CANBERRA RAIDERS 22 CRONULLA SHARKS 34
TOM SMITH, GIO Stadium, Sunday

BRAYDON TRINDALL and Nicho Hynes guided Cronulla to a vital victory over Canberra on their own turf.

Corey Horsburgh’s early sin-binning helped the Sharks establish a lead before Xavier Savage’s sizzling solo try levelled things deep in the second half.

However, Trindall released Will Kennedy and Hynes kicked for Jesse Colquhoun to secure victory late.

Both these clubs entered 2026 with premiership aspirations but carried two-game losing streaks into this clash.

Horsburgh’s fourth-minute professional foul put the Raiders on the back foot immediately.

Trindall sent Teig Wilton steaming through then combined with Kennedy to assist KL Iro while Canberra were down to twelve.

Kaeo Weekes cashed in on a Savage bust to run away with the hosts’ first four-pointer, although Trindall and Hynes set up Billy Burns soon after.

Hudson Young’s score and the bunker’s denial of Sione Katoa kept the Raiders in the chase before the break, and the margin shrunk to two once Weekes’ quick hands put Savelio Tamale in the corner.

Samuel Stonestreet replied for the Sharks before Savage blazed a trail to the whitewash.

Ethan Sanders’ third conversion of the game made it 22-all, but Cronulla’s halves soon stood up.

Trindall’s trickery handed Kennedy four points and Noah Martin’s failure to handle Hynes’ kick gifted a try to Colquhoun.

Hynes’ 80th-minute penalty – his fifth goal – put the finishing touches on the important win.

RAIDERS: 1 Kaeo Weekes, 2 Savelio Tamale, 3 Simi Sasagi, 4 Sebastian Kris, 5 Xavier Savage, 6 Ethan Strange, 7 Ethan Sanders, 8 Morgan Smithies, 9 Tom Starling, 10 Joseph Tapine, 11 Hudson Young, 12 Noah Martin, 13 Corey Horsburgh. Subs: 14 Jayden Brailey, 15 Zac Hosking, 16 Ata Mariota, 17 Joe Roddy, 18 Daine Laurie (not used), 19 Jed Stuart (not used)

Tries: Weekes (17), Young (26), Tamale (46), Savage (56); Goals: Sanders 3/4; Sin bin: Horsburgh (4) – professional foul

SHARKS: 1 Will Kennedy, 2 Sione Katoa, 3 Jesse Ramien, 4 KL Iro, 5 Samuel Stonestreet, 6 Braydon Trindall, 7 Nicho Hynes, 8 Addin Fonua-Blake, 9 Blayke Brailey, 15 Toby Rudolf, 11 Billy Burns, 12 Teig Wilton, 13 Jesse Colquhoun. Subs: 10 Thomas Hazelton, 14 Siosifa Talakai, 16 Oregon Kaufusi, 17 Braden Uele, 18 Hohepa Puru (not used), 20 Chris Vea’ila (not used)

Tries: Wilton (5), Iro (8), Burns (22), Stonestreet (49), Kennedy (60), Colquhoun (72); Goals: Hynes 5/7

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 6-12, 6-18, 12-18; 16-18, 16-22, 22-22, 22-28, 22-32, 22-34

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Raiders: Joseph Tapine; Sharks: Braydon Trindall

Penalty count: 3-3; Half-time: 12-18; Referee: Grant Atkins; Attendance: 17,457