Sharks, Knights reach NRLW preliminary finals
Margie McDonald |
Heroics from hooker Georgia Hannaway have ensured Cronulla a spot in next weekend’s NRLW preliminary finals after a 24-12 win over North Queensland.
Hannaway returned to the field after passing a concussion test midway through Saturday’s second half to score a try and add to an already impressive stats sheet of two line-break assists, two try assists and four goals.
The 24 year-old Queensland Origin player started at halfback for the Sharks in 2025 but had to step into No.9 with the season-ending ankle injury to Quincy Dodd in round six.
“She’s amazing – she’s really stepped up in the middle and her running game is what gets us up the field,” Sharks prop Ellie Johnston told Channel Nine after the match at Queensland Country Bank Stadium.
“I’m so proud of her because she’s really stepped up into that hooking role.”
A sublime Hannaway short pass 10 metres out put Johnston over for the Sharks’ second try as they took an 18-12 lead into the break.
Cronulla will now meet minor premiers Sydney Roosters in their preliminary final, which is a re-match of last year’s grand final.
“We’re up for it,” Johnston said.
“We’re very excited to take on the Roosters and we’ve got some players returning (from injury) so that’ll be a nice headache for (coach) Tony (Herman) for once.”
In the earlier elimination final, Newcastle moved a step closer to a third NRLW premiership with a dominant 34-20 win over the Titans at McDonald Jones Stadium.
The Knights will face the Broncos in the other Preliminary final.
Newcastle put on a show to jump to a 24-0 lead just after halftime, when centre Shanice Parker scored out wide.
But the Titans clawed their way back with three tries of their own including a double to rookie winer Phoenix-Raine Hippi.
That’s now nine tries in seven games for the 19-year-old, but it was all too little too late for the Titans, who were trying to make their second grand final in two years.
They were outclassed by the Knights, who made 35 tackles-busts to Gold Coast’s 16 and dazzled them with second-phase play, with 12 offloads to three.
Despite 28-degree heat in Townsville, the football was frenetic in the opening half with five tries between the Sharks and Cowboys.
Scores had been locked at 6-6 and 12-12 early before the visitors started to assert their dominance through steely defence and strong discipline. They made only eight errors for the match.
Sharks back rowers Talie Holmes and Jaydika Tafua worked hard making 55 tackles between them.
The other key factor was a champagne effort by captain Tiana Penitani Gray, who led her team with 17 runs and 162 metres – 69 post-contact – alongside a try assist and line-break assist.
Penitani Gray will have to rally the troops again as the Sharks were soundly beaten by John Strange’s Roosters 40-10, when the two met in the last round of the regular season just nine days ago.
AAP
