Round 26
Sharks 24 l. Raiders 26

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Canberra cruise and then scrape into 7th position
Sun September 3, 2006
Canberra have finished the season in 7th position but not before going through a nerve wrecking second half where they had to hold on grimly to defeat Cronulla 26-24 after leading 26-0 at the break. The Raiders needed to win to avoid playing Melbourne in the opening week of the Finals following Parramatta's loss against North Queensland the night before.

Hard working lock Alan Tongue got the Raiders off on the right foot with a try in the 7th minute with Clinton Schifcofske converting and landing a penalty goal four minutes later for Canberra to hold an 8-0 lead.

Simon Woolford extended Canberra's lead with a 20th minute try and two tries by Todd Carney nearing halftime pushed the Raiders well clear at 26-0.

Cronulla were dejected in the first half and were playing like a side that couldn't wait for the 80 minutes to come quick enough. Whatever happened at halftime in both dressing sheds saw a completely new game emerge in the second half as the Sharks showed some of the qualities they had before embarking on a nine match losing streak that would crucify their season.

Tries to Ben Pomeroy and Luke Covell in the 46th and 49th minutes got Cronulla back to 26-12 down and when Brett Kearney streaked away after backing up a break, it was 26-18 with Covell converting all three tries.

Covell's second try put the Sharks within two points and Canberra had to dig deep in defence to keep themselves in 7th position. Covell had the opportunity to equalise in the final minute with a penalty goal attempt but Covell missed a relatively easy shot at goal and the Raiders avoided competed in their 5th Golden Point of the season. The match confined the Sharks to their 10th successive loss to finish the season and another loss for Brett Kimmorley and Adam Dykes as a halves combination. The easy decision would be for the Sharks to cut Dykes but will they made the correct decision?

There will be changes at Cronulla next year with Stuart Raper's future as Coach in serious doubt and more so now that Ricky Stuart is available on the open market.

Canberra's first half would have sent danger signs to other Clubs but their second half would have made the Finals teams breath easier. It was important for the Raiders to finish 7th as taking on Melbourne in Melbourne would have been a waste of time for them. Canberra have a good record against the Bulldogs, the Raiders have never lost at Telstra Stadium, the Bulldogs have never won a home Final and the last time the Bulldogs won in the opening week of the Finals was when they finished 5th in 1999. The Bulldogs have also been struggling with form and injury of late and the Bulldogs have a habit of making Schifcofske look like an Immortal.

Carney, Woolford and Tongue were Canberra's three standout performers. Carney is forever improving as an impressive halfback or five-eighth and even though the Raiders are losing veterans Woolford and Jason Smith their play making trio of Carney, Wigan's Michael Dobson and Lincoln Withers will be an exciting one next year and could be best Canberra have had since Laurie Daley, Stuart and Steve Walters. Woolford who is joining the Dragons next year was impressive out of dummy half and Tongue made over 50 tackles for the match to finish the regular season with the most tackles recorded by an individual since defensive statistics have been done.

The Finals have all be decided except for Brisbane's position, which will be 3rd or 6th (no in between's) depending on how they perform against the Warriors today.

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