The Panthers hosted the Sharks in three grades at St Marys on Saturday.
Lisa Fiaola Cup
Sharks 30 def. Panthers 14
An injury plagued Lisa Fiaola Panthers side played host to the Sharks at St Marys on Saturday morning, valiant in a 30-14 defeat.
The right edge for the Panthers was on fire with Naioka Tuipulotu and Tyler-Eve Mair putting in great performances, but the Sharks were too strong, winning the game through the middle of the field.
The Panthers got off to a strong start in this contest, when in the fourth minute, Naioka Tuipolotu took it herself to crash over close to the line. It came off the back of a strong start from the Panthers, forcing a Sharks error and marching into their redzone. Conversion unsuccessful, 4-0.
The Sharks didn’t take long to hit back, plenty of ball movement seeing them break down the Panthers edges multiple times, before Felila Fakalelu crashed over for the Sharks first. Conversion successful, 4-6.
Fakalelu had her second just three minutes later, crashing over from close range despite a valiant effort from the Panthers defence. Conversion successful, 4-12.
Fakalelu nearly had a third, ten minutes later, when she looked to barge over, this time met by Aaliyah Womal and Meekah Viiga who were brave in holding her up over the line.
The Panthers looked to get back into it with some hard running through the middle marching them upfield. They forced an error from the Sharks inside their half and looked to have a chance at scoring, but an error handed the Sharks the ball just two plays later.
Isabella McDonald, who had a strong start for the Sharks, was rewarded with a four-pointer, crashing over from hooker through a loose ruck, extending the lead. Conversion successful, 4-18.
HALF TIME 4-18
The Panthers started the second half in similar fashion to the first, once again going down their right edge, with Tuipolotu this time shifting it along to Tyler-Eve Mair who went through. She still had the fullback to beat, and turned her inside out to find the line and score a brilliant try. Conversion unsuccessful, 8-18.
Felila Fakalelu wouldn’t be denied of a third, when the Sharks front rower barged over the Panthers defence, securing a powerful hattrick. Conversion unsuccessful, 8-22.
In the 38th minute, The Tuipolotu and Mair connection had the crowd on their feet once again, when a brilliantly run line from Mair saw her into open space off the Tuipolotu cutout. This time Sharks fullback Milla Caine was able to bring her down, ten metres short of the line.
Fakalelu had a fourth, 5 minutes later when she punched through a gap in the defence, and was impossible to stop. Conversion unsuccessful, 8-26.
Fatafehi-Marie Mahe scored a brilliant try to get the Panthers back into the game, stepping through defenders before hitting clear air and scoring. Conversion successful, 14-26.
In the 51st minute, Sharks crashed over in what looked like a final blow, but it was called back because of a forward pass, giving the Panthers nine minutes to chase the two try deficit.
The Sharks defence held the Panthers out, when they were given a full set of six inside Sharks ten metre line, but couldn’t convert. A high tackle penalty got the Sharks out of trouble, and they capitalised later their set with Milla Caine putting the icing on the cake. Conversion unsuccessful, 14-30.
FULL TIME 14-30
Tarsha Gale Cup
Sharks 48 def. Panthers 4
Tough day at the office for the Tarsha Gale Panthers, who succumbed to a dominant Sharks side, 48-4 at St Marys stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers defence was tested early, gifting the Sharks a set of six inside their half, following an error and a penalty. Sharks front rower Koreti Leilua looked to barge over, but an amazing defensive effort from Zharia Hukui kept them out.
Just two minutes later another huge defensive effort was required, this time when Sharks halfback Olivia Herman poked her head through the line, just for Panthers fullback Jalice Brown to get under the ball and hold her up.
The pressure didn’t let up, the Panthers unable to get out of their own ten, kicking on last to Tia-Jordyn Vasilovski, who beat two defenders on her return, before finding clear air, running down the touchline to score in the corner. Conversion unsuccessful, 0-4.
Just two minutes later, Vasilovski had a second, pushing up in support from a Takapautolo line break with no defenders to beat, scoring untouched. Conversion successful, 0-10.
The Sharks onslaught continued, Marnie Isemonger finding Koolee Harbour for a line break, going close before Summer Jitoko and Mesha Fretton came up with a try saver. They didn’t hold out for long after that though, with Koreti Leilua getting over the line from a crash ball just two plays later. Conversion unsuccessful, 0-14.
Two Sharks middles combined in the next set for another try, Faith Vili putting Stephanie Faulkner through with a short ball thirty metres out, Faulkner bursting into the clear before getting around Jalice Brown to score. Conversion unsuccessful, 0-18.
Herman put Takapautolo through a gap on the right edge to keep the scoring going, the Sharks backrower exploding into clear air and running over the Panthers fullback to score. Conversion successful, 0-24.
Montana McLean hit back for the Panthers in the 23rd minute, rolling out of a tackle and reaching out to score from close range. Conversion unsuccessful, 4-24
HALF TIME 4-24
The Panthers defence had to dig deep to start the second half. The Sharks had a full set on their line, coming close on multiple plays but the defence just managed to hold out. Marnie Isemonger got halfway through but lost it just short of the line to give the Panthers some relief.
Starting just two minutes later, the Panthers but in another big defensive shift, holding out the Sharks who were building pressure with every set. An error once again got the Panthers out of trouble, after an opening ten minutes to the half which saw them camped in their own end.
The pressure eventually ended with points, Koreti Leilua bursting straight through the middle before finding Vasilovski in support who got to the line. Conversion successful, 4-30.
Stephanie Faulkner bagged her second in similar fashion to the first, going through this time from a drop play off Olivia Herman, and then beating the fullback to score. Conversion successful, 4-36.
Koreti Leilua continued her dominant performance in the 53rd minute, getting the Sharks to fourty with a huge run from the 30 metre line. She got to the outside of the Panthers fullback and scored, extending an already large Sharks lead. Conversion successful, 4-42.
Arianna Ruwoldt scored a try for the highlights reel to end the game, taking a kick return and burning the Panthers chasers down the sideline, going the full 100. Conversion successful, 4-48.
FULL TIME 4-48
SG BALL
Sharks 28 def. Panthers 22
The Panthers have suffered defeat to the Sharks despite holding a healthy lead at half-time.
Penrith opened the scoring for this one early, Jett Cleary supplying a brilliant grubber kick in behind, which was recovered and athletically put down by Tua Patea. Conversion successful, 6-0.
Cleary had his hands on another try, when he threw it inside for Jack Attard, deceiving the defence with Attard powering over the top of the Sharks fullback to score. Conversion unsuccessful, 10-0
Jett Clearys kicking game had the Sharks in huge trouble throughout the opening half, with Jack Attard, Tua Patea and Hokafonu Lemoto the other standouts in the opening part of the game.
Jack Attard took a remarkable catch and returned it to break through the Sharks chasers, before tipping on for Cleary who nearly got to the line, but a courageous effort from the Sharks fullback stopped him five metres short.
The Panthers built relentless pressure, with the next ten minutes being spent inside the Sharks half. Points didn’t come but the territory battle was being dominated by Penrith.
Cleary’s kicking game continued to sound alarms for the Sharks back five, a huge bomb in attacking territory spilt by the Sharks fullback gave Penrith a golden opportunity. They capitalised that set, with Cameron Robertson tipping on to Tua Patea who stepped back inside and beat a defender to score. Conversion successful, 16-0.
Just before the halftime break Jett Cleary hobbled off the field with an ankle injury, a huge blow to the Panthers who were rolling along off the back of his kicking game.
HALF TIME 16-0
William Herbert and Liam Perram both came up with some huge one on one stops early in the second half, when the Panthers were asked to defend their line following an early error. It looked like they had battled through two repeat sets to hold the Sharks out, but a Riley Pollard kick was contested by Nikora Williams on the Panthers line landing for Adrian Sandy who scored. Conversion successful, 16-6.
In the very next set, Bryce Sait’s fifth tackle play gave the Sharks another four pointer, when he put a kick in which richocheted off a Panthers defender. Sait recovered and found Montgomery who had an easy 2-on-1 to put Gray over in the corner. Conversion unsuccessful, 16-10.
The Panthers ruck loosened up and Sharks marhced 100 metres yet again to score. Riley Pollard and Bryce Sait picked them apart before they found Pharell Gray with a cutout ball and a try in the corner, having to beat a handful of Panthers defenders. Conversion successful, 16-16.
Hokafonu Lemoto and Jensen Tuaoi came back onto the field and their impact was immediate, with back to back huge runs that gave the Panthers their first set in Sharks territory of the second half. A good kick had the Sharks trapped in their corner, but a cheap penalty got them out.
Sharks rolled through the middle of a tired Penrith ruck, on fifth tackle they went from dummy half looking dangerous but Jensen Tuaoi came up with a huge play at the arm to force the ball out, before making the tackle on the Sharks player who recovered the ball.
Tuaoi came up with another huge play in the next set, darting from hooker to pierce the Sharks line and pick up a cheap 20 metres, Penrith continued to roll along off the back of that, with Tua Patea breaking the left edge apart, before passing to Hotere-Papalii who drew the fullback in before finding Cameron Robertson in support play to score. Conversion successful, 22-16.
The Sharks hit back straight away, a right edge shift going from Sait to Williams and then a 2 on 1 found Whalebone open in the corner. Conversion successful 22-22.
A Bryce Sait kick in the next set gave the Sharks their first lead of the game, Nikora Williams scooping up a favourable bounce to score in the corner with just four minutes left to play. Conversion successful, 22-28.
FULL TIME 22-28
