The SG Ball Sharks stood tall, but Cronulla's other Junior Representative teams were left to rue second-half fadeouts against the Panthers at St Mary Leagues Stadium on Saturday.
See a snapshot of the results and point-scorers below.
Harold Matthews Cup
Sharks 20 (Nate Horsey, Ethan Mullins, Hamilton Kingi, Logan Longbottom tries; Randy Ennis two goals) def by Panthers 42
A disappointing loss has officially extinguished any hope of playing finals for the Under 17 Sharks, who slipped away in the second half after bridging the gap to 18-14 when lock Logan Longbottom crossed in the 33rd minute. Unfortunately, four Panthers tries in the space of 15 minutes quickly put the result to bed.
SG Ball Cup
Sharks 26 (Thomas Beattie two, Jamie Curran, Callum Grantham, Nukutawhiti Gray tries; Callum Grantham three goals) def Panthers 10
In a performance befitting their talent, the Under 19 Sharks sprung out to a 22-0 half-time lead against the sixth-placed Panthers. Two tries inside the opening five minutes to Thomas Beattie and Jamie Curran put the Sharks firmly on top. The second half was more of an arm-wrestle, however Beattie's second try in the 56th minute ensured Cronulla claimed a dominant victory.
Lisa Fiaola Cup
Sharks 16 (Shaleah Field two, Tamara Davies tries; Shaleah Field, Tahli Weigand two goals) def by Panthers 32
A second-half lapse proved costly for the Sharks after taking a 12-8 lead into the break. Penrith scored five consecutive tries between the 35th minute and 53rd minute, leaving Cronulla's finals hopes in the balance coming into the last round.
Tarsha Gale Cup
Sharks 22 (Koffi Brookfield, Sophia Brightwell, Milla Caine, Ayva Papalii tries; Ella Ropata three goals) def by Panthers 24
A similar story played out for the Under 19 Sharks girls, who were kept scoreless in the second half and run down after leading 22-8. The loss has knocked Cronulla out of minor premiership contention, but they can shore up a top-four position with a win over the Raiders to conclude the regular season next weekend.
