Finals footy arrives with everything on the line as the Sharks and Cowboys meet in a high-stakes elimination final at Allianz Stadium. Cronulla enter the match under immense pressure after a disappointing finish to the regular season, while North Queensland will be looking to defy the odds and continue their September campaign. With Braydon Trindall returning for the Sharks and the Cowboys welcoming back several key players, expect a fierce battle between two sides fighting to keep their premiership dreams alive.

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Matchday Details

Saturday, 12 September 2026 – 7:50pm AEST – Allianz Stadium, Sydney
📺 Nine Network / Nine Now / Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Grant Atkins | Senior Review Official: Ashley Klein

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks: 1. William Kennedy, 2. Sione Katoa, 3. Riley Jones, 4. KL Iro, 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo, 6. Braydon Trindall, 7. Nicho Hynes, 8. Addin Fonua-Blake, 9. Blayke Brailey (c), 10. Jesse Colquhoun, 11. Briton Nikora, 12. Teig Wilton, 13. Cameron McInnes, 14. Siosifa Talakai, 15. Billy Burns, 16. Oregon Kaufusi, 17. Thomas Hazelton, 18. Hohepa Puru, 19. Toby Rudolf, 20. Niwhai Puru, 21. Samuel Stonestreet, 22. Mawene Hiroti

North Queensland Cowboys: 1. Scott Drinkwater, 2. Braidon Burns, 3. Jaxon Purdue, 4. Tom Chester, 5. Zac Laybutt, 6. Jake Clifford, 7. Tom Dearden (c), 8. Griffin Neame, 9. Reed Mahoney, 10. Jason Taumalolo, 11. Heilum Luki, 12. Jeremiah Nanai, 13. Reuben Cotter, 14. Soni Luke, 15. John Bateman, 16. Thomas Mikaele, 17. Coen Hess, 18. Kaiden Lahrs, 19. Ethan King, 20. Kai O’Donnell, 21. Sam McIntyre, 22. Liam Sutton

Match Preview

After beating South Sydney in Round 22, Cronulla looked like favourites for a top four finish, with their last five games against bottom nine teams (St George Illawarra, Canberra, Gold Coast, Parramatta, and Melbourne), but they lost four of them and came from 16-8 down to beat the Titans. The Cowboys haven’t been much better, with just three more wins since their comeback Golden Point win over Manly Warringah in Round 19.

Cronulla’s reputation for struggling when it matters continues to follow them: while a full Ocean Protect Stadium would have given the Sharks a boost (and provided a better atmosphere), they won’t get the same home ground advantage at Allianz Stadium, despite the potential for a bigger crowd.

Cronulla leads the head-to-head 41-21 since 1995, with North Queensland winning the only clash in 2026 (46-34). The Sharks and Cowboys are 3-3 in finals. Four of those finals have been at Allianz Stadium, with Cronulla winning three of them.

There’s a huge in for Cronulla, with Braydon Trindall returning from a shoulder injury. Nicho Hynes, Blayke Brailey, KL Iro, and Teig Wilton all return after being rested last weekend. Billy Burns, Toby Rudolf, and Hohepa Puru are on the interchange bench alongside Tom Hazelton (returning from suspension). Griffin Neame (toe), Jeremiah Nanai (knee), and Zac Laybutt (concussion) are all returning for North Queensland. Coen Hess and John Bateman are on the bench, while Kai O’Donnell and Sam McIntyre move to the reserves and Robert Derby makes way. Reuben Cotter was named on Tuesday afternoon and is free to play after his charge against Canberra was reduced to a $1,500 fine.

The key match-up is between the two five-eighths: Trindall and Jake Clifford.

It’s not a surprise that the Sharks’ poor late-season form coincided with Trindall’s injury against Canberra in Round 24. The Sharks had plenty of opportunities to beat the Raiders, but lacked cohesion in attack without Trindall (including a debatable no try to Ronaldo Mulitalo), with Hynes copping the bulk of the criticism for the Sharks’ loss. Despite missing a couple of weeks, Trindall still finished top of the NRL try assists (30). Trindall’s return will take the pressure off Hynes and give Sione Katoa and Mulitalo more opportunities to score against the worst defence in the top eight: North Queensland have conceded 652 points this season, including 82 against the Sydney Roosters and 50 against Canberra.

Clifford has had a career-best season for the Cowboys, playing 23 games, recording 14 try assists and 6,804 kicking metres. His Pre-Season Challenge form earned him an extended run in the halves ahead of Jaxon Purdue, with Purdue playing most of the season in the centres. Clifford’s consistency has been vital as Tom Dearden has only played 13 games and missed two months in the middle of the season. The Cowboys’ best chance of beating the Sharks is by scoring at least 30 points (to offset their inconsistent defence), and Clifford and Dearden will be crucial in achieving that.

North Queensland are probably the worst finals team on current form, with a -84 differential, and a few teams below them (Manly-Warringah, Melbourne, and Canberra) in arguably better form. Can they use the lack of expectation to their advantage in what could be Scott Drinkwater’s last game at the Cowboys?

While they won’t have a ‘proper’ home final, all the pressure will still be on Cronulla. The criticism is likely to be savage if the Sharks are eliminated early. This was supposed to be the season they challenged for a premiership after two straight preliminary finals: falling short of a third preliminary final would be bitterly disappointing, especially with key players like Katoa, Cameron McInnes, and Jesse Ramien leaving. That motivation should be enough to see Cronulla progress to the semi-finals.

Prediction

RLZ Tip: Sharks by 12.
Week 1 Finals tips → /nrl-week-1-finals-predictions-2026/
Bold call: Braydon Trindall and Nicho Hynes will combine for four try assists.

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Andrew Pelechaty
Web Content Editor for Rugby League Zone.

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