The Sharks only had themselves to blame for Canberra’s next try as their left-side shift ended with Maloney’s pass dribbling behind Ricky Leutele, and Jordan Rapana flew 75 metres in the opposite direction to score, although running mate Joey Leilua nearly cost the team four points.
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One Canberra fan wrote on Twitter: “Ennis mocking the crowds Viking Clap is the pathetic sportsmanship ive come to expect from him”, while another NRL supporter said: ‘Michael Ennis doing the Viking clap to the Raiders fans as soon as the hooter goes.
The Raiders host the victor of Sunday’s Penrith-Canterbury elimination final, however nervously await the status of star hooker Josh Hodgson, who came off with a second-half ankle injury.
Hodgson hurt his ankle early in the second half during the Raiders’ qualifying final loss to Cronulla on Saturday and left the ground wearing a moon boot.
The grand final in Sydney is scheduled for October 2. Maloney levelled the game with a penalty goal in the 66th minute.
If the wheels hadn’t fallen off completely for Cronulla over the past two months, the roadtrip to the nation’s capital was always going to be a huge test of their durability given they had lost five of their past six games.
He knew what to expect after watching the Panthers’ 28-12 victory over the Canterbury Bulldogs in the elimination final on Sunday.
While coach Ricky Stuart knows the importance of strong defence against the risky Sharks, he also knows his team plays an unbridled style of attacking football that is not only entertaining, but also very hard to stop.
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After a stop-start opening to the match following a plethora of penalties and errors, it was Raiders hooker Josh Hodgson who broke the shackles when he sliced through some soft defence to give the Raiders a 6-0 lead after 13 minutes. The pair showcased their brilliance again last weekend, with Rapana streaking 80 metres for his 21st try of the season – just one short of the Raiders’ club record.
