WHEN the video referee disallowed Andrew Fifita's seemingly match-winning try for Cronulla in the dying stages of Saturday's clash with Canberra, you could have forgiven the Sharks players for putting their heads in their hands.
But the Sharks are made of far sterner stuff in 2015.
Teenage superstar Valentine Holmes snapped a field goal in golden point extra-time to seal a controversial 21-20 win over the Raiders at GIO Stadium, Canberra.
Canberra led 20-18 in the dying stages before Andrew Fifita crashed under the posts to score from a Michael Ennis grubber.
Fifita appeared to ground the ball and — despite the on-field referees awarding a try — the video referee ruled the four-pointer as a knock on.
Cronulla were instead given a penalty after the video referee ruled Fifita was tackled without the ball.
Michael Gordon converted the penalty goal to level the scores at 20-20 and send the game to golden point.
Sharks coach Shane Flanagan said the decision to disallow Fifita's try was strange.
"If we didn't get the two points, I think I would have struggled to come in here and be honest about our performance," he said.
"I thought it was a try, definitely. They'll deal with that during the week.
"In the end, I thought the better team won. That last decision for that [no] try, I don't know how they come up with it.
"The on-field referee has ruled it a try. The way I read it is they need to have conclusive evidence that it's not a try. I couldn't see any evidence to change that decision.
"I haven't got the money to spend [on a fine for referee criticism] and I'll do it through the correct processes."
Sharks captain Paul Gallen celebrated his 250th NRL game for the Sharks, while Jeff Robson (150 NRL games) and Ricky Leutele (50 NRL games) also reached milestones.
"[It was] exciting for the fans and the crowd that was here it would have been exciting to watch but as Flanno said we had to win it a few times," Gallen said. "We got the two points which is the most important thing."
The win was Cronulla's fifth from their last six games and saw them climb above local rivals St George Illawarra into the top eight.
Cronulla Sharks 21 (ValentineHolmes, Ricky Leutele, Andrew Fifita tries. Michael Gordon four goals. Holmes field goal) d Canberra Raiders 20 (Edrick Lee 2, Josh Papalii tries. Jarrod Croker four goals) in golden point extra-time.
Crowd: 9853.
Leader Man of the Match: Andrew Fifita (Cronulla).
