An undermanned Sharks side have been pipped at the post by the Raiders in a 24-20 heartbreaker at GIO Stadium on Thursday night.
Missing the likes of Kayal Iro, Teig Wilton, Sifa Talakai and Braden Hamlin-Uele, Cronulla fought hard but lacked the polish to ice the result in the nation's capital.
Going into half-time at 18-all, the Sharks struck the front for the first time in the 58th minute through a Nicho Hynes penalty goal moments after Canberra back-rower Hudson Young was sin-binned for a high tackle.
But the Raiders pulled off a near miracle at the death with a stunning hot-potato play, culminating in Xavier Savage kicking ahead for Kaeo Weekes. The fullback linked with Simi Sasagi on his inside, the forward then delivering the final pass for Sebastian Kris to score the match-winning try.
Canberra drew first blood in the sixth minute when edge forward Matty Nicholson cut back inside and stepped his way under the posts. Halfback Jamal Fogarty made no mistake with the simple conversion to create a 6-0 buffer.
The Sharks wasted little time in response, finding joy on the left edge as centre Mawene Hiroti marked his first NRL match since last August with a slicing run to the line. Playmaker Hynes nailed the goal from out wide despite the parochial crowd doing their best to put him off, locking the scores after 11 minutes.
Canberra dynamo Weekes looked to have put the Green Machine back in front when he zipped through the defence, but the Bunker confirmed suspicions the play unfolded a little too easily by ruling an obstruction against Nicholson.
There was no denying the Raiders' next effort, however, with hooker Tom Starling scheming across field and placing a deft grubber for Young, who had ample time to ground the ball in one motion despite a tricky bounce.
But Cronulla refused to let Canberra skip away, returning serve moments later when Briton Nikora powered his way over from a Braydon Trindall short ball. Hynes slotted the extra two points to tie up an absorbing contest after 27 minutes.
With half-time in sight, the Raiders continued the back-and-forth scoring trend with Young collecting his double thanks to a smart offload from centre Kris. The crucial four-pointer came a few plays after the Sharks spilled a bomb.
On the stroke of the siren, Nikora matched his opposite number with a sublime effort to bag a second try. The Kiwi Test forward grubbered the ball into a Raiders player, toed the ricochet into the in-goal area and won the race to touch down.
Hynes knocked over the goal to leave the result firmly in the balance at the break.
A stalemate dragged out to start the second half, with both teams defending desperately and failing to capitalise on attacking opportunities.
But the match quickly changed complexion when Young was marched for a high shot in the 58th minute. Another penalty for a dangerous tackle, this time against Joe Tapine, allowed the Sharks to take the lead through a Hynes penalty shot.
With Young back on the field, the Raiders peppered away at Cronulla's line. Winger Savelio Tamale nearly claimed a go-ahead try when he strode down the left touchline, but Sharks fullback Will Kennedy and his cavalry bundled him out.
Fatigue caught up with Cronulla in the dying minutes, the Raiders unlocking enough spark to engineer a scintillating try and sink the brave Sharks.
Cronulla are next in action against Manly at Perth's Optus Stadium next Saturday.
