Valentine Holmes was one of the Sharks' favourite sons but a 45m dagger after 93 minutes has left him Cronulla's biggest villain.
The two surprise packets of the 2022 season have played out an absolute thriller in their qualifying final as North Queensland Cowboys broke the hearts of the Cronulla Sharks in a wild 32-30 golden point shootout at PointsBet Stadium.
The sides were left 30-all at full-time, forcing 10 minutes of extra-time rather than golden point, meaning a single point wouldn't have ended it.
Stream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
Down 30-22 with 13 minutes left, the Cowboys were handed a lifeline when Connor Tracey was sin binned for tackling Valentine Holmes without the ball.
It was not given as a penalty try, but Tracey was given his marching order.
After converting for a 30-24 scoreline, the Cowboys scored with seconds left in the half through a rampaging run from captain Jason Taumalolo and Holmes converted to make it 30-all.
Both teams were desperate for the win, which would give them a week off, while the other side would have to go the hard way, playing the winner of tomorrow's Roosters-Rabbitohs clash for a chance to play the Panthers in the preliminary final.
It meant extra-time was scoreless, setting up golden point after 90 minutes of cracking finals action.
That was until the 93rd minute when former Sharks premiership hero drilled a 45m dagger through Cronulla's hearts, booting a two-point field goal to send North Queensland into the grand final qualifier.
Holmes showed up in three of the biggest moments of the game.
In the 63rd minute, it looked as though Cronulla had finally struck a decisive blow when Connor Tracey crossed in the corner but the Bunker called it back for obstruction when Valentine Holmes hit the deck with minimal impact from Jesse Ramien.
Cam Smith said: "He could have stayed on his feet and competed for the tackle. That's what the game has done, you might slight contact with any defensive player it's a penalty."
Paul Vautin was furious.
"That's a stitch up. That's a try every day of the week," he said.
Smith replied: "As the rule books goes Jesse Ramien rubbed the outside shoulder of Valentine Holmes. It's the slightest of touches, but it's been an obstruction all year."
When Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston said: "I think the Sharkies were really hard done by there. Yes he runs to the outside shoulder, I think Valentine Holmes needs an Academy Award for that."
Vautin added: "Maybe a Logie".
The Sharks scored soon after to make it 30-22 but the door reopened when Tracey tackled Holmes as he went for a try. Tracey was sin binned with eight-minutes left on the clock, in what was a controversial call.
After the game, Sharks half Nicho Hynes said: "I thought we done enough to win that game and it's a bit hard done by I reckon that sin bin, rule is shoulder to shoulder... you still have to defend your line".
Brad Fittler agreed Tracey hedged his bets, taking Holmes while trying to swing at the ball.
"I felt he was going both ways, getting his arm in there," he said. "I think it was fairly legitimate. The refs and bunker was put that a tough situation. The fact he went into Valentine Holmes uses his body to push I am had, sways it for a sin bin and a professional foul."
The Cowboys stormed back through Taumalolo's try and sent the game to extra-time before Holmes stepped up to nail the winner.
Fans were loving the overtime clash.
This game is that entertaining I think they should just keep playing until the council says the lights have to go out 🤣🤣🤣🤣#NRLSharksCowboys #NRLFinals
— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen) September 10, 2022
90 minutes and counting in Cronulla.
— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) September 10, 2022
30-30 and now unlimited golden point.
Hell of a finals game this. #NRLSharksCowboys
This will finish just in time for #NRLRoostersRabbitohs tmrw. #NRLSharksCowboys
— Tim Barrow (@TheBarrow) September 10, 2022
Game of the season. That had everything. Cowboys are one win away from the grand final (things you never thought you’d say in 2022). The New York Jets don’t know what they’re missing in Val Holmes #NRLSharksCowboys
— Jamie Pandaram (@JamiePandaram) September 10, 2022
The Sharks and Cowboys is going to extra-time after Jason Taumalolo scored with seconds left on the clock.
Down 30-24 after Connor Tracey was sin binned for tackling Valentine Holmes without the ball, the Cowboys finally got in position with a minute remaining.
Inspirational skipper Jason Taumalolo finally burst through the line with the man advantage to lock it up and send the game to an extra 10 minutes.
It is not golden point however as the teams will play out the full 10 minutes.
The Cowboys and Sharks traded tries to start the half but Cronulla quickly gained the ascendency and went searching for a knockout blow.
In the 63rd minute, it looked as though Cronulla had finally found the blow when Connor Tracey crossed in the corner but the Bunker called it back for obstruction when Valentine Holmes hit the deck with minimal impact from Jesse Ramien.
Cam Smith said: "He could have stayed on his feet and competed for the tackle. That's what the game has done, you might slight contact with any defensive player it's a penalty."
Paul Vautin was furious.
"That's a stitch up. That's a try every day of the week," he said.
Smith replied: "As the rule books goes Jesse Ramien rubbed the outside shoulder of Valentine Holmes. It's the slightest of touches, but it's been an obstruction all year."
When Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston said: "I think the Sharkies were really hard done by there. Yes he runs to the outside shoulder, I think Valentine Holmes needs an Academy Award for that."
Vautin added: "Maybe a Logie".
He wasn't alone.
There was no obstruction there . Holmes took an absolute dive #NRLFinals #NRLSharksCowboys
— Bernie Coen (@berniecoen) September 10, 2022
The Sharks quickly found the try as Cameron McInnes made it a 30-22 lead for the home team.
Tom Dearden has had one hell of a season and he's left the commentators and a packed PointsBet Stadium in shock by one of the great individual tries.
Rejected by the Broncos last season, Dearden has been a revelation for the Cowboys, even earning an Origin call up in the deciding match for Queensland.
But with absolutely nothing going on, Dearden has flipped the game on its head.
Getting into dummy half, Dearden took off dummying to Valentine Holmes before powering through a gap, running around Sharks fullback and scoring under the posts in a 60m play.
The crowd went silent and the commentators were left speechless.
Cameron Smith said: "The Sharks players, they just stood and put their arms in the air.
Paul Vautin added: "What just happened? The Sharks fans, they don't know what to say."
Smith said: "That should be alarm bells for the Sharkies. They've had two plays there back to back where they've just relaxed, taken a rest and the Cowboys have capitalised with two line breaks."
https://twitter.com/wwos/status/1568547410854526982
Dearden made that look far too easy #NRLSharksCowboys
— lavender baj (@lavosaurus) September 10, 2022
Tom Dearden, you little ripper, running 60 metres to score under the posts! https://t.co/TW8wlmZ8HL
— NQ Cowboys (@nthqldcowboys) September 10, 2022
The Cowboys then made it 18-12 when Peta Hiku scored immediately after.
But the Sharks weren't going to be left out as Will Kennedy made up for his lazy defence on the Dearden try when he score to level it all up at 18-all just before halftime.
Siosifa Talakai will play against the Cowboys after the Sharks were named 1-17 for the qualifying final.
Yesterday Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said the powerhouse centre was recovering better than expected from a syndesmosis injury and was on track to play in Saturday’s qualifying final.
Talakai hurt his ankle in the dying stages of last week’s win over Newcastle when Knights forward Mat Croker landed on his lower leg in a hip-drop tackle.
Talakai, Will Kennedy, Dale Finucane, Connor Tracey and Toby Rudolf will all play in the match.
The Blues rookie was forced from the field and there were fears he could miss part of the finals.
What’s helped Talakai is something called TightRope fixation, which helps to stabilise the lower leg.
“He looks strong, probably better than expected,” Fitzgibbon said of Talakai, revealing Matt Ikuvalu also avoided an extended stint on the sidelines because of the TightRope.
“He got through more work than we thought yesterday, so he’s looking good.
“He trained quite well yesterday, so we’ll see how he pulls up this morning.
“The TightRope acts as the same integrity as the ligaments are supposed to be, so having a wire in there actually stopped it from those bones splitting apart and actually reinjuring it.
“It was a blessing for him.”
Alex Leapai Jr, a promising NRL front-rower before making the switch to boxing, has impressed with a dominant knockout.
The Wests Tigers players who failed fitness tests on day one of pre-season have been named amid John Bateman’s contract issues.
NRL star turned champion boxer Anthony Mundine has celebrated the end of a years-long legal battle after being found guilty of flouting Covid restrictions.