Cronulla are the Tarsha Gale Cup premiers after the young Sharks downed Newcastle 32-22 in their grand final on Saturday.
Cronulla’s under-18s women’s team completed their undefeated season at Leichhardt Oval, with Faith Nathan again starring with a hat-trick of tries.
Nathan scored the opening try to give the Sharks the lead just before the end of the first quarter.
A pep talk from Sharks Jillaroos representatives Corban McGregor and Shontelle Stowers following their final training session at Shark Park on Thursday seemed to do the trick as Cronulla jumped out to a 16-0 half-time lead.
Tries to Nathan, Jaida White, Madison Higgins-Ashby and Zali Fray had the Sharks cruising but Newcastle were kept in the game with the Sharks failing to make any of the conversions.
Emily Harman hit back for the Knights after the break before Nathan, who scored five tries in Cronulla’s preliminary final victory last weekend, ran 90 metres to cross for her second.
Lynda Howarth looked to have secured the result for Cronulla only for Joeli Morris to hit back for the Knights to set up a tight finish.
But Nathan would have the final say, with another long-range effort sealing the title for the Sharks.
The Tarsha Gale Cup premiers were paraded at half-time of Cronulla’s NRL win over Parramatta at Shark Park on Saturday night.
