Hammer blow for Cronulla Sharks as star suspended for rest of NRL regular season

Yahoo

3 days ago

Things have gone from bad to worse for the Cronulla Sharks after their shock loss to the Dragons on Saturday, with Briton Nikora copping a three-game ban that means his regular season is over. The Kiwi second-rower was sin-binned in the dying stages of the Sharks' 22-14 loss on Saturday after racing out of the line and hitting Dragons winger Corey Allan high.
On Sunday, the NRL match review committee hit Nikora with a grade-two careless high tackle charge. Because it's his third offence it carries a four-week suspension (three with an early guilty plea).
The Sharks have a bye in Round 25, meaning they only have three games remaining in the regular season. Even if Nikora pleads guilty and accepts the three-game ban, he won't play again this year until the NRL finals. But considering the Sharks are seventh and haven't been setting the world on fire, there's no guarantee they'll even make it.
Craig Fitzgibbon's side are on 28 points after their loss to the Dragons, just two points ahead of the Dolphins in eighth and Roosters in ninth. The Sea Eagles are lurking on 24 points in 10th, and even the Dragons are a mathematical chance to make the finals on 22 points.
Cronulla had won four in a row before their loss to the Dragons, but their form hasn't been spectacular. They only narrowly beat the last-placed Rabbitohs 14-12 in Round 21, despite Souths having a plethora of players out injured.
The Sharks could opt to challenge Nikora's charge at the NRL judiciary, but he'd cop a four-game ban if unsuccessful. That would mean he misses the first week of the finals - but only if the Sharks make it.
Briton Nikora's regular season is now over. pic.twitter.com/MGv2GOQTQU
— The SuperCoach Whisperer (@SCWhisperer) August 10, 2025
Sharks rue missed chance to shake-up NRL top-four
On Saturday night, Fitzgibbon lamented a spurned opportunity for his team's top-four ambitions after they failed to fire against the 11th-placed Dragons. Cronulla only play one top-eight team in the final five rounds of the regular season, and were expected to charge into the top-four.
But they'll now need to rely on Penrith losing twice and the New Zealand Warriors to also drop points if they are to book a qualifying final spot. Fitzgibbon admitted Cronulla missed a chance to shake up the top four, as the Dragons scored their first win over the Sharks in five years.
"We had an opportunity today and we didn't take it," Fitzgibbon said. "I thought the game had no rhythm to it at all ... it was a poor discipline performance from us. We opened the door and showed we were susceptible, and they took it."
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Eight charges handed down after Roosters and Dolphins clash
Meanwhile, the match review committee has handed down eight charges after the Roosters' fiery win over the Dolphins. Spencer Leniu, Kurt Donoghoe and Francis Molo all copped two charges each, with Molo facing a two-game ban for a grade-two carless high tackle on Naufahu Whyte.
Leniu copped two fines for his role in an ugly melee that erupted in the first half, while Whyte and Aublix Tawha were also fined for the same incident. And Donoghoe copped two separate fines for a high tackle on Billy Smith and shoulder charge on Leniu.