The Matthews Cup and SG Ball Sharks both survived scares before emerging victorious, while the Tarsha Gale girls recorded a resounding win as the three Sharks Junior rep sides defeated the Canberra Raiders on Saturday.
The under-16 Matthews Cup boys came away with a 30-16 win, the SG Ball side edged out Canberra by 32-24, with the Tarsha Gale Cup girls scoring 17 tries in an incredible 98-6 demolition of the Raiders as all three sides remained undefeated in their respective competitions.
The Tarsha Gale Cup team got the ball rolling with a flogging of Canberra in a match where they turned in a dazzling display of attacking rugby league.
It took the Sharks 12 minutes to post their first points, but from there it was a procession, Maddison Higgins-Ashby scoring five tries in the demolition, Quincy Dodd crossing three times, with eight different players getting their name on the try-scoring sheet.
Dodd also booted 15 goals to go with her three tries for a personal tally of 42 points.
After an equally dominant win in their previous match against the Bulldogs, the Tarsha Gale Sharks, who sit on top of the competition table after three rounds, are shaping as definite contenders going on what they have produced so far.
In the Matthews Cup game that followed the Sharks may have thought they were in for a similar afternoon to their Tarsha Gale counterparts when captain Blake Hosking scored in the first minute of the match, however what followed was a close contest as the young Cronulla boys were forced to battle hard to secure their third win of the 2018 season.
After the early Sharks try the Raiders gained some momentum, four tries in the first half seeing the home team go to the break up by 22-12 and leaving the Sharks with plenty of work to do.
Showing their class as well as a good deal of determination the Sharks fought their way back, tries to half back Kade Dykes, fullback Dane Courtney and winger Sam Stonestreet seeing them take a 30-22 lead with time running out.
The Raiders managed a consolation try a minute before fulltime but the Sharks would hold on and remain one of only three undefeated teams in the Matthews Cup competition.
The teams both scored five tries, with the goal kicking of Jordan Samrani, who converted all five Sharks tries, ultimately proving the difference.
For the SG Ball Sharks their preparations were somewhat disrupted with a bus breakdown and a late arrival at Belconnen and they did take time to find their feet, the Raiders scoring twice to take a 12-4 lead midway through the first half.
To their credit the Sharks found their composure, with two tries with fullback Vito Tevaga and another by fullback Jonaiah Lualua seeing them take a 20-12 advantage to half time.
The Raiders inched closer with a 42nd minute try, before a four pointer to Angus Ernst, converted by Kai Broadhurst pushed the lead out to eight points and from there the Sharks would do enough to hold on and claim the points.
The Ball Sharks, with the Panthers, Roosters and Knights, are one of only four teams with three wins from their three matches this year.
The three Sharks junior rep sides go on the road again this week when they travel to Cessnock for games against the Newcastle Knights.
TARSHA GALE
SHARKS 98
Maddison Higgins-Ashby 5, Quincy Dodd 3, Lynda Howarth 2, Kaleah Salmon 2, Alilia Veikoso 2, Jaida White, Talei Holmes, Temukisa Ioane tries, Dodd 15 goals
beat
RAIDERS 6
MATTHEWS CUP
SHARKS 30
Blake Hosking, Kade Dykes, Dane Courtney, Kitione Kautoga, Sam Stonestreet tries, Jordan Samrani 5 goals
beat
RAIDERS 26
SG BALL
SHARKS 32
Vito Tevaga 2, Will Swann, Angus Ernst, Joniah Lualua, Thomas Demeio tries, Kai Broadhurst 4 goals
beat
RAIDERS 24
