Tarsha Sharks bow out with week one finals loss

Following a season which included a number of promising moments, the Tarsha Gale Sharks have been eliminated from the Finals race after falling to the Parramatta Eels

The Sharks finished the regular season in eighth position after four wins and four losses, however the fifth-placed Eels proved too good in running out 32-12 winners in their week one Finals clash.

After conceding an early try in the match played at Leichhardt Oval, the Sharks bounced back with a ninth minute four-pointer to outside back Mona Taleo, before Kirrawahn Duckett put the under-19 Cronulla side 8-6 ahead with her team’s second try of the afternoon just five minutes later.

From there however, the Eels would gain the ascendency, two converted tries before half time giving Parramatta an 18-8 advantage at the break.

A third Sharks try, this time scored by Felila Fakalelu, gave them some hope at 18-8 behind with still plenty of time left on the clock, but from there it was all the Eels, three more tries sealing the win and sending the Parramatta team through to a week two Finals clash against the Panthers next Saturday.

The Tarsha Sharks had convincingly beaten the Eels 36-14 in round five earlier in the season, however the Parramatta girls proved too good in the return bout.

Despite the loss it was a spirited effort from the Andrew Fifita-coached Sharks team, not only in relation to the Finals loss but during a season in which their largest previous margin of defeat had been by eight points to the Panthers, while the other three losses were by four points or less.

A handful of Sharks Tarsha Gale squad members are now likely to move up and be a part of the Sharks NSWRL Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership team, who begin their season with a game against the Eels at Sharks Stadium on Thursday, July 3.

TARSHA GALE CUP
Elimination Final

SHARKS 12
Mona Taleo, Kirrawahn Duckett, Felila Fakalelu tries
Lost to
PARRAMATTA 32

Photos courtesy Adam Wrightson