AN incredible second-half comeback wasn’t quite enough to bring a slice of NRLW history back to Pallamallawa on Sunday when Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks – featuring hometown Pally girl Rhiannon Byers – were beaten 32-28 by Sydney Roosters in a grand-final for the ages.
The Roosters led 24-0 at half-time – a seemingly unassailable lead – but when the Sharks started circling in the second-half, a Lazarus-like win became a real possibility.
Second-half tries to Sharks captain Tiana Penitani, prop Ellie Johnston, hooker Quincy Dodd and five-eighth Georgia Hannaway clawed away at the Roosters’ margin and in the 61st minute, Johnston produced the play of the game to put the Sharks within two points of equalling the score.
But the clock ticked rapidly and the Sharks, having their first game at Accor Stadium and only second year in the NRLW competition, were far from disgraced when beaten six tries to five in front of more than 40,000 spectators.
Byers played 10 games for the Sharks this season, and scored a try against St George-Illawarra Dragons in August when wearing her beloved indigenous jersey.
She said Sunday’s grand-final was an incredible experience.
“I’m so proud of the girls. We could’ve packed up and gone home after the first half,” Byers laughed.
“But this team is something special. For us to come back and only lose by a try is truly incredible.
“We didn’t have much ball in the first half but in the second half, we knew we could change it around.
“I’d like to thank everyone who supported me leading into the grand-final – your good luck messages and support didn’t go unnoticed,” Byers said.
“I love this community and I’m forever grateful for the town I get to call home.”
Sharks captain Tiana Penitani, who scored seven tries from her past seven games this season, told the post-game NRL media conference, she couldn’t be prouder.
“It was frustrating in that first half. We felt, like, in the first 10 to 15 minutes we were really building pressure and starting to fatigue them, and that was our plan,” Penitani said.
“I thought our girls really stuck to our plan in that first ten and then obviously just some errors and some penalties that gave them field position, and they’re a world-class side.
“You look at how much strike they have across the field and how smart they are as a team, and they found the space and really capitalised on that,” she said.
The second-half comeback, after trailing 24-nil at the break, went within four points of creating a fairytale for a team that’s only been two years in the house.
Conversely, Sydney Roosters were making their fourth NRLW grand-final appearance.
“It put a lot of pressure on us, obviously, conceding those 24 points. There was no panic. We just needed to score first (in the second half) and get back into our groove,” Penitani said.
“I’m honestly so proud of the effort in the second half. Look at our team, compared to theirs, in terms of grand-final experience.
“I couldn’t be prouder of that second-half effort,” she said.
