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NRL Elimination Final 2025 Preview 7 Big Battles as Sharks Face Roosters in Do-or-Die Clash

Cronulla and Sydney Roosters prepare for a blockbuster NRL finals showdown with everything on the line.

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5 months ago

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NRL Elimination Final 2025: Sharks vs Roosters Preview, Key Battles and Team News
Cronulla Sharks and Sydney Roosters set for a fiery NRL elimination final at Sharks Stadium.

The stage is set, the crowd is ready, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. On Saturday night, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks will welcome the Sydney Roosters to a sold-out Sharks Stadium in an NRL elimination final that has fans buzzing. The equation is brutally simple: win and survive, lose and go home.

This fiery matchup is more than just another finals game—it’s a rematch of the 2023 elimination playoff, where the Sharks were stunned by a last-minute field goal from young star Sam Walker, handing the Roosters a dramatic 13-12 victory. Revenge is now firmly on the agenda for the Sharks, who will be desperate to rewrite history in front of their loyal home supporters.

Form Guide: Both Teams in Red-Hot Shape

Coach Craig Fitzgibbon has led his Sharks side to seven wins from their past eight matches, building momentum at the perfect time. On the other hand, the Roosters, under master tactician Trent Robinson, have stormed into the finals by winning five of their last six. Both teams closed out the regular season with convincing victories, setting the stage for a blockbuster showdown.

The season series sits at 1-1. The Roosters thumped the Sharks 42-16 in Round 12, only for Cronulla to bounce back with a 31-18 win eight weeks later. That symmetry leaves fans and pundits alike unsure of which way this decider will swing.

NRL Elimination Final 2025: Sharks vs Roosters Preview, Key Battles and Team News

Sharks’ Steel Trap Defense vs Roosters’ Firepower

The Roosters have averaged 27 points per game this season, their free-flowing attack tearing defenses apart. But the Sharks have found a formula to stifle them—keeping the Tricolours to just 18 points or less in their last three meetings at Sharks Stadium.

Defensively, Cronulla boast the best record in the NRL since Round 15, conceding just 15 points per match. That discipline could prove the difference in a tight finals battle.

Star Halfback Duel: Nicho Hynes vs Sam Walker

All eyes will be on the playmaking maestros. Nicho Hynes, the reigning Dally M Medal winner, will look to control the tempo for the Sharks with his silky passing and running game. Across the field, Walker has become the Roosters’ clutch weapon, his ice-cool temperament already earning him a reputation as a match-winner despite his young age.

This halfback duel could dictate the outcome, with both men capable of producing the magic moments that finals football demands.

Wing Rivalry: Ronaldo Mulitalo vs Mark Nawaqanitawase

Perhaps the most intriguing subplot lies on the flanks. Ronaldo Mulitalo, Cronulla’s flying winger and a try-scoring machine at Sharks Stadium, will reignite his rivalry with Roosters sensation Mark Nawaqanitawase.

Nawaqanitawase has taken the league by storm with 23 tries in 22 matches this season, including highlight-reel finishes that have dominated social media. Mulitalo, however, is no slouch—he has 45 tries in 42 games at home and has crossed in six of eight games against the Roosters. Their personal duel could prove decisive.

“I can control what I can control, and that’s how I carry the ball out of the backfield and the energy I give to my teammates,” Mulitalo said in the build-up. “Regardless of what he brings, I know the game I want to play.”

NRL Elimination Final 2025: Sharks vs Roosters Preview, Key Battles and Team News

Team News: Key Inclusions and Absences

The Sharks have been boosted by the return of five-eighth Braydon Trindall from an ankle injury, but prop Tom Hazelton has been ruled out with a knee infection. Utility Daniel Atkinson will step up from the interchange bench.

The Roosters, meanwhile, are unchanged from their dominant win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Their lineup features a host of representative stars: James Tedesco, Daniel Tupou, Victor Radley, Spencer Leniu, Lindsay Collins, Robert Toia, and Angus Crichton.

Coaches’ Chess Match

This elimination final also pits two great mates against one another. Fitzgibbon, who once served as Robinson’s assistant, knows the Roosters’ systems intimately. But he insists there will be no friendly exchanges this week.

“We don’t speak this week, that’s for sure,” Fitzgibbon said with a grin. “It’s high stakes. You want to do your absolute best for your club. I’m sure he’s doing that for the Roosters, as am I here at the Sharks. We’ll pick that bond up after the game, but not before.”

What’s Next

The winner of this clash will progress to face the loser of the Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos game, keeping their premiership dream alive. For the loser, it’s season over.

With two in-form teams, passionate fanbases, and a rich finals rivalry, this Sharks vs Roosters battle promises to be one of the highlights of the 2025 NRL finals series.

For live updates, analysis, and breaking stories from the NRL finals, Visit our site for more news www.DailyGlobalDiary.com.

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Sports

Caleb Williams Impresses, but the Bears’ Late-Game Decisions Raise Eyebrows

One impossible touchdown changed everything — but Chicago’s season may have been decided by what happened next

Published

5 days ago

on

January 30, 2026

By

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years

For one breathtaking moment, football stopped making sense.

With seconds left in a divisional-round playoff game, Caleb Williams launched a prayer — a 50-plus-yard, off-balance, back-foot moon shot — and somehow, impossibly, it found Cole Kmet in the end zone. It was the kind of touchdown that instantly joins NFL folklore, the sort of play fans remember for decades.

Suddenly, the Chicago Bears were one extra point away from tying the Los Angeles Rams — a scenario no one could have imagined just moments earlier.

And that’s when the question arrived, loud and unavoidable:

Why not go for two?

The dream-big argument

If Chicago converts the two-point try, the Rams are done. Season over. The Bears move one game away from the Super Bowl, potentially facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury replacement in the AFC. No matchup in the NFL is easy, but this was a window — and those windows don’t stay open long.

Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how rare Super Bowl chances truly are. Between them, 38 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance each. Even greatness doesn’t guarantee multiple shots.

Momentum, belief, shock value — everything screamed end it now. One play. One decision. Push all the chips to the middle.

But football decisions aren’t made in the clouds. They’re made in film rooms.

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years


Why Chicago didn’t gamble

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t flinch. Replays showed him calm, unmoved, almost indifferent to the miracle unfolding. He knew the touchdown created options — but also responsibility.

Because miracles don’t stack.

Just minutes earlier, Chicago had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 5-yard line. Three ineffective runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass told Johnson everything he needed to know about his short-yardage confidence.

After the game, Johnson explained it plainly.

“Our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly,” he said. “Our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances in overtime.”

There was also time left — 13 seconds and two Rams timeouts. One explosive play, maybe a penalty, and Los Angeles could still have stolen it with a field goal even after a failed conversion.

So Chicago chose survival over glory.

How it unraveled anyway

The Bears lived to fight in overtime — and then watched their season collapse anyway. A brutal interception. A defensive breakdown. Game over.

And just like that, Williams-to-Kmet joined a heartbreaking fraternity: iconic plays that didn’t change the ending. Think Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII. Think Julio Jones and that impossible toe-tap in Super Bowl LI.

Legendary moments — frozen in time — attached to losses.

So… was it the wrong call?

Emotionally? Maybe.

Strategically? Probably not.

Coaches don’t get paid to chase vibes. They get paid to trust evidence. And Chicago’s evidence said a single, all-or-nothing snap wasn’t the best bet.

That doesn’t make it satisfying. It just makes it honest.

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years


What this moment really means for Chicago

The Bears don’t leave this game empty-handed. They leave with something rarer than a win: belief.

You can’t build a franchise on miracle throws — but you can build a culture on refusing to quit. This team fought until the very last second, and that matters more than fans often admit.

Williams will be just 24 entering the 2026 season. Think about what he might look like at 27, 28, 29. There are no guarantees — Rodgers and Marino taught us that — but this is as good a foundation as any team could ask for.

Years from now, if Chicago is lucky, Williams-to-Kmet won’t be remembered as a cruel “what if.”

It will be remembered as the beginning.

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Sports

A Strong Night for Caleb Williams Ends With Doubts About the Bears’ Late Decisions

One impossible touchdown changed everything — but Chicago’s season may have been decided by what happened next

Published

1 week ago

on

January 27, 2026

By

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years

For one breathtaking moment, football stopped making sense.

With seconds left in a divisional-round playoff game, Caleb Williams launched a prayer — a 50-plus-yard, off-balance, back-foot moon shot — and somehow, impossibly, it found Cole Kmet in the end zone. It was the kind of touchdown that instantly joins NFL folklore, the sort of play fans remember for decades.

Suddenly, the Chicago Bears were one extra point away from tying the Los Angeles Rams — a scenario no one could have imagined just moments earlier.

And that’s when the question arrived, loud and unavoidable:

Why not go for two?

The dream-big argument

If Chicago converts the two-point try, the Rams are done. Season over. The Bears move one game away from the Super Bowl, potentially facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury replacement in the AFC. No matchup in the NFL is easy, but this was a window — and those windows don’t stay open long.

Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how rare Super Bowl chances truly are. Between them, 38 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance each. Even greatness doesn’t guarantee multiple shots.

Momentum, belief, shock value — everything screamed end it now. One play. One decision. Push all the chips to the middle.

But football decisions aren’t made in the clouds. They’re made in film rooms.

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years


Why Chicago didn’t gamble

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t flinch. Replays showed him calm, unmoved, almost indifferent to the miracle unfolding. He knew the touchdown created options — but also responsibility.

Because miracles don’t stack.

Just minutes earlier, Chicago had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 5-yard line. Three ineffective runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass told Johnson everything he needed to know about his short-yardage confidence.

After the game, Johnson explained it plainly.

“Our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly,” he said. “Our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances in overtime.”

There was also time left — 13 seconds and two Rams timeouts. One explosive play, maybe a penalty, and Los Angeles could still have stolen it with a field goal even after a failed conversion.

So Chicago chose survival over glory.

How it unraveled anyway

The Bears lived to fight in overtime — and then watched their season collapse anyway. A brutal interception. A defensive breakdown. Game over.

And just like that, Williams-to-Kmet joined a heartbreaking fraternity: iconic plays that didn’t change the ending. Think Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII. Think Julio Jones and that impossible toe-tap in Super Bowl LI.

Legendary moments — frozen in time — attached to losses.

So… was it the wrong call?

Emotionally? Maybe.

Strategically? Probably not.

Coaches don’t get paid to chase vibes. They get paid to trust evidence. And Chicago’s evidence said a single, all-or-nothing snap wasn’t the best bet.

That doesn’t make it satisfying. It just makes it honest.

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years


What this moment really means for Chicago

The Bears don’t leave this game empty-handed. They leave with something rarer than a win: belief.

You can’t build a franchise on miracle throws — but you can build a culture on refusing to quit. This team fought until the very last second, and that matters more than fans often admit.

Williams will be just 24 entering the 2026 season. Think about what he might look like at 27, 28, 29. There are no guarantees — Rodgers and Marino taught us that — but this is as good a foundation as any team could ask for.

Years from now, if Chicago is lucky, Williams-to-Kmet won’t be remembered as a cruel “what if.”

It will be remembered as the beginning.

Continue Reading

Sports

Caleb Williams Did His Part But Did the Bears Overthink the Finish

One impossible touchdown changed everything — but Chicago’s season may have been decided by what happened next

Published

2 weeks ago

on

January 21, 2026

By

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years

For one breathtaking moment, football stopped making sense.

With seconds left in a divisional-round playoff game, Caleb Williams launched a prayer — a 50-plus-yard, off-balance, back-foot moon shot — and somehow, impossibly, it found Cole Kmet in the end zone. It was the kind of touchdown that instantly joins NFL folklore, the sort of play fans remember for decades.

Suddenly, the Chicago Bears were one extra point away from tying the Los Angeles Rams — a scenario no one could have imagined just moments earlier.

And that’s when the question arrived, loud and unavoidable:

Why not go for two?

The dream-big argument

If Chicago converts the two-point try, the Rams are done. Season over. The Bears move one game away from the Super Bowl, potentially facing either a second-year quarterback or an injury replacement in the AFC. No matchup in the NFL is easy, but this was a window — and those windows don’t stay open long.

Ask Aaron Rodgers or Dan Marino how rare Super Bowl chances truly are. Between them, 38 seasons, one Super Bowl appearance each. Even greatness doesn’t guarantee multiple shots.

Momentum, belief, shock value — everything screamed end it now. One play. One decision. Push all the chips to the middle.

But football decisions aren’t made in the clouds. They’re made in film rooms.

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years


Why Chicago didn’t gamble

Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson didn’t flinch. Replays showed him calm, unmoved, almost indifferent to the miracle unfolding. He knew the touchdown created options — but also responsibility.

Because miracles don’t stack.

Just minutes earlier, Chicago had first-and-goal at the Rams’ 5-yard line. Three ineffective runs by De’Andre Swift and a failed fourth-down pass told Johnson everything he needed to know about his short-yardage confidence.

After the game, Johnson explained it plainly.

“Our goal-to-go situations hadn’t gone very cleanly,” he said. “Our inside-the-5 plan hadn’t worked out like we hoped. I just felt better about taking our chances in overtime.”

There was also time left — 13 seconds and two Rams timeouts. One explosive play, maybe a penalty, and Los Angeles could still have stolen it with a field goal even after a failed conversion.

So Chicago chose survival over glory.

How it unraveled anyway

The Bears lived to fight in overtime — and then watched their season collapse anyway. A brutal interception. A defensive breakdown. Game over.

And just like that, Williams-to-Kmet joined a heartbreaking fraternity: iconic plays that didn’t change the ending. Think Kurt Warner to Larry Fitzgerald in Super Bowl XLIII. Think Julio Jones and that impossible toe-tap in Super Bowl LI.

Legendary moments — frozen in time — attached to losses.

So… was it the wrong call?

Emotionally? Maybe.

Strategically? Probably not.

Coaches don’t get paid to chase vibes. They get paid to trust evidence. And Chicago’s evidence said a single, all-or-nothing snap wasn’t the best bet.

That doesn’t make it satisfying. It just makes it honest.

Caleb Williams’ miracle touchdown gave the Bears hope — and a decision that will be debated for years


What this moment really means for Chicago

The Bears don’t leave this game empty-handed. They leave with something rarer than a win: belief.

You can’t build a franchise on miracle throws — but you can build a culture on refusing to quit. This team fought until the very last second, and that matters more than fans often admit.

Williams will be just 24 entering the 2026 season. Think about what he might look like at 27, 28, 29. There are no guarantees — Rodgers and Marino taught us that — but this is as good a foundation as any team could ask for.

Years from now, if Chicago is lucky, Williams-to-Kmet won’t be remembered as a cruel “what if.”

It will be remembered as the beginning.

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