Despite showing plenty of spirit in fighting all the way to the final siren, the Sharks Tarsha Gale Cup side has gone down in their preliminary final to the Bulldogs.
The Sharks battled back from a 28-12 deficit to give themselves a late winning chance, only for the Bulldogs to seal victory with a late try to book a place in the Grand Final with a 32-28 win.
While a disappointing finale for the Sharks girls it was an encouraging first season in the Tarsha Gale Cup competition.
The match began in promising style for the home team when Tayla Preston dashed away to score and when the conversion attempt bounced off the uprights it was 4-0 Sharks with just two minutes of the match gone.
The Bulldogs quickly responded with a converted try to take the lead, before the Sharks edged back in front 8-6 at the quarter time break when half back Quincy Dodd sliced through.
The second period was dominated by the Bulldogs as they scored three tries as opposed to one from the Olivia Quinn of the Sharks and it was 18-12 at half time.
The Bulldogs dominace continued in the third quarter as they extended the lead to 28-12.
Showing good fight the Sharks would reply in the opening moments fo the final period, Akira Kelly step through some tired Canterbury defence to score under the uprights.
Kelly converted her own try and with time still on the clock it was 28-18 Bulldogs and the Sharks weren’t without hope.
Now with the momentum the Sharks struck again when Temukisa Ioane went on a determined charge and touched down under the posts, the Preston conversion making it 28-24 and it was game on with three minutes left in the match.
Unfortunately the result was put beyond doubt when Heneen Zreila scored out wide for the Bulldogs and despite a last minute Elly Hazelton try time would run out on the Sharks challenge.
After being soundly beaten by the Bulldogs during the regular season, despite being on the end of a losing score line the Sharks would have been proud of their efforts against the minor premiers and a team that will go into the Grand Final next week as competition favourites.
SHARKS 28
Elly Hazelton, Olivia Quinn, Tayla Preston, Akira Kelly, Quincy Dodd, Temukisa Ioane tries, Preston, Kelly goals
Lost to
BULLDOGS 32
Haneen Zreika 2, Aaliayah Fasavalu, Sinead Sio, Grace Li, Ruth Saufoi, Sinu Sakiti tries, Li 2 goals
