Read on for the Talking Points from the NRL semi-finals. <\/p>\n
PANTHERS FIVE-PEAT WITHIN REACH AFTER STATEMENT ROUT OF BULLDOGS<\/p>\n
WHAT’S GAMBLING REALLY COSTING YOU? Set a deposit limit. For Free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.<\/p>\n The Panthers are on track to go from last to first in the space of one season and complete an astonishing five-peat after they produced their best half of football for the season in the 46-26 rout of the Bulldogs. <\/p>\n Matty Johns is backing Penrith to go all the way after they dismantled the Bulldogs on the back of another Nathan Cleary masterclass. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was precision,\u201d Johns said on Sunday night with Matty Johns. <\/p>\n \u201cWinning a competition is all about timing and some of it is out of your hands when you talk about things like injuries or suspensions. <\/p>\n \u201cBut as far as being in form and being fresh and whatever has happened through the season, they are fresh and playing their best football and I think they will win the comp.<\/p>\n \u201cThey have got speed, they have got physicality, but they play with science. That\u2019s the thing with the Panthers.\u201d <\/p>\n Dolphins halfback and former Panthers junior Isaiya Katoa marvelled at Cleary and the Panthers\u2019 statement win. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was a clinic when you look at it,\u201d Katoa said. <\/p>\n \u201cIn the first half they completed 20 from 20 and just everything that they did in attack was so precise and you see when they get momentum in their attack they are just so hard to stop. <\/p>\n \u201cYou look at their halfback, he is the best player in the game and has been for a while. <\/p>\n Nathan Cleary is Mr September.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n \u201cChess not checkers just defines Cleary as a person and how he plays. Everything he does he would have studied and practiced all week and he would have got those exact same looks and he would have planned for those to happen and that\u2019s just what the best players do. <\/p>\n \u201cPenrith have based their success on standards and the values that they hold as a team and whenever you go to Penrith or are a part of that team, you are expected to live those standards and they do that so well.\u201d <\/p>\n Bryan Fletcher believes the Panthers built their resurgence on their defence and now their attack is clicking to make them a formidable opponent in the finals. <\/p>\n \u201cTheir attack was very good, but I thought it was their defence again,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cI have just been so impressed with everything they have been doing at the back half of the year. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s quite remarkable to be last at Round 12, whether it was a hangover from the Grand Final last year, I didn\u2019t give them a chance.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought if they sneak into the eight they are going to be busted, but they are getting better and getting fitter.<\/p>\n \u201cAt half-time when they all walked off together they wouldn\u2019t have blown out a candle.\u201d <\/p>\n Nathan Hindmarsh labelled it the most complete display Penrith have had all season and the best could be still to come. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is probably the best and most clinical I have seen them this year,\u201d Hindmarsh said. <\/p>\n \u201cYou could tell what they wanted to do and what they worked for during the week they came out today and pulled everything off.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything they did defensively and in attack. You could see their game plan and they were trying to attack Galvin\u2019s edge. <\/p>\n \u201cThey went there and didn\u2019t get success at first and they went back and had success the next time. They were outstanding today and I think they are now the frontrunners for the competition.\u201d <\/p>\n ‘Showtime’ Panthers flex their muscle | 00:40<\/p>\n GALVIN SHOWS SIGNS OF HOPE DESPITE BULLDOGS DISASTER <\/p>\n The Bulldogs may have gone from first after 16 rounds to out of the finals in straight sets on the back of a 46-26 thrashing by Penrith, but there were better signs in the second half. <\/p>\n While it may have not ended the way they hoped, Johns believes they have a big future as a club with more time together. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was a difficult day for the Bulldogs and they had a lot going on in the back half of the year,\u201d Johns said.<\/p>\n \u201cBut all in all it has been a good season. Not at the pointy end, but it has been a good year.\u201d<\/p>\n Fletcher doubted whether the Bulldogs were going as well as their first place suggested and believes there are better days ahead for this team. <\/p>\n \u201cThey started well and were nine and two and then I feel that all that interruption wasn\u2019t as big a deal as we are making it out,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cI feel they had a really tough draw when Galvin first signed. They were cruising along and had a pretty cruisy start to the year and that compounded the attention when Galvin went to No.7 and then the Reed Mahoney stuff. <\/p>\n \u201cBut today a big one was no Crichton. I know defensively he is very good, but also he is their spiritual leader.\u201d <\/p>\n Lachlan Galvin stepped up on a bad day for the Bulldogs.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n Galvin has copped plenty of criticism this year, but Johns believes he showed against Penrith why the Bulldogs have so much faith in him, but he warned he must stay at five-eighth. <\/p>\n \u201cA lot has been said about Lachie Galvin, but I\u2019ll say this, you see the quality,\u201d Johns said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey have got a great player there. He is only a kid. His natural position is a No.6 and into the future he will be a great buy.\u201d <\/p>\n Galvin set up and scored a try by working with Jacob Preston and Hindmarsh believes that can be a great combination for the Dogs moving forward. <\/p>\n \u201cHis combination with Preston was very good and will only get better,\u201d Hinsmarsh said. <\/p>\n Galvin Strikes back under pressure | 00:46<\/p>\n BIG GAME ALAMOTI STANDS UP AGAIN WITH SUPERB \u2014 AND BRUTAL \u2014 HAT-TRICK<\/p>\n Cleary may have been the orchestrator, but winger Paul Alamoti showed why Ivan Cleary brought him back for the business end of the season with a superb hat-trick for the Panthers. <\/p>\n Tom Jenkins was one of Penrith\u2019s most consistent players all season, but Cleary couldn\u2019t resist Alamoti\u2019s big game experience in the pressure-cooker of the finals and he delivered in spades against the Warriors and the Bulldogs in back-to-back performances. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen you talk about big game players, you don\u2019t talk about Paul Alamoti much, but I\u2019m telling you when it comes to finals or Grand Finals, this guy always aims up, in fact he excels,\u201d Johns said. <\/p>\n Fletcher was wondering when Cleary would bring back Alamoti, who was unlucky not to win the Clive Churchill Medal last year. <\/p>\n \u201cHe has played a couple of reserve grade games this year, they had Milky Jenkins, who did a terrific job and I was thinking will they bring Alamoti back for the semi-finals,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cWell he was one of the best players on the field. He looked so hard to tackle. Look at the thighs on him. Great quads. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is just as important. I suppose out of yardage he is not quite Brian To\u2019o levels, but his finishing is top class.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cNo doubt, he had spiders on him,\u201d Hindmarsh added. <\/p>\n Alamoti enjoyed the three-try romp against his former club, delivering diving one-handed putdown for his second four-pointer, which was an unnecessary flourish given he was under no real defensive pressure, then a shrugging celebration for his third. At the time, those tries put the score at 40-8 and 44-20 respectively.<\/p>\n Alamoti was an enormously hyped Canterbury junior who was then shipped off to Penrith with little fanfare after a single season in first grade. He won a premiership in his first season with the Panthers last year, scoring the grand final\u2019s match-sealing try on the hour mark against Melbourne.<\/p>\n Paul Alamoti’s second and third tries against the Bulldogs.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n Not far behind Alamoti was his wing partner Brian To\u2019o, who scored a double and ran for 223 metres in a typically tireless display. <\/p>\n \u201cTo\u2019o is some sort of player,\u201d Johns said. <\/p>\n \u201cWhen you look at his highlights it is not just yardage, but the pressure he takes off.\u201d <\/p>\n Hindmarsh praised To\u2019o for a brilliant tackle on Jacob Kiraz that summed up his night. <\/p>\n \u201cThere was a Bulldogs raid when they went down his edge and he read it so well and he puts Kiraz into touch,\u201d Hindmarsh said. <\/p>\n \u201cUsually Bizza likes to wedge a little bit, but he held his nerve and just waited for the pass and made the perfect tackle there. He had an outstanding game.\u201d <\/p>\n Johns lauded To\u2019o\u2019s ability to read defence and make the right call. <\/p>\n \u201cI like that, I think sometimes outside backs and wingers will wedge because that\u2019s the golden rule and they have been taught that\u2019s the principle, but you want to give your wingers their own heads to make that call,\u201d Johns said. <\/p>\n To\u2019o\u2019s defence was a reflection of the whole Panthers team, who look so connected heading into the final two weeks of the season. <\/p>\n \u201cYou could tell the talk from the inside was great,\u201d Hindmarsh said. <\/p>\n \u201cYou look at the way the Panthers defended today compared to the Bulldogs and their outside men were flying in trying to put pressure on, where as the Panthers were quite happy to hold because they knew they had cover on the inside and their communication was better.\u201d <\/p>\n Alamoti scores impressive finals triple | 00:51<\/p>\n BRONCOS\u2019 SELECTION DILEMMA AS BLUEPRINT TO BEAT PANTHERS REVEALED<\/p>\n The Broncos may be at home at Suncorp, but they will have to play the game of their life to beat Nathan Cleary and the Panthers in the preliminary final. <\/p>\n Johns believes the return of Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam could be a huge factor, but they need to get their combinations right, with Ben Hunt and Reece Walsh in such good form. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Panthers vs the Broncos is going to be an incredible game, day football and it is going to be packed,\u201d Johns said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey met in Magic Round at Suncorp Stadium and Penrith won that one 32-8 and that was where they began their long run to where they are at the moment. <\/p>\n \u201cThe big news for the Broncos is that Adam Reynolds is coming back into the side, but Ezra Mam might be back which is a surprise. They thought he was gone for the year with a hamstring. <\/p>\n \u201cIt is a matter of where he fits in. I would go Ezra at No.14 and bring him on after about 20 minutes, but he and Reece Walsh and Hunt and Reynolds they are going to be a handful.\u201d <\/p>\n Katoa believes Walsh and Mam are the keys for the Broncos to spring an upset. <\/p>\n Ezra Mam could be a bench option when he returns.Source: Supplied<\/p>\n \u201cThey are so hard to defend, I don\u2019t think people realise how instinctive they are,\u201d Katoa said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey can just react to what you do defensively and it is probably what makes them so good is they are so instinctive and play whatever they see in front of him.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen they are both on their game, as a defensive side you don\u2019t want to be in front of it.\u201d<\/p>\n However, Katoa believes Cleary will lead the Panthers to victory, unless the Broncos can ride off the back of Payne Haas with their two superstars. <\/p>\n \u201cI think Penrith will win because they have got Nathan Cleary, who can put you in the corners and make it so hard to get out of your end,\u201d Katoa said. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Broncos need an open free flowing game, but I think Penrith will win.<\/p>\n \u201cBrisbane need to bring their middles through the middle of the field to get some ruck speed and that is where they can free up Walsh and Mam and bring them into the game. <\/p>\n \u201cI think they have amazing outside backs that can do some amazing stuff and when you play off Payne Haas you are going to get a lot of ruck speed.\u201d <\/p>\n Cleary Praises Panthers’ First Half | 03:16<\/p>\n SHARKS ANNOUNCE THEMSELVES AS TITLE DARK HORSES IN RAIDERS ROUT<\/p>\n The Sharks have gone under the radar amid nine wins from their last 10 matches to announce themselves as a genuine title threat, after beating the Raiders 32-12 to book a prelim date with the Storm. <\/p>\n Cronulla did it the hard way coming back from 6-0 down after a mountain of possession and territory to the Raiders in the first half to outlast the minor premiers and run away with it in the end. <\/p>\n Sharks legend Michael Ennis has seen enough in their first two finals wins to suggest Cronulla have the game to go all the way in 2025. <\/p>\n \u201cWith what I have seen from Cronulla the last two weeks, I think they can win the competition,\u201d Ennis said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey are healthy and every element of their game is good. That\u2019s twice they have kept the attacking juggernaut of the Roosters to 10 points and a Raiders side full of stars to 12 points. They can win the title.\u201d <\/p>\n Cooper Cronk was impressed by the Sharks\u2019 ability to absorb immense pressure for the second week in a row and then back their in form spine and forwards to carry them to victory. <\/p>\n \u201cThat game was won in the first 30 minutes, their defence stood tall when they were under pressure from the avalanche of possession that the Raiders had,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n \u201cTheir goal line defence turned around the Raiders in attack and then they scored two tries just before half-time and I thought Hynes and Trindall combined well in the halves and Wilton and Burns were terrific.<\/p>\n \u201cDefensively they were rock solid and you talk about confidence and momentum as a key factor in making a Grand Final. <\/p>\n \u201cTheir back three are terrific. Their halves stood up tonight. Their forward pack was amazing. I don\u2019t think I have ever seen Rudolf run that hard. Addin Fonua-Blake was aggressive. Talakai and Nikora off the bench are a point of difference. <\/p>\n \u201cThat whole siege mentality than Nicho Hynes and Craig Fitzgibbon spoke about during the week, they played a really good brand of football tonight and deserved the win.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have got to admire the way they have gone about it because what their back-rowers did tonight, they were aggressive, their back three was exciting and Mulitalo was great. <\/p>\n \u201cThey will be liking their chances to head down to Melbourne and I feel like they have got a real advantage in the forward pack. If they muscle up there I think they are a big chance.\u201d <\/p>\n Bryan Fletcher agreed the Sharks are building their premiership charge on their defence and can ride the momentum all the way to the decider. <\/p>\n \u201cIt was built on their defence and before the Roosters they beat the Bulldogs,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey have come up against two teams in the Roosters and the Raiders who are huge attacking threats and can score from anywhere and to only keep them to two tries is a huge effort. <\/p>\n Addin Fonua-Blake was immense against the Raiders.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cThey have got the momentum going into next week and they will give this premiership a real shake.<\/p>\n \u201cThey look fitter than everyone else at the moment. They blew the Raiders out of the water in the second half. We talked about how good Trindall\u2019s kicking game was and it was on the back of their forwards. <\/p>\n \u201cWe said we weren\u2019t convinced until they could come and win down here. I think they can win the competition.\u201d <\/p>\n Premiership winner Kieran Foran believes the way the Sharks have been forced to win their games is a good omen for a deep finals run. <\/p>\n \u201cThey are playing a really gutsy brand of footy,\u201d Foran said. <\/p>\n \u201cI feel like Cronulla will be confident. They\u2019ll be liking their chances next week.<\/p>\n \u201cWith no Nelson Asofa-Solomona, they have an edge in the forward pack over the Storm.<\/p>\n \u201cIn both finals games they have had to come from behind. They haven\u2019t been handed the victory early. They have been down on the scoreboard, defending their try line and they have had to claw their way out of it. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I like about the brand of footy they are playing at the moment. They are not cruising to easy leads and then just finishing it off. They are having to fight their way out of it and then claw their way to the win.\u201d <\/p>\n Braith Anasta believes the Sharks are arguably in the best shape of the remaining teams to go all the way.<\/p>\n \u201cTalk about going under the radar, they have got the best record out of any team in the competition since Round 19, so you could argue they are the form team in this competition right now,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey said during the week there was a lack of respect and they wanted respect. They think they can win the competition and no one really gives them a chance of winning the competition. After the wins over the Raiders and the Roosters, we are starting to believe.\u201d <\/p>\n Cronk argued the Sharks\u2019 best performance of the year was against the Bulldogs in the final round and they have carried that on in the finals. <\/p>\n \u201cThe game against the Bulldogs just before the season finished was their best performance of the year,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n \u201cThey have got to go through Melbourne and to be the best team in this competition you have either got to go through Penrith or the Storm at some point, so if you get through that you deserve an opportunity.\u201d <\/p>\n Sharks – “Can WIN the competition” | 05:01<\/p>\n HYNES SILENCES CRITICS WITH MASTERCLASS DISPLAY<\/p>\n Nicho Hynes has copped plenty of criticism since his ill-fated Origin debut back in 2023, but he put his big match hoodoo to bed in a superb outing to knock the Raiders out of the finals. <\/p>\n Hynes finished with 43 run metres, four tackle busts, a linebreak, three linebreak assists, a try assist, a try and six goals to lead the Sharks to a commanding victory. <\/p>\n \u201cIs this game right here a big moment in his career? I mean, he\u2019s had so much criticism for his performances especially in big games,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n \u201cIt doesn\u2019t get much bigger and he delivered on the big stage.\u201d<\/p>\n Foran praised Hynes for blocking out all the noise and putting the Sharks on his back in a big game to keep their season alive. <\/p>\n \u201cHe sure did. He would\u2019ve felt through the week the pressure building, hearing about their finals record,\u201d Foran said.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a big match in Canberra and he did deliver for his team.<\/p>\n \u201cThe way he and Trindall combined was great. They set up each other\u2019s game really, really nicely. <\/p>\n Nicho Hynes silenced his critics.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cI have got to say, I loved what Nicho did tonight. Absolutely loved it. We do put a lot of pressure on him from the outside, but he turned up tonight. <\/p>\n \u201cHe had wonderful balance to his game around his running game, kicking game and I thought he found really nice options. He\u2019s going to be heading down to Melbourne full of confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n Fletcher noted Hynes built his game on his defence and his attack flowed off the back of that. <\/p>\n \u201cDefensively he aimed up,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cHudson Young targeted him and Nicho was quite physical. Sometimes, we\u2019ve been critical of his defensive efforts, but tonight he played an all round game. He was brilliant on both sides.\u201d <\/p>\n However, Cronk warned while he deserves the wraps for beating the Raiders, Hynes still has to come up with the goods against his old team Melbourne for the Sharks to advance to a first Grand Final since 2016. <\/p>\n \u201cI will say this. He deserves wraps but it\u2019s just another game,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n \u201cHe needs to go on and win the prelim. He needs to go on and do what the Sharks want to do this year. <\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s a good victory, but ultimately if you want to win the grand final it\u2019s just another step along the path.\u201d<\/p>\n Fitzy on Raiders: “Best team all year” | 08:25<\/p>\n SHARKS\u2019 IRON MAN BRAILEY STUNS IN CAPTAIN\u2019S KNOCK <\/p>\n He won\u2019t be on many highlight reels, but Sharks skipper Blayke Brailey set the tone for his side with a stunning display at hooker to lead his team to a prelim final. <\/p>\n Brailey finished with 63 run metres from just six runs, a tackle bust and a game high 55 tackles in a performance that begged his team to follow him to the final four. <\/p>\n Anasta marvelled at Brailey\u2019s understated but instrumental performance in the middle for the Sharks. <\/p>\n \u201cThe captain Blayke Brailey is a machine, again putting up big numbers for his team,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n \u201cThe ever-reliable Brailey was great out of dummy-half and he made 55 tackles, 10 more than anyone else.\u201d <\/p>\n Foran marvelled at Brailey\u2019s ability to absorb so much heat in defence and still have the energy to get his side on the front foot in attack. <\/p>\n \u201cWe spoke about how fit he is and how much work he gets through,\u201d Foran said. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is not a big guy, but he always puts his body in front. You just love the energy he has got in attack after all the defence that he makes and all the things he has got to get involved in, he still has the ability to jump out of dummy-half, create and bring the forwards onto the ball. <\/p>\n Blayke Brailey made a game high 55 tackles against the Raiders.Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n \u201cHis deception is really nice around the ruck and when he gets out of dummy-half, Cronulla are a better side.\u201d <\/p>\n Fletcher joked that Brailey looks like he could still be in the juniors, but looks can be deceiving given his consistency of output. <\/p>\n \u201cHe is so resilient and when you look at him he looks 15,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cHe looks like an alter boy and he just gets out there and aims up every week.\u201d <\/p>\n Cronk lauded Brailey\u2019s leadership as the catalyst for the Sharks aiming up in defence two weeks in a row. <\/p>\n \u201c55 tackles, that is a hell of an outing for the captain up against Tapine and Papalii,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n \u201cHe probably should have missed 10 tackles tonight the amount of work he got through, but he only missed two. <\/p>\n \u201cThat was a real captain\u2019s knock. A lot of other players will get the highlights and they deserve that, but that was a captain\u2019s knock.\u201d <\/p>\n Sharks dominate on the road | 03:18<\/p>\n STORM URGED TO NOT RISK HUGHES AMID YOUNG GUN\u2019S RISE<\/p>\n The Storm shouldn’t rush back Jahrome Hughes if there is any doubt he can handle his defensive duties in the prelim against the Sharks. <\/p>\n Cronulla have a massive pack that are in form and carrying Hughes if he is injured could leave them vulnerable if he breaks down again in the Grand Final qualifier. <\/p>\n Cronk urged the Storm to make a decision on Hughes based on his ability to hold his own defensively against a formidable Sharks edge. <\/p>\n \u201cIt just depends how confident Hughes is that he can tackle,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n \u201cYou know that he can score tries and set them up and his combination with Munster is elite, but if you can\u2019t defend someone like Teig Wilton, Billy Burns of Briton Nikora, he is going to get himself in a vulnerable position and give up key spots to someone else.<\/p>\n \u201cI purely think it is a conversation between Craig Bellamy and Hughes. If there is a single bit of doubt, I would keep Jonah Pezet involved.\u201d <\/p>\n Foran believes it will come down to an honest conversation between coach and player for the Storm. <\/p>\n \u201cYou are spot on and you have been in this position, so it comes down to the player-coach relationship and the trust,\u201d Foran said to Cronk. <\/p>\n \u201cCraig will trust Jahrome\u2019s view and Jahrome will have to be brutally honest that he feels physically up to the task. <\/p>\n \u201cYou are going into a preliminary final against Cronulla and you don\u2019t want to be half baked. He wants to make sure his shoulder and wrist are ready to go and he can handle the physical demands of the match.\u201d<\/p>\n Cronk has no doubt the Storm can beat the Sharks without Hughes if he is not physically ready to handle the traffic that would undoubtedly come his way. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Storm can win with Pezet at No.7,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n Jahrome Hughes suffered a suspected broken wrist.Source: FOX SPORTS<\/p>\n \u201cIt is purely a question of can Hughes physically handle it because we saw what Billy Burns and Trindall did to Jamal Fogarty. <\/p>\n \u201cIf he has to overcompensate for that left shoulder more than he should then he is going to be a liability out there. <\/p>\n \u201cCameron Munster and Harry Grant you believe in those two. It doesn\u2019t matter who else is in there.<\/p>\n \u201cJonah Pezet the way he defended against Matt Burton and controlled the game with his kicking and passing, he would add a bit of value if Hughes has any doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n Foran agreed Pezet\u2019s stunning display against the Bulldogs in week one gives the Storm the luxury not to risk Hughes. <\/p>\n \u201cHughes is so good and we have seen what he has been able to do over the last couple of seasons and if he is fit you are backing him in,\u201d Foran said. <\/p>\n \u201cNo doubt Melbourne are a better team with him in there. He is an international player and one of the best No.7s in the game.<\/p>\n \u201cIf he is fit you are backing him in, but if there is any doubt there around Jahrome feeling that he might not be up to it, you have got the comfort of the job that Pezet did the other week. He was extraordinary.\u201d <\/p>\n Be it Hughes or Pezet, Fletcher believes the Storm will take a leaf out of Jamal Fogarty\u2019s book after he tormented the Sharks early in their semi-final. <\/p>\n \u201cThey will be looking at those early plays of Sione Katoa and William Kennedy when Fogarty put up those big torpedos because down there it gets a bit swirly with the wind,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n \u201cAnd not only do they have Coates but now they have got Warbrick back, who is not quite as good as Coates in the air, but still dynamite on the other side. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Sharks wingers aren\u2019t the tallest, so that might be an attacking ploy for the Storm.\u201d <\/p>\n Heartbreaking! Raiders OUT straight sets | 04:08<\/p>\n RAIDERS\u2019 STUNNING SEASON ENDS IN STRAIGHT SETS HEARTBREAK<\/p>\n The Raiders were the best team of the regular season on their way to the minor premiership, but their finals fade-out will add a mark of failure to their stunning year. <\/p>\n Nothing went right for the Raiders in their finals campaign after Josh Papalii\u2019s ankle injury, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory three times against the Broncos and then losing Ethan Strange to a shocking illness on the eve of their loss to the Sharks. <\/p>\n Canberra deserves all the accolades for their consistency all season, but unfortunately it looked like they were just a bit young and inexperienced to make a deep finals run. <\/p>\n If luck had gone their way against the Broncos, they shouldn\u2019t have been playing in the semi-finals, but that heartbreaking double extra time defeat caught up with them against Cronulla. <\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s incredible that the Raiders are out, Ricky Stuart, how would he be feeling right now because he has been touted as coach of the year,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n \u201cHe should get it. They were minor premiers. They could have won against the Broncos but didn\u2019t. How does he handle this? Another opportunity missed for Ricky to win a premiership.\u201d <\/p>\n Fletcher believes it will be hard for Stuart to separate the achievement of winning the club\u2019s first minor premiership in 35 years and the disappointment of going out in straight sets. <\/p>\n \u201cHe would be disappointed, but considering where everyone had them at the start of the year, I didn\u2019t have them in the top eight and some had them as wooden spooners,\u201d Fletcher said. <\/p>\n Ricky Stuart\u2019s Raiders went out in straight sets.Source: The Daily Telegraph<\/p>\n \u201cOnce all the dust settles I think he would be proud of what went on. It\u2019s just disappointing now in the moment. So close last week and it\u2019s obvious that took it out of them tonight.\u201d <\/p>\n Anasta believes the football gods were against the Raiders in the finals. <\/p>\n \u201cThe Broncos loss would have taken a lot out of them physically and emotionally,\u201d Anasta said. <\/p>\n \u201cThen you lose Ethan Strange, who has been close to their best player all year on the day of the game. That has got to have some input into that loss.\u201d <\/p>\n Cronk agreed the loss of Strange and the defeat to the Broncos ultimately cost the Raiders a shot at a drought-breaking premiership. <\/p>\n \u201cI think it had a big impact and was the major reason why they weren\u2019t able to progress to a prelim final because when you get to a final you feel confident that you can do something, but then just something happens in a game that knocks your confidence around,\u201d Cronk said. <\/p>\n \u201cUnless you have got experienced players to overcome that, it\u2019s really hard for young guys to forget about it and move on and play their best football. <\/p>\n \u201cI absolutely put down the loss tonight to what happened in week one. To win the comp they needed to win week one to get the weekend off and have that confidence and momentum that now the Sharks have built through the finals.\u201d <\/p>\n Ricky Lost for Words after finals exit | 01:47<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Nathan Cleary has the Panthers primed for an astonishing five-peat, while the Sharks are the dark horse to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":160112,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[106242,18743,4614,1813,106236,63,689,7292,106248,21686,106235,6404,106243,4428,10122,36265,4567,2667,11101,8089,106233,4565,11096,54309,51171,106251,64921,106246,60055,54308,106238,60064,21683,19099,106256,61783,25551,105585,101476,10398,106260,18664,106250,70477,106257,106234,11288,43,106259,81096,106252,5098,4555,4575,4518,17340,4744,4484,4617,27146,4746,18656,4466,32917,16695,106241,44,677,13390,4598,106244,106255,71040,19095,47922,52764,36167,106258,39403,106254,102475,13391,11368,7291,73373,7623,78645,11094,60604,106247,106239,101484,106240,106261,26493,76104,106249,106253,106237,11375,7663,106232,26121,11089,41,39,42,40,7619,11388,4456,106262,106245],"class_list":["post-160111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-o-levels","tag-adam-reynolds","tag-addin-fonua-blake","tag-ankle-injury","tag-astonishing-five-peat","tag-australia","tag-australia-and-new-zealand","tag-australian-capital-territory","tag-back-to-back-performances","tag-ben-hunt","tag-bench-option","tag-blayke-brailey","tag-brilliant-tackle","tag-brisbane-broncos","tag-bryan-fletcher","tag-business-end","tag-cameron-munster","tag-canberra","tag-cooper-cronk","tag-craig-bellamy","tag-craig-will-trust","tag-cronulla-sharks","tag-daniel-nuttall","tag-dark-horse","tag-dark-horses","tag-day-football","tag-debut-back","tag-defensive-duties","tag-defensive-efforts","tag-defensive-side","tag-dolphins-halfback","tag-dominant-win","tag-ezra-mam","tag-finals-campaign","tag-finals-fade-out","tag-finals-footy","tag-finals-games","tag-finals-masterclass","tag-finals-record","tag-finals-run","tag-football-gods","tag-game-plan","tag-game-players","tag-genuine-title-threat","tag-getting-fitter","tag-goal-line-defence","tag-grand-final","tag-headlines","tag-highlight-reels","tag-immense-pressure","tag-instrumental-performance","tag-ivan-cleary","tag-jacob-kiraz","tag-jahrome-hughes","tag-jamal-fogarty","tag-josh-papalii","tag-kicking-game","tag-kieran-foran","tag-lachlan-galvin","tag-linebreak-assists","tag-mark-st-john","tag-matty-johns","tag-melbourne-storm","tag-michael-ennis","tag-minor-premiership","tag-natural-position","tag-news","tag-oceania","tag-payne-haas","tag-penrith-panthers","tag-player-coach-relationship","tag-prelim-date","tag-prelim-final","tag-preliminary-final","tag-premiership-charge","tag-premiership-winner","tag-raiders-coach","tag-raiders-rout","tag-real-advantage","tag-real-captain","tag-real-shake","tag-reece-walsh","tag-regular-season","tag-ricky-stuart","tag-ruck-speed","tag-run-metres","tag-selection-dilemma","tag-semi-finals","tag-semi-final-loss","tag-sharks-legend","tag-sides-comprehensive-victory","tag-siege-mentality","tag-silences-critics","tag-spiritual-leader","tag-statement-win","tag-straight-sets","tag-straight-sets-heartbreak","tag-stunning-display","tag-superb-hat-trick","tag-tackle-busts","tag-talking-points","tag-time-defeat","tag-tom-jenkins","tag-tom-sargeant","tag-top-news","tag-top-stories","tag-topnews","tag-topstories","tag-try-assist","tag-try-line","tag-william-kennedy","tag-wing-partner","tag-young-guys"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160111","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=160111"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/160111\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/160112"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=160111"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=160111"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=160111"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}<\/a><\/p>\n