Ricky Stuart has lashed an "embarrassing" and "awful" Canberra, after Cronulla pulled off a remarkable Easter Sunday resurrection to beat the Raiders 36-22.
On a bizarre night in Cronulla, the heavily-depleted Sharks came back from 18-0 down after 25 minutes to draw level by half time and run away with the game.
It came as the Raiders spluttered their way to another horror fade out, making errors at will and leaving coach Stuart seething.
"We played 12 or 14 minutes of half decent football. After that, we were embarrassing, and it was awful," Stuart said.
"We've worked too hard in the off-season. That's definitely not us. But tonight it was.
"We won't be forgetting that night real quickly, I can promise you. It was really poor and it will be dealt with."
Making Cronulla's comeback even more remarkable was the fact they were without five first-choice forwards.
But after falling behind, the Sharks somehow grew another leg with their forwards off the bench, with Jack Williams impressive and Cameron McInnes playing 80 minutes.
"That was a massive win for Cronulla, and they deserve recognition for it," Stuart said.
"Because they've been hit by a lot of injuries. You've got a lot of Newtown boys in there, second graders, and they've done the job.
"Whereas our blokes didn't."
There are also lingering concerns for the Raiders, with Zac Hosking already ruled out of next Sunday's match against Parramatta after suffering a concussion.
While both sides traded errors early, it was the Raiders who looked white-hot in the opening 25 minutes.
Xavier Savage was dangerous with every touch, stepping through four Sharks for one try and putting Canberra on the front foot in the lead-up to another.
Jamal Fogarty was kicking 40-20s, while Danny Levi was picking his moments out of dummy-half as he burrowed over for a try.
But the game swung dramatically on a successful captain's challenge from the Sharks, when an error became a penalty against Hudson Young for a flop.
Cronulla went downfield and Braydon Trindall was able to slice his way through the Raiders' right edge with a dummy and turn of speed.
And from there, it was all the Sharks, their comeback aided by Nicho Hynes landing all six conversion attempts.
Kayal Iro put Ronaldo Mulitalo over on the left wing to make it 18-12, and a piece of Blayke Brailey brilliance then ensured Cronulla would be level at the break.
Busting through the middle of the field, the Sharks hooker kicked for winger Sione Katoa and then backed up on the inside to take a long pass and score.
Playing in his second NRL game, Iro then put Cronulla ahead with 20 minutes to play when Trindall went across-field and put him into a hole.
Mulitalo also set up another try late, and scored himself on the siren after a Katoa bust to cancel out a later four-pointer from Canberra winger James Schiller.
The win ensures Cronulla will sit on eight points after the opening five rounds, with a bye next week likely to push Craig Fitzgibbon's men into the top four.
"After that initial stage. I don't think there was a performer out there that we were thinking was getting it done," Fitzgibbon said.
"And then switch hit, and everyone started getting their jobs done.
"I'm proud of the fact it's a backs-to-the-wall performance.
"But also … you've got to be careful because we had a terrific victory, but against a team like Canberra you won't get away with too many like that."
Look back at how the action unfolded in our blog.
That'll do us - a solid win for the Warriors and a great win for the Sharks, and don't forget the ABC will be blogging every NRL game for the rest of the season.
Tune back in tomorrow for the Tigers-Eels game, it should be a beauty. I've been Nick Campton, you've been yourself, keep it real on the streets until I see you again.
LoadingCronulla have pulled off a remarkable Easter Sunday resurrection, overturning an 18-point deficit to beat Canberra 36-22.
On a bizarre night in Cronulla, a heavily depleted Sharks outfit looked completely out of the game when they fell behind 18-0 early.
Comprehensively beaten by Wests Tigers last week, it looked like more of the same for the Sharks when they coughed up the ball at will early.
But they were able to snap into gear for the final 55 minutes of the match, drawing level by halftime before a Kayal Iro try put them ahead with 20 to play.
The win ensures they will sit on eight points after the opening five rounds, with a bye next week to likely push Craig Fitzgibbon's men into the top four.
Canberra will be left wondering how they let Sunday night slip away.
While both sides traded errors early, it was the Raiders who looked white-hot in the opening 25 minutes.
Xavier Savage was dangerous with every touch, stepping through four Sharks for one try and putting Canberra on the front foot in the lead-up to another.
Jamal Fogarty was kicking 40-20s, while Danny Levi was picking his moments out of dummy-half as he burrowed over for one try.
But the game swung dramatically on a successful captain's challenge from the Sharks.
Cronulla looked as if they were going to be defending their own line when Ronaldo Mulitalo spilled the ball in a tackle, only for the bunker to rule Hudson Young had flopped in on the Shark.
From the penalty, Cronulla went downfield and Braydon Trindall was able to slice his way through the Raiders' right edge with a dummy and turn of speed.
And from there, it was all the Sharks.
Iro put Mulitalo over on the left wing to make it 18-12, and a piece of Blayke Brailey brilliance then ensured Cronulla would be level at the break.
Busting through the middle of the field, the Sharks hooker kicked for winger Sione Katoa and then backed up on the inside to take a long pass and score.
The start of the second half was again error-riddled, but it was the Sharks who settled first.
Playing in his second NRL game, Iro put Cronulla ahead when Trindall went across-field and put him into a hole, before Mulitalo made it a 12-point game with 15 minutes to play.
Canberra briefly hit back through James Schiller, but Katoa was able to finish the party with a try on fulltime after a Mulitalo bust.
Making the Sharks' revival more remarkable was the fact it came without five members of their first-choice starting pack.
With Dale Finucane (eye socket), Toby Rudolf (ankle), Braden Hamlin-Uele (knee), Royce Hunt (calf) and Briton Nikora (suspended) all sidelined, the Sharks somehow grew another leg after going behind 18-0.
There are also lingering concerns for the Raiders, with Zac Hosking already ruled out of next Sunday's clash with Parramatta after suffering a concussion.
AAP
Cronulla finish in style as Hynes goes wide to Katoa in the final seconds and he walks over as the siren sounds. Hynes converts from touch and Cronulla earn an impressive 36-22 victory.
Canberra run it on the last around halfway and Savage looks to be away for a little bit but he tries to fire a pass inside and, this is with no exaggeration, it's as forward as a pass has ever been. Cronulla have it and they're home.
Rapana fires a cut-out to Schiller and he's in for his second! Raiders are back in it but they need this kick from the sideline...but it hits the post! Sharks still lead 30-22.
Hynes puts up a bomb, Rapana drops it and Atkinson is there to pick up the scraps and score...but the video ref rules Timoko was pushed in the lead up. Canberra survive.
Cronulla are in again, this time Hynes doubles up down the blind on the last tackle and Kennedy puts in a really nice little kick for Mulitalo to latch on and score. The Sharks are playing at a different speed than the Raiders at the moment, Hynes converts and Cronulla lead 30-18.
Cronulla get some field position after a Savage error, they go down their left and Trindall puts Iro past Mariota to score. That's the first try of his first grade career and it feels like a big play in the context of the match. Hynes converts and Cronulla lead 24-18.
Kennedy drops an offload from Mulitalo after he fielded a kick. Raiders could do with something here, they haven't had much footy.
But Horsburgh drops a simple pass not long afterwards. Ordinary stuff.
Fogarty puts in a nice kick, Hynes takes it and Canberra drive him back into the in-goal. They test the Sharks a couple of times but they manage to hold fast and then Katoa earns a penalty on the exit set. Nice stuff from the Sharks winger.
Canberra kick off and we'll see how this all goes.
Savage loses the ball in the shadows of his own posts and the Sharks are back on the attack before halftime.
Talakai drops the ball to let Canberra off the hook, but what a strange half of football it's been. Really back and forth stuff, Canberra were up 18-0 before the Sharks came back to level it.
Brailey puts a kick in, Canberra let it bounce and it does for Katoa, he throws it inside and Brailey is there to pick it up and score! This game has been turned on it's head! Hynes converts and it's 18-all.
Schiller drops it in contact and the Sharks are back on the attack....until Hynes puts it down. But then Horsburgh makes an error of his own only three tackles later, neither team can really hang on to the ball now.
And Cronulla make them pay, they spread it left and Mulitalo gets on the outside of Schiller and the winger is over! The Sharks are fighting back. Hynes converts from the sideline and it's back to 18-12.
A Young penalty gives the Sharks field position and Trindall shows Fogarty a dummy and is too quick for Hosking and he dives in to score. Hynes converts and it's 18-6 Raiders, nice fight back from Cronulla.
Rapana bungles a kick near the sideline and the Sharks are on the attack but they sweep right and put it to ground.
From the ensuing set, Fogarty kicks a 40/20 and two tackles later Levi barges over from close range. Fogarty converts and it's 18-0 Canberra.
The Sharks knock down a pass as Canberra are on the attack and Savage goes in straight from the scrum, he shows some great speed and evasion to dart over! Fogarty converts and it's 12-0 Raiders.
Cronulla earn a set restart through the middle to put them on the attack. But Hynes goes for a tricky tip on and Savage manages to dive on it to release the pressure.
A good carry from Savage up the middle gets Canberra some ruck speed and they go wide, Fogarty finds Hosking, he goes back to Fogarty, then a pass out to Timoko is tipped on to Schiller and the winger beats Kennedy to the corner! Great try from Canberra, terrific ad-lib footy. Fogarty converts from touch and it's Canberra 6-0.
Lot of errors early, this time McInnes gives it back to Canberra inside his own 30.
But the Raiders can't get through a set right now either as Smithies puts down a short ball from Papalii. Scrappy start from both teams.
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