As it happened: Sharks sunk by Roosters in thriller

Cometh the hour, cometh the woman: Roosters halfback Jocelyn Kelleher celebrated her 50th NRLW match with a 77th minute field goal to secure a grand final berth for unbeaten minor premiers. With 2024 Golden Boot winner suffering an ACL injury in the last round of the regular season, Kelleher was thrust into the halfback role and she stood up to lead the Roosters to an epic 17-16 defeat of the Sharks. The Roosters, who beat the Sharks in last year's grand final, led 16-6 but had to survive a late Sharks surge after fullback Brydie Parker was sent to the sinbin for a professional foul. The Sharks scored two tries to level the scores at 16-16 but Kelleher proved the difference, slotting the field goal in front of her family and friends on the Central Coast.

70 min: Wood has put down a Kiria-Ratu kick with seven seconds on the clock. The Sharks run the ball from the scrum and Taylor chipped but  Parker cleaned up the ball to secure victory.

67 min: Kelleher has put the Roosters back in front with a 30m field goal. Roosters 17 Sharks 16.

62 min: Kiria-Ratue has scored a brilliant solo try after running on the last tackle and stepping her way past four tired defenders. The Roosters have just one interchange left. Kiria-Ratu converted her own try. Roosters 16 Sharks 16.

58 min: Emma Verran has immediately taken advantage to score and set up a gripping finish to the grand final qualifier. Kiria-Ratu sprayed the conversion. Roosters 16 Sharks 10.

57 min: The Roosters are down to 12 players after Parker was sinbinned for a professional foul following a break by Taylor and a trysaving tackle by Kelly. 

49 min: Desperate defence by Brydie Parker, Kernick and Carlile to hold Taylor up in-goal.

44 min: Kelleher is tightening the screws with a booming 40/30 kick. However, a tryscoring chance has gone begging with Fressard unable to take a pass from Kelly.

40 min: Birthday girl Macie Carlile, who turned 24 today, has powered her way over to score under the posts for the Roosters. Kelleher has converted. Roosters 16 Sharks 6. 

38 min: A trysaving tackle by Kelly and Fressard has bundled Jada Taylor into touch near the line.

36 min: The second half has kicked off with the Roosters and Sharks having 35 minutes to determine which team will play in their second consecutive grand final.

Halftime analysis: A late try to Olivia Kernick just before halftime will be a relief to the Roosters as the Sharks have taken the game to the premiers in the opening 35 minutes. The Roosters have had the Sharks under pressure but their defence has been up to the challenge until the 34th minute when Kernick ran through some exhausted defence near the ruck. The kicking game of rival halfbacks Jocelyn Kelleher and Chantay Kiria-Ratu have been top shelf. Ill discipline has put the Sharks under pressure, with Tony Herman's team conceding seven first half penalties. In contrast, the Roosters have given away three penalties but they committed five errors to two by the Sharks. Line breaks are 5-1 to the Roosters, who have had 54 per cent of possession. 

34 min: Kernick, the 2024 Dally M Medallist and one of the Roosters' home grown star, has regained the lead for her side just before halftime with a determined run through the Sharks ruck. Kelleher converted. Roosters 10 Sharks 6.

30 min: The boot of Kiria-Ratu has constantly got her team out of trouble and put the Roosters on the back foot.

27 min: Great desperate defence by the Sharks near their own line. Jasmin Strange knocks on to relieve the pressure.

22 min: Georgia Hannaway is on and she has made an immediate impact with a kick that almost led to a try for Kiria-Ratu.

20 min: Another Roosters close call, with Olivia Kernick losing the ball over the line. 

19 min: Holmes has come up with a try saving tackle to hold up Roosters interchange forward Eliza Lopamaua over the tryline.

15 min: The Sharks have hit back through lock Brooke Anderson, who made an angled run off a dummy half pass from Quincy Dodd, after a Kiria-Ratu kick gave the visitors field position. Kiria-Ratu converted. Sharks 6 Roosters 4.

12 min: The Roosters strike first through winger Jayme Fressard, who coaches the Central Coast Roosters Lisa Fiaola Cup team. Kelleher created the tryscoring opportunity with a long pass to captain Isabelle Kelly, who tapped the ball onto the unmarked winger. Kelleher missed the conversion from out wide. Roosters 4 Sharks 0.

11 min: Sharks secondrower Talei Holmes has been placed on report for a hip drop tackle on Roosters forward Rima Butler.

9 min: Another scoring opportunity for the Roosters goes begging when winger Mia Woods drops the ball with the line open. Kelleher's kicking game is creating sustained pressure.

7 min: Kelleher forced a goaline dropout but Sharks halfback Chantay Kiria-Ratu managed to kick the ball 70m.

5 min: Ill discipline from the Sharks has enabled the Roosters to go on the attack and only desperate defence stopped Keeley Davis from scoring from dummy half.

3 min: The Sharks have a 7-tackle set after Roosters five-eighth Corban Baxter kicked the ball dead.

Kick-off: We are underway in the grand final qualifier in Gosford and Jocelyn Kelleher's nerves are obvious as she kicked out on the full from the kick-off.

Central Coast Roosters: The defending premiers and 2025 minor premiers are full of home-grown talent and expect to have a lot of local support at Polytec Stadium. 

The big Five-0: Star utility Jocelyn Kelleher will take over the playmaking duties for the Roosters in her 50th NRLW game. Kelleher made her debut in 2020 and was a member of this year's victorious NSW Origin team.

HUGE Sharks boost: Some big team news for Cronulla with Quincy Dodd and Annessa Biddle cleared to make their returns from injury.

Late Mail

Roosters: Corban Baxter is set for her first game since Round 7 after recovering from an ankle injury and will step straight into the halves in place of Tarryn Aiken (ACL). Baxter will start at five-eighth, with Jocelyn Kelleher shifting to halfback for her 50th NRLW game. Taina Naividi is set to play her first game in the back row this season after Aliyah Nasio was suspended. Mia Wood returns to the wing as a result. No late changes.

Sharks: A huge boost 24 hours before kick-off with internationals Annessa Biddle and Quincy Dodd added to the starting side. It is Biddle's first game since Round 7 having overcome an elbow injury and the Kiwi Ferns star will play in the centres. Grace-Lee Weekes drops out. Hooker Quincy Dodd was promoted to start when the teams were finalised 60 minutes before kick-off after recovering from an ankle injury. Georgia Hannaway shifts to the  bench utility role, with Tyla King  dropping to 18th player.