Sharks win by a hair for first of the season

The Sharks are on the board in the NRLW, kick-starting their season with a 22-10 win over the Raiders in Canberra.

Cronulla's forwards paved the way, knocking the door down multiple times as propstars Ellie Johnston and Caitlan Johnston-Green both ran for more than 100 metres.

The Sharks scramble defence also a highlight with Jada Taylor, Annessa Biddle and Cassie Staples all pulling off multiple try-saving plays.

An early penalty for the Raiders was supposed to give them the first real attacking opportunity, although the kick for touch was saved by Jada Taylor at the back.

The Sharks then made their first move into Canberra’s territory, and a Georgia Hannaway cut-out pass to Cassie Staples nearly resulted in the first points, but the winger was driven into touch as she stretched for the line.

Cronulla’s left edge looked sharp on the attack again minutes later. This time, a better result: Hannaway found Madison Ashby, who drew in the Raiders’ centre and winger and offloaded to Staples, who went in for her second of the season. The Sharks took a 4-0 lead as Chantay Kiria-Ratu missed the conversion from the sideline.

Canberra threatened with their own left edge. Zahara Temara almost put Jordyn Preston through a gap if not for a brilliant tackle from Cronulla centre Annessa Biddle that may have saved a try.

Caitlan Johnston-Green barged through the Raiders’ line and earned her team a penalty off the back of it. The next set nearly resulted in a try; Sharks winger Georgia Ravics reached for the line with three players holding her but couldn’t get the ball down.

Momentum swung for the home side as they scored from a clever kick through in the left corner to level the scores at 4-all.

Cronulla kicked out on the full from the restart and the green machine went in again, or so they thought. An incredible effort from Staples one-on-one with her opposing winger Mackenzie Wiki, who got the ball down, but on further inspection had her ponytail on the touchline.

A tackle gone wrong on Sharks kicker Chantay Kiria-Ratu resulted in Raider Jordyn Preston being sent to the sin bin on the 21-minute mark. Thankfully, no serious injury for Cronulla’s halfback.

A lovely sweeping play from the Sharks saw Jada Taylor glide into space down the right, before passing to Cronulla’s all-time top try scorer, Ravics, who steamrolled two Raiders and slammed the ball down. This time Kiria-Ratu slotted it from the sideline to make it 10-4 in the nation’s capital.

The home side then spent the final ten minutes of the half on the attack as the Sharks continually repelled them. Jada Taylor pulled off another miraculous try-saver, knocking the ball free of Simaima Taufa’s grasp as she dove for the try-line. Biddle was next, holding off another left side surge as the final seconds counted down. Cronulla took a 10-4 lead into the sheds.

Both sides had chances in the opening ten minutes of the second half, with Raiders' winger Wiki and Sharks winger Ravics going close to scoring. Cronulla threatened to break the game open when Chantay Kiria-Ratu sliced through from halfway and connected with Quincy Dodd, who took off for the line with the defence breathing down her neck. A last-ditch tackle from Canberra forced Dodd to offload to fullback Taylor metres away from an open try-line, but she couldn’t hold on.

Just when it looked like the Raiders were going to level it up, Biddle snatched a long ball out of the air and took off, before being pulled down on the halfway line. Cronulla carried that momentum into the Raiders' red zone, through a terrific Taylor run, carrying multiple defenders with her as she fell just short of the line. Then five-eighth Georgia Hannaway snuck over from dummy half to score the first points of the half. Kiria-Ratu added the extra to make it 16-4.

Sophie Holyman burst through the Sharks front door to score Canberra’s second try of the afternoon, and Sheridan Gallagher converted. The score was 16-10 with 16 minutes left on the clock, but Cronulla would again turn the tide minutes later. More Biddle brilliance followed; the Sharks centre burst through for her second line break of the half and found dummy half Dodd, who this time sprinted away to score. The try was converted to make it 22-10.

Cronulla continued to repel the Raiders in the final 10 minutes with superb goal line defence. Capped off by yet another Jada Taylor try-saver on Wiki, who had a free run to the line. The Sharks hung on for a 12-point win, their first of the season. A result that could kick start the 2025 preliminary finalists’ season.

Cronulla now take on the Tigers in Wagga Wagga to start Magic Round next Saturday.