A win and a loss for male junior rep Sharks

As was the case the previous week it was a win and a loss for the two Sharks junior representative teams on Saturday, however the results were reversed from round three, with the Cronulla SG Ball side scoring a much-needed win, while their Matthews Cup counterparts suffered their first loss of the 2025 season.

In round four matches against the Newcastle Knights, it was the visitors to emerge victorious in the Matthews Cup match, the Sharks squandering an early advantage before going down by 30-22, while the SG Ball clash to follow the Cronulla side led throughout in scoring a 34-22 win.

In the first match on Sharks Stadium the winning run of the Matthews Cup Sharks came to an end in a game where they led for the majority of the contest and had every chance.

The under-17 Sharks jumped out to a 12-0 lead during the opening 10 minutes of the match, two tries to winger Brodie Johnson on the end of some good lead up play and the home side was well on top.

The Knights responded through a try to their five eighth Cooper Votano, followed by another to forward Cody Baker with two minutes left on the clock and it looked as though the teams would head to half time level at 12-points apiece, until a Newcastle error from the ensuing set gifted the Sharks field position.

And the Sharks would take advantage, Thomas Beattie showing good athleticism to plant the ball down inches from the corner post, putting his team up 16-12 at the break.

The Sharks would skip further in front when Daniel Green crossed midway through the second period and at 20-12 they seemed well in control.

The Knights had other ideas, a try after an opportune bounce following a misguided kick brought them within two at 20-18, before the try of the match, scored under the posts by interchange player Kyron Nixon-Croaker, converted by half back Chase Butler, gave the visitors their first lead of the afternoon.

The Sharks had an opportunity to steal the points, hooker Tobi Beckett spilling the ball over the line for what could have potentially been the match-winner with a minute remaining, with the Knights completing the scoring with another try from a kick as the fulltime siren was sounding.

The final 30-20 scoreline was a disappointing one for the Cronulla side in a game where the Sharks bombed at least three try scoring opportunities by dropping the ball over the line.  

Despite the loss, the Matthews Sharks are well placed on the competition ladder with three wins from four matches ahead of a round five bye next week.

In the SG Ball match to follow, the under-19 Cronulla side got off to a similarly strong start, a try to centre Prestyn Laine-Sietu when the Knights failed to claim a Sharks kick and a successful conversion from Callum Grantham and it was 6-0 after four minutes.

Recognising the Newcastle markers weren't set Sharks hooker Daniel Louka barged over from dummy half not long after, with Grantham adding the extra two and it was 12-0 before the Knights would respond, Blake Dorahy scoring adjacent to the uprights.

Undeterred by the Knights try the Sharks pushed forward once again, this time it was backrower Yuri Hromow touching down, before Oliver Lester used his speed out wide to add to his team's lead, with the Sharks going to half time up by 22-6.

In flipping the script from the first half, it was Newcastle who began the second period on the front foot, two tries in opening 10 minutes narrowing the margin to four at 22-18 Sharks.

The momentum would shift however when the Knights made an error on the halfway line, the Sharks moved into an attacking section of the field and at the end of their set it was Laine-Sietu displaying good strength in crashing over for a second four-pointer.

With less than five minutes on the clock Newcastle gave themselves some hope with a long range try, before the Sharks sealed the match when Hromow burst through and ran 20 metres to score under the posts.

The win was their second in four starts for the SG Ball Sharks.

While the Matthews Cup Sharks have a week off due to the bye, the Sharks SG Ball team take on the North Sydney Bears in a match to be played at the Academy Field at Cronulla High School next Saturday.

Lead photo credit: Bryden Sharp