Canberra Raiders send Cronulla Sharks packing with NRL elimination final win

A CLINICAL Canberra side put the Sharks to the sword in a stunning second half burst to send Cronulla packing from the NRL finals.

NOBODY rides momentum like the Raiders, which makes them the most unpredictable team in the playoffs.

Twice the Raiders looked ready to clock off for the season and both times small effort plays turned their game around.

It seems to be their way, a team thriving under pressure like few do.

Coach David Furner has been wrestling with speculation about his coaching future for most of the season. It looked to peak six weeks ago, when the board whispered that he was gone.

At the same time Furner has carefully guarded the news his wife Kellie is battling breast cancer, a reality that would be enough to undo most men.

Yet Furner, never one to walk away, persisted. "When the season is over I'll talk about it," he said.

"What I have been able to do is keep work at work and home at home. Things are pretty positive at the moment."

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At times Furner has lent on rival coaches Tim Sheens and Wayne Bennett, revealing a brotherhood within the coaching ranks not often discussed.

Their message was always the same: "It's the job we have," he said.

When the Raiders walked off Bruce Stadium after being towelled up 40-0 by Wests Tigers in round 13, Furner was alone in the dressing room with the door open, listening to the crowd boo his team off, believing all he and his team needed was consistent football. "This is a team that needs to be playing week in, week out football so we can improve combinations," he said.

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The anomaly for the Raiders is that as much as they thrive under pressure, they don't play a pressure game. They play in bursts.

They trailed 6-0 and Cronulla seemed to have little problem rolling forward when Josh Dugan belted one down field that was as long as the afternoon shadows stretched across the field, a kick that looked to be well covered by fullback Isaac Gordon. As footballs can sometimes do, though, it found enough space to touch Gordon's foot and skip through, into touch. From the scrum, Canberra pressed and a couple of minutes later Sandor Earl found big space down the right edge to score.

From the kick-off set Sam Williams broke free, headed deep into Cronulla territory and found Jarrod Croker, who eventually got cornered.

Never mind, Croker simply checked himself, surveyed the scrambled defence, and chip-kicked to the corner for an unmarked Earl to score his second in as many minutes.

Naturally, the rest of the half belonged to the Raiders. Unfolding all around were small subplots.

The battle between Paul Gallen and Josh Papalii, which became deeply personal. Blake Ferguson's ongoing soap opera against his old club, which continues to be dissected every time he plays the Sharks.

The injury to Todd Carney, the awful refereeing mistakes, once again.

Canberra now play the Rabbitohs on Saturday, who will be checking and rechecking their game plan all week. How do you prepare for the Raiders, who ride their luck like no other?

Even after leading 16-6 at halftime they lost concentration to let Cronulla back in at 18-16 with 20 minutes left.

Then they exploded again with tries to Ferguson (twice), Glen Butriss and Williams to eliminate the Sharks.

It stretched the Raiders unbeaten run to seven, justifying Furner's patience for consistent football.

They are never more dangerous than when they are up against it, led by a coach who has refused to let the pressure of his future, both at work and at home, break him.

CANBERRA 34 (S Earl 2 B Ferguson 2 G Buttriss J Papalii S Williams tries J Croker 3 goals) bt CRONULLA 16 (W Graham R Leutele N Stapleton tries T Carney N Stapleton goals) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Tony Archer, Chris James. Crowd: 24,450.

SNAPSHOT
Key moment: Blake Ferguson plucks Sam Williams' high bomb from the air to notch his first of two second-half tries to snuff out a late Sharks charge.
Man of the match: Raider Williams was on form in the halves, setting up several tries and nabbing the last of the match to put the icing on an 18-point win.
Injuries: Canberra: Jarrod Croker (concussion), Sandor Earl (scalp laceration). Cronulla: Todd Carney (Achilles).
Judiciary: The Sharks' Jeremy Smith was put on report in the 55th minute for a high tackle on Jarrod Croker, sparking a spray from Paul Gallen to the ref.
What's next: Canberra will travel to Sydney's ANZ Stadium to play the Rabbitohs on Saturday night, while the only preparations the Sharks have to worry about now are for Mad Monday.