With a thrilling 18-16 victory over the Eels on Sunday, the Sharks made it to a winning start to the season, despite the courageous loss of fullback Jada Taylor to a knee injury.
With five minutes remaining, centre Annessa Biddle touched down to tie the game, paving the way for halfback Tayla Preston to score the game-winning goal.
Young gun Taylor played a dynamic role in a tough match, saving a try in the first half and scoring one herself in the second half.
But a knee injury that forced her off in the 45th minute ended her incredible performance, leading to a major reorganisation that saw Tiana Penitani shift to fullback.
The Sharks overcame the Cowboys in Round 1 and then won another tough game to show their incredible resiliency in the face of adversity.
They depicted the strength and character that women bring to the game, which was appropriate given that it was Women in League Round. Significantly, Harvey Norman and the NRL donated $1,000 to Ovarian Cancer Australia for each goal scored.
First Half
Kennedy Cherrington’s try for the Eels opened the score, igniting a competitive game. Ellie Johnston’s try for the Sharks quickly tied the score with a successful conversion.
At the sixteenth minute, Racheal Pearson’s line break gave the Eels a dangerous look. Monique Donovan finally scored a try on the right edge as a result of this pressure, but the difficult conversion attempt failed, and the Eels led 10–6 at the half.
After consecutive penalties for the Eels, the Sharks were forced to defend their line. Taylor kept the Sharks in the game with a crucial try-saving effort, showcasing her strength. After a tremendous defensive effort, the Sharks earned a much-needed penalty with just under two and a half minutes remaining in the game. There was promising movement down their dangerous left edge, but before the half, no points were added to the score.
Second Half
After the break, the Sharks showed off their incredible attacking ability. This attempt resulted in a line dropout, which was followed by an incredible try by Taylor following a deft grubber by hooker Quincy Dodd. The Sharks now lead 12–10 after Preston’s successful conversion put them ahead by two points.
Taylor’s outstanding play continued with a fantastic kickoff carry, which was quickly followed by a Sharks penalty. That momentum was dashed, though, when she hurt her knee. Rhiannon Byers moved to centre, and captain Tiana Penitani took over at fullback. Manilita Takapautolo made her debut in the second row.
The Sharks allowed star Eels rookie Rory Owens to score a try in spite of their strong defensive play. The Eels won 16–12 thanks to the successful conversion. Relentlessly, the Sharks launched a powerful assault on the Eels’ line. Ellie Johnston’s attempt at a goal was reversed as a double movement.
The strong Biddle missed an early chance but soon after scored a well-earned try. With just four minutes left, Preston’s conversion put the Sharks ahead by two points, and they persevered to finish 2024 unbeaten.
Next Saturday, Cronulla travels to Canberra to play the Raiders.
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