday night.

The winner will earn the right to face the Storm in Melbourne next Friday, just 80 minutes away from clinching a berth in the premiership decider.

Cronulla stormed into the second week of the playoffs by recording a determined 20-10 victory over a star-studded Roosters side, front-rower Toby Rudolf sealing the result with a powerful try that sent Sharks Stadium into raptures.

While the Sharks are riding high, minor premiers Canberra must quickly regroup after finding themselves on the wrong end of an all-time classic against Brisbane.

The Raiders had the game sewn up at 28-12 with 15 minutes remaining, only for the Broncos to flood back into the contest and push the game to extra-time. Ben Hunt eventually booted a clutch field goal to conclude 94 minutes of pure drama.

Having booked their semi-final ticket a night earlier, Cronulla would have been quietly pleased as Canberra pushed their weary bodies well beyond 80 minutes.

However, Sharks prop Addin Fonua-Blake doesn’t expect the Raiders will lack energy given they’ll have a passionate crowd at their backs.

“That’s going to drive them a bit more and keep that hunger in them,” he said.

“We’ve got a big job this weekend. I’m looking forward to the battle and I know the boys are too … Their fans are going to bring them home, so we’ve got to match it.”

The adversarial conditions will add to the challenge for the Sharks, who could draw on their premiership-winning 2016 campaign for inspiration. Nine years ago, Paul Gallen’s history-making men silenced the Raiders faithful with a memorable 16-14 qualifying-final win on their way to claiming the club’s first-ever title.

The teams have only met once this season, with Canberra snatching a 24-20 win at home in Round 5 with a freakish try to Sebastian Kris in the final minute. 

“That was many moons ago now,” Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes said.

“We’re a completely different team to what we were then, and I’m guessing so are they. We might watch a little bit of the footage from then, but I think we’ve got the evidence over the last few weeks of how we’re performing.”


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Finals Media: Nicho Hynes

In team news, Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon has retained the same 17 that prevailed against the Roosters. Towering prop Tom Hazelton remains in the extended squad after missing last week with cellulitis of the knee.

Canberra mentor Ricky Stuart has also opted against making changes, with English second-rower Matty Nicholson again listed as 18th man.

Both sides possess lethal backlines, but a colossal contest in the engine room is likely to have the most influence on the result. Fonua-Blake, Rudolf and young gun Jesse Colquhoun, complemented by a fearsome interchange quartet, will combat the might of Raiders starters Joe Tapine, Josh Papalii and Corey Horsburgh.

“Their middles have been in some of the best form they’ve been in in a long time. They’re getting led around by Joe and Papalii,” Fonua-Blake said.

“We know we’ve got a big task coming up this weekend and we’re just going to have to fight fire with fire. They always get their team off to a good start and they’re very physical. A lot of Canberra’s success is on the back of those two.”


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Finals Media: Addin-Fonua Blake

After scoring a double last week – improving his record to six tries in eight finals games – Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo now sits on 99 career four-pointers.

Kick-off is scheduled for 7.50pm. Watch live on 9, 9 Now, Foxtel and Kayo.

See the updated squads below.

Stat Attack

The Raiders have won only one of their last five finals games.
The Sharks have won only one of their last six games at GIO Stadium.
The Raiders have scored 24 points or more in their last eight games at GIO Stadium.
Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored six tries in eight finals games.
Raiders five-eighth Ethan Strange has scored six tries in his last four games.

Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the official annual of the NRL.