Sharks eliminate Raiders 32-12 as Jamal Fogarty battles emotion in semifinal exit

Cronulla Sharks delivered a 32-12 victory over the Canberra Raiders on Saturday night at GIO Stadium, ending Canberra’s finals campaign in straight sets and handing the Raiders a cruel exit from the title race.

Jamal Fogarty, Canberra’s playmaker, appeared shattered in the immediate aftermath. He told Nine reporter Danika Mason that the result was pretty sad and that he didn’t really want to talk about it because he might get a little upset. He also reflected that he’s a little emotional, like his coach, but that all good things must come to an end. Fogarty, who is set to join Manly next season to fill the boots of Daly Cherry-Evans, said he would remember the people he met in Canberra as a personal highlight of his time with the club. "I think I’ve just met some great people, that’s been my favourite thing about coming here," he said.

In the immediate aftermath, Raiders captain Joe Tapine pressed on with his work despite sustaining a nose injury from a Toby Rudolf high shot in the 21st minute. Blood was visible as he spoke to reporters, though Tapine refused to let the blow define the night. "Just obviously disappointed. We built something pretty special and just lost a couple moments that lost us two games," he said. He added that the club had learned a great deal, not just as a playing group but as teammates, and urged his side not to let the disappointment fade as they prepared for next year.

The defeat capped a season defined by dramatic turnarounds and late-season reasons for optimism. Canberra had ascended from underdogs to minor premiers in 35 years, a journey described at times as miraculous. Yet, in the space of one night, Cronulla’s disciplined game plan and disciplined finish exposed the Raiders’ inexperience in the finals series. The Sharks, under coach Ricky Stuart, handed his own team a sobering reminder of how quickly a season can pivot in the knockout rounds, particularly for an outfit still finding its footing in high-stakes matches.

The loss marked Canberra’s second straight defeat in a playoff setting this year and left the club as only the second team since the eight-team format began in 1999 to bow out in straight sets in a final series. Still, there was a sense of growth amid the heartbreak. Stuart’s squad, young and evolving, will take away valuable experience from a season that swung from uncertainty to near-dominance during the regular rounds. The Raiders will now turn their attention to the off-season with a core group largely under contract for at least the next two years, laying groundwork for potential title-contending runs in the near future.