The Cronulla Sharks have advanced to the NRL semi-finals with a win over the North Queensland Cowboys in a performance that won't win any awards for perfection.
The game took time to get going, but the Sharks always looked the more likely of the two teams to keep their season alive.
The Cowboys now return to Townsville to prepare for 2027 - a crunch year for Todd Payten and his players - while the Sharks get ready to face either the Penrith Panthers or Sydney Roosters, who clash in a qualifying final on Sunday.
Braydon Trindall is Cronulla's most important
If we didn't already know it coming into the finals, we sure do now.
Braydon Trindall is the Sharks' most important player, and it's not even close.
The five-eighth who more or less fills the role of a halfback at the Sharks has sat out their losing run in the last couple of weeks, but his return saw the Sharks play their best game in six weeks, even if it wasn't perfect.
While Trindall, who still appears to have an issue with his hastily recovered shoulder, was solid, it was the improvement of others around him with his direction leading the way that was the clearest sign of his ability.
If the Sharks are going anywhere in the finals, he will be a big part of it.
Scott Drinkwater moving on could allow the Cowboys to reset
Scott Drinkwater is one of the game's best attacking players.
Scott Drinkwater is also one of the game's most frustrating players.
That was all on display during the loss to Cronulla. Scintiliating try assists, into awful errors, one of which was directly responsible for a try in the other direction.
He was pretty ordinary under the high ball against the Sharks, and while he added plenty, there is an argument to say the Cowboys will be better off without him.
The club are reliant on Drinkwater for their attack, and moving away from that will put responsibility on others next year to stand up and do the job.
It could just be the reset the Cowboys need, provided they can find enough points.
Siosifa Talakai will be missed next year
Talakai was named man of the match in our player rankings, and with good reason.
After coming off the bench early in the contest due to Sione Katoa's head injury asssessment, he was in everything for Cronulla, pulling his weight and then some at both ends of the park.
The utility has filled multiple roles for the Sharks during what is his final year at the club, and it more or less sums up his time in the NRL.
He has the ability to be a wrecking ball though, and reminded everyone of that on Saturday evening.
His consistency sometimes lacks, but he has been fairly important off the bench for the Sharks since he was taken out of the starting side on a permanent basis, and will now look to be one of Perth's most important players in their inaugural season.
In short, the Sharks will miss him next year. There is no like-for-like replacement considering his size and aggression.
Todd Payten's biggest challenge in 2027 is clear
Consistency has been a buzz word for the Cowboys for many years now, and it was on full display again during the elimination final.
The Cowboys looked, in patches of the game, to be all over the Sharks, but it never lasted.
Errors, poor defensive decisions and bad decision making just never let them get a proper roll on, and they eventually paid for it with a loss.
It has been the way of their season, in truth. Games they should win, they lose, and games they should lose, they win.
There was the 80-point drubbing at the hands of the Roosters, letting in 50 against the Raiders, and a host of others that raise eyebrows over the Cowboys prospects.
Payten is by no mean a sure thing to coach out all of next year if the Cowboys aren't flying.
William Kennedy is the NRL's best value for money player
William Kennedy is maligned plenty by Sharks fans, and non Sharks fans, over his performances, but he provides regular reminders that he is more than suitable as an NRL fullback.
He sent another one the way of the competition in the elimination final, being one of the best for the Sharks.
Defensively, he was sound, but his second half in particular saw his attack really thrive.
He loves the Sharks, evidenced by his two one-year contracts most recently signed to keep him at the outfit on a lower wage than he is worth, but it's that which has turned him into one of the game's best value for money players.
There is little to no doubt the club will move to Liam Ison at some point in the coming years, but they will be losing plenty if they decide to go without Kennedy.
