{"id":155262,"date":"2025-09-19T22:10:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T22:10:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/155262\/"},"modified":"2025-09-19T22:10:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T22:10:08","slug":"canberra-raiders-vs-cronulla-sharks-nrl-semi-final-preview-and-prediction-nrl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/155262\/","title":{"rendered":"Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks: NRL semi-final preview and prediction – NRL News"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Canberra Raiders<\/a> will have to pick up themselves up off the canvas mentally and physically if they want to extend their season by another week when they clash with the in-form Cronulla Sharks<\/a> in the first NRL<\/a> semi-final on Saturday evening.<\/p>\n

The Raiders thought they had last weekend’s qualifying final against the Brisbane Broncos<\/a> won not once, not twice, but three times.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, a Ben Hunt<\/a> field goal would sink the Green Machine in the 94th minute, meaning they not only don’t get the week off, but have to put their season on the line against Cronulla on just a six-day turnaround.<\/p>\n

It always looked the risk for Ricky Stuart<\/a> and his troops when they requested the Sunday afternoon fixture in the opening week of the finals – that they’d have to turn around and play off six days if they lost.<\/p>\n

The worst has happened, but not the worst in the conventional way. 94 minutes of physicality, and the mental burden of thinking they had the game won.<\/p>\n

Ricky Stuart<\/a> faces a monumental task to get his team ready and firing for this one, which they’ll have to be against a Sharks side who have suddenly worked out how to defend.<\/p>\n

Strangely enough, it has come after the season-ending injury to Cameron McInnes<\/a>, but the Sharks held the Bulldogs to just six points in the final round of the season, before only letting the red-hot Roosters score a couple of tries last week in a crunch elimination final win.<\/p>\n

That win was all the more impressive considering the amount of possession and territory the Roosters had, particularly in the stretch after halftime where they just bombarded the Sharks over and over again.<\/p>\n

The Sharks will need that defensive mindset again against Canberra if they are going to play a preliminary final, while their attack will also have to keep getting better.<\/p>\n

But their form has turned the Shire-based outfit from a side looking like they were making up the numbers into one who has to be considered among the chances to win the premiership.<\/p>\n

Team news<\/p>\n

Canberra Raiders
1. Kaeo Weekes<\/a>, 2. Savelio Tamale<\/a>, 3. Matthew Timoko<\/a>, 4. Sebastian Kris<\/a>, 5. Jed Stuart<\/a>, 6. Ethan Strange<\/a>, 7. Jamal Fogarty<\/a>, 8. Josh Papalii<\/a>, 9. Tom Starling<\/a>, 10. Joseph Tapine<\/a>, 11. Hudson Young<\/a>, 12. Zac Hosking<\/a>, 13. Corey Horsburgh<\/a>
Interchange: 14. Owen Pattie<\/a>, 15. Simi Sasagi<\/a>, 16. Morgan Smithies<\/a>, 17. Ata Mariota<\/a>
Reserves: 18. Matty Nicholson<\/a>, 19. Danny Levi<\/a><\/p>\n

The Raiders are unchanged for this semi-final. <\/p>\n

They managed to, in one of the few positives from last weekend, escape their 94-minute ordeal without injuries<\/a>, so they will be running the same side out.<\/p>\n

Cronulla Sharks
1. William Kennedy<\/a>, 2. Sione Katoa<\/a>, 3. Jesse Ramien<\/a>, 4. KL Iro<\/a>, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo<\/a>, 6. Braydon Trindall<\/a>, 7. Nicho Hynes<\/a>, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake<\/a>, 9. Blayke Brailey<\/a>, 10. Toby Rudolf<\/a>, 11. Billy Burns<\/a>, 12. Teig Wilton<\/a>, 13. Jesse Colquhoun<\/a>
Interchange: 14. Briton Nikora<\/a>, 15. Siosifa Talakai<\/a>, 16. Oregon Kaufusi<\/a>, 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele<\/a>
Reserves: 18. Daniel Atkinson<\/a>, 21. Thomas Hazelton<\/a><\/p>\n

Like the Raiders, the Sharks named an unchanged team on Tuesday for the semi-final, but the noteable part was Thomas Hazelton’s name being included in the wider squad.<\/p>\n

At the 24-hour cut, he is still in the 19, and now appears a strong chance to play, with Braden Hamlin-Uele<\/a> or Oregon Kaufusi<\/a> most likely to lose their spot.<\/p>\n

Briton Nikora<\/a> was a late inclusion for last weekned’s game against the Roosters, but his performance probably dictates he is not dropped from the 17.<\/p>\n

History<\/p>\n

Overall record: Played 84, Raiders 42, Sharks 42
Last ten: Raiders 7, Sharks 3
Record in finals: Played 7, Sharks 4, Raiders 3
Record at venue: Played 34, Raiders 19, Sharks 15
Last meeting: 2025, Round 5, Raiders 24 defeat sharks 20 at GIO Stadium, Canberra<\/p>\n

Keys to the game<\/p>\n

A fast start for the Raiders
The Raiders must start fast if they are going to win this semi-final.<\/p>\n

They went through the ringer last week and can’t afford to be burning petrol making excess tackles early, or then using it trying to play catch up footy.<\/p>\n

An early lead, followed by an attempt to kick the Sharks to death, is what’s needed here from the Raiders.<\/p>\n

They have the players, led by Joseph Tapine<\/a>, to do it, but it’ll be easier said than done. <\/p>\n

In the Raiders’ interest is the fact Cronulla started quite slowly against the Roosters before recovering. The Raiders need to heap on the misery this weekend.<\/p>\n

Braydon Trindall’s kicking game against Jamal Fogarty
If one thing has become clear at the Shire, it’s that Braydon Trindall<\/a> is their key man when things are going to plan.<\/p>\n

His kicking game last week against the Roosters was phenomenal, and frankly, it has been for much of the season.<\/p>\n

That’s not playing down what Nicho Hynes’ role in this team is, but Trindall is fast becoming the lead kicker.<\/p>\n

He comes up against one of the best in the game this weekend though, with Jamal Fogarty<\/a> the difference between the Raiders being minor premiers, and likely a team battling to make the top eight.<\/p>\n

His game management and precision kicking has been superb all year, although lacked a little bit last weekend against Brisbane.<\/p>\n

Whoever wins this battle will drive their team towards victory.<\/p>\n

Metres from the back
With that all said, this the sort of game you can see breaking out into a war of attrition. Two relatively patient teams who do enjoy griding their opposition out of the fixture.<\/p>\n

At finals time, metres from the back are so important.<\/p>\n

We have seen it all over the way Penrith play their footy over the last four years. If their back five dominate, they seldom lose games.<\/p>\n

This is a battle of excellent back fives too.<\/p>\n

On one side, you have the outstanding Kaeo Weekes<\/a> joined by tackle breaker Savelio Tamale<\/a> and Jed Stuart<\/a> on the wings, with Matthew Timoko<\/a> and Sebastian Kris<\/a> – two of the game’s most underrated centres – inside.<\/p>\n

On the other side, it’s William Kennedy<\/a> playing for his future, joined by Sione Katoa<\/a>, Ronaldo Mulitalo<\/a>, Jesse Ramien<\/a> and KL Iro<\/a>, who all make plenty of metres.<\/p>\n

So much of this battle could well determine the position of the kicking game battle, and ultimately, try-scoring opportunities that come with it.<\/p>\n

Prediction<\/p>\n

The Sharks come into this one with a full head of steam after their win over the Roosters, and an extra day on the recovery front.<\/p>\n

The Raiders are the minor premiers for a reason, and if all was equal, you’d find it very difficult to back against them at home.<\/p>\n

But all is not equal.<\/p>\n

The Raiders simply have too much to overcome, mentally and physically, to take the chocolates here.<\/p>\n

We will take the upset in another triller. Anyone for some extra time rugby league again?<\/p>\n

Sharks by 6.<\/p>\n

Key game information: Canberra Raiders vs Cronulla Sharks, NRL semi-final<\/p>\n

Kick-off: Saturday, September 20, 7:50pm (AEST)
Venue: GIO Stadium, Canberra
TV: Live, Nine Network, Fox League
Online: Live, 9Now, Kayo Sports
Betting: Raiders $1.56, Sharks $2.44<\/p>\n

Match officials<\/p>\n

Referee: Grant Atkins
Touch judges: Dave Munro and Matt Noyen
Bunker official: Chris Butler<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Canberra Raiders will have to pick up themselves up off the canvas mentally and physically if they…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":155263,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[568],"tags":[64,63,761,762,158,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-155262","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nrl","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-national-rugby-league","11":"tag-nationalrugbyleague","12":"tag-nrl","13":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155262","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=155262"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/155262\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/155263"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=155262"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=155262"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=155262"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}