'We're ready': Sharks primed for best shot at title since 2016

"We’re not done yet. We haven’t essentially achieved anything yet”.

That was the message from Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon to his players after the Sharks qualified for their second successive preliminary final with an emphatic 32-12 defeat of minor premiers Canberra on Saturday night.

Fitzgibbon addressed his players in the dressing room at GIO Stadium before family, sponsors and members packed in to celebrate the statement victory in the nation's capital.

The coach said the Sharks are primed for their best finish to a season since the 2016 premiership but warned they had been in the same position last season only to fall short against the Panthers.

“I don’t think we’re any further ahead than what we’ve ever been," Fitzgibbon said.

“The only thing I can say is the boys are hungry, they’re making the right choices and decisions.

“We’ve been together for that period of time now, I guess it’s time for us to stand up, or we need to make some changes, or we need to look at what we do and the way we do things.

“We’re playing Melbourne in Melbourne in six days. That’s a challenge, but we’re ready for that. We’re actually ready. All I can say is we’re ready.”

Halves Nicho Hynes and Braydon Trindall starred in the win against the Raiders, putting paid to criticism earlier in the season about how one of them needed to be the controlling playmaker.

Hynes laid on a try for winger Ronaldo Mulitalo and scored himself after combining with Trindall to give the Sharks a 12-6 halftime lead, while the pair shared the kicking duties in general play.

“He’s got to get credit for that because he doesn’t get much,” Fitzgibbon said of Hynes.

“He’s had a strong season, but in one week it’s ‘Tricky’ and the other week it’s Nicho, so it’s just pleasing to see both of them play well together. That’s the most important thing for us.

“Some weeks Nicho will shine in and 'Tricky' won’t and 'Tricky' will shine in some weeks, so it’s good to see them play together.

“I think Nicho probably kicked more last week, but they’re the balance of which way we go, where they go, they’re so in control together, which has been pleasing."

While pleased with the way Hynes and Trindall had gelled through the season, Fitzgibbon said the biggest test of the playmaking combination and Cronulla's premiership credentials lay ahead.

“We’re getting pretty deep into a combo there, but let’s be straight, we’ve been under pressure like for a while and I felt like those boys were the two that were always going to get together and get it going,” Fitzgibbon said.

“And at the moment they are, but we’re not done yet. Like we haven’t essentially achieved anything yet.”

Fitzgibbon confirmed that Samoan international Oregon Kaufusi would replace Tom Hazelton in the side to play the Storm on Friday night for a place in the grand final.

Fitzgibbon had struggled to choose between the pair for Saturday night's semi-final against the Raiders but opted for Hazelton after Kaufusi suffered a calf injury in the Round 22 win against the Cowboys.

However, Hazelton lasted just four minutes before being ruled out of the match with a Category 1 head knock, forcing Addin Fonua-Blake to play 66 minutes in the middle.

Hazelton will miss the preliminary final in Melbourne under the NRL's concussion protocols and Fitzgibbon said he would have no hesitation in recalling Kaufusi, who had played every match before his injury, as well as Round 27 and last week's elimination final against the Roosters. 

"Obviously it's a Cat 1 so Tommy's no good but to be fair to Tommy, I was worried all week, I felt like I probably should have played Oregon to be perfectly honest, but based on Tommy's prep ... Tommy has played so strong," Fitzgibbon said.

"Oregon has been in our team the whole year and it was a really tough call, but Oregon's preparation got disrupted by a calf injury and I felt like he didn't have the workload in.

"You can't muck around at this time of the year, you have got to have battle-hardened soldiers ready to go, but Oregon Kaufusi is in our team every day of the week when he is fit and healthy.

"His preparation had been hampered, but it won't be next week."