The Sharks bravely overcame the loss of fullback Jada Taylor to a knee injury as they made it consecutive wins to start the season with a tense 18-16 triumph against the Eels on Sunday.
Centre Annessa Biddle touched down to tie the scores with five minutes left, setting the stage for halfback Tayla Preston to nail the decisive goal.
In a tough encounter, young gun Taylor proved instrumental with her dynamic play, saving a try in the first half and scoring one herself after the break.
Her stellar performance, however, was cut short by a knee injury that forced her off in the 45th minute, prompting a significant reshuffle with Tiana Penitani moving to fullback.
Despite this setback, the Sharks displayed remarkable resilience as they backed up their Round 1 win over the Cowboys with another hard-earned victory.
Fittingly, with it being Women in League Round, they portrayed the strength and character which women bring to the game. Importantly, $1000 was donated to Ovarian Cancer Australia by Harvey Norman and the NRL for every goal.
First Half
The Eels opened the scoring with a try from Kennedy Cherrington, setting the tone for a competitive match. The Sharks quickly responded with a try from Ellie Johnston, successfully converted to level the scores.
Sixteen minutes in, the Eels looked dangerous with a line break from Racheal Pearson. This pressure eventually led to a try from Monique Donovan on the right edge, though the tough conversion attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 10-6 in favour of the Eels.
The Sharks found themselves defending their line after the Eels received back-to-back penalties. Taylor showcased her strength with an important try-saving effort, keeping the Sharks in the game. With just two-and-a-half minutes left in the term, the Sharks earned a much-needed penalty after a huge defensive effort. Promising movement down their threatening left edge ensued, but no points were added to the tally before the halftime whistle.
Second Half
The Sharks came out strong after halftime, demonstrating impressive attacking prowess. This effort led to a line dropout followed by a stunning try from Taylor after a neat grubber from hooker Quincy Dodd. Preston's successful conversion pushed the Sharks ahead by two points, making the score 12-10.
Taylor continued her excellent performance with a great carry off a kick, which was soon followed by a penalty for the Sharks. However, their momentum took a hit when she suffered a knee injury. Captain Tiana Penitani stepped in at fullback, while Manilita Takapautolo debuted in the second row as Rhiannon Byers shifted to the centres.
Despite their strong defensive efforts, the Sharks conceded a try to star Eels rookie Rory Owen. The successful conversion put the Eels ahead 16-12. The Sharks did not back down, mounting a strong attack on the Eels' line. A scoring effort by Ellie Johnston was overturned as a double movement.
Shortly after, the powerful Biddle scored a well-deserved try having fumbled an earlier opportunity. Preston's conversion put the Sharks ahead by two points with just four minutes remaining and they hung tough to remain undefeated in 2024.
Cronulla face the Raiders in Canberra next Saturday.
