Cronulla have rebounded from their miserable run of form in gritty fashion, dismantling Canberra 34-22 to claim their second win of the NRL season.
Having suffered back-to-back thumpings by Penrith and the Dolphins, the Sharks were a transformed team at GIO Stadium in Canberra on Sunday afternoon.
Victory capped off a great week for coach Craig Fitzgibbon, who inked a two-year contract extension on Wednesday, while also avoiding Cronulla’s worst season start since 2020.
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The teams went tit-for-tat in scoring, but it was the Sharks’ rampant start that proved the difference as they capitalised on a Corey Horsburgh sin bin.
Five-eighth Braydon Trindall was busy posting three try assists, while the barnstorming Addin Fonua-Blake recorded 116 metres for the visitors, who were without second-rower Briton Nikora with a nose injury.
Canberra had been hoping for revenge after Cronulla dumped the Green Machine out of last season’s finals.
The Raiders (1-3) slumped to their third consecutive loss, obviously missing inspirational captain Josh Papali’i (suspension).
Xavier Savage was a shining light for the home team, running for 158 metres, making three line breaks and scoring a try, while fullback Kaeo Weekes also scored a try and ran 163 metres.
The rampaging Noah Martin claimed a game-high 41 tackles, but 21-year-old Joe Roddy couldn’t celebrate his competition debut after coming off the bench.
Canberra had a horror start when Horsburgh was sin-binned for dumping Nicho Hynes, and the Sharks capitalised twice through second-rower Teig Wilton and centre KL Iro.
Once Horsburgh returned, the Raiders settled and were rewarded when Savage tore down the right flank before handing the ball to Weekes, who crashed over the line.
Cronulla hit back in the 22nd minute when Billy Burns was on the receiving end of a short ball from Hynes.
Four minutes later, Hudson Young closed the deficit back to six points when he caught a Weekes bobble and scuttled across the tryline.
Trailing 18-12 after halftime, Canberra found the first four-pointer when Weekes floated a ball to winger Savelio Tamale, who crossed.
The Sharks responded when Blayke Brailey scooped up a loose ball and handed it off to Sam Stonestreet.
Savage put himself on the scoresheet when Simi Sasagi tipped off the ball to the winger, who sneaked down the line to equalise in the 56th minute.
Trindall threw an offload to William Kennedy, who reinstalled Cronulla’s lead just four minutes later, before Jesse Colquhoun iced victory after making the most of a Martin drop.
