Revenge was sweet for Parramatta as they delivered a home defeat to Cronulla to kick off the 2025 NRLW season in style.
The 18-16 scoreline was the same when the Sharks pipped the Eels in their 2024 meeting.
Eels coach Steve Georgallis said there was a definite “fire in the belly” among his players from last year’s disappointing fifth placing, missing the finals by one spot.
“We thought we had the team to make the finals, and we probably looked back at that Cronulla game we should have won,” he said.
“As a coach, that gave us some impetus towards this week to give them a bit of fire in the belly and get up for the game.”
Attacking kicks by halfback Rachael Pearson, darting runs by Maroons debutant Rory Owen, and brick-wall defence by forwards led by Elsie Albert and Chloe Jackson set up the win.
Jackson was also a force in attack, scoring two tries.
On paper, the match looked in Cronulla’s favour with 13 members of their 17-strong grand final team lining up at Sharks Stadium, compared with an Eels outfit containing five NRLW debutants.
But the Eels’ high completion rate of 87 per cent and lower error rate proved the difference.
“Our grit, our try-line defence … we never gave up,” Georgallis said. “We worked so hard for each other, and that’s one of the traits from last year I’m so happy they’ve brought through to this playing group.”
Lindsay Tui takes on the Sharks.Credit: Getty Images
The Eels were straight onto the job, scoring two tries in their first two forays inside the Sharks’ 20-metre zone, which helped set up a 12-6 halftime lead.
Second-rower Jackson fell on the ball over the line after a Pearson kick ricocheted off the goal-post pad, then six minutes later Pearson chipped ahead for herself and scored in the 13th minute.
Pearson’s two conversions had Parramatta sitting pretty at 12-0.
Sharks captain Tiana Penitani Gray said her side’s defence wasn’t up to scratch.
“And we let them in early with yardage penalties and early errors. They built momentum off those opportunities,” she said.
“It wasn’t our style of footy that first half with our low completions.”
The home side’s first try took 28 minutes after several scoring opportunities ended unhappily.
After a good bust from lock Brooke Anderson against her old club, interchange prop Filomina Hanisi barged over under the posts. The conversion by Georgia Hannaway put the Sharks back in the hunt (12-6).
Filomina Hanisi scores for Cronulla.Credit: Getty Images
Hanisi had the worst of starts to the second half, hurting her left knee in a tackle and having to be helped off the field by trainers. She will have medical scans.
However, the Sharks were next to score, taking advantage of injured Eel Taneka Todhunter being down in back-play.
Cronulla kept advancing towards the line, and utility Nakia Davis-Welsh made a darting 10-metre solo run to the line.
Five minutes later and despite some more valiant Eels goal-line defence, hooker Quincy Dodd darted through from dummy-half to give Cronulla the lead for the first time (16-14) in the match.
It didn’t last long before Jackson grabbed her second, burrowing through Sharks defenders.
Parramatta nearly added to their score when winger Zali Fay went for a dash down the western touchline but fullback Emma Verran caught her in cover defence a metre out from the line.
AAP
