The 2025 season begins with the first trial match out at Shark Park tonight. Follow all the action.
The 2025 season begins with the first trial match out at Shark Park tonight. Follow all the action.
We’re into the final 40 minutes at Shark Park.
Expect more interchanges in this second half. As we mentioned ahead of kick-off, teams are allowed as many interchanges as they want, and Warriors coach Andrew Webster and Sharks Craig Fitzgibbon will use that as an opportunity to give as many of their top 30 as possible match minutes.
That’s the half-time at Shark Park.
We’re locked at 6-6 after the first 40 minutes, with both teams trying to shake off the rust of the off-season.
Cronulla are completing well – at 86 per cent – but they’re definitely not taking advantage of their opportunities considering the Warriors are completing at just 58 per cent. With all the errors coming from the Warriors, the Sharks have been gifted plenty of fresh sets and good field position, but they’re yet to take charge in this match.
Half-time: Sharks 6, Warriors 6
Two set restarts and about 10 play-the-balls in front of the Warriors line, but the Sharks still can’t find the points.
Playmaker Daniel Atkinson goes for a grubber early in the set, but it’s too heavy off the boot and goes tumbling over the dead ball line.
A really average set from Cronulla, who should have been able to capitalise by putting pressure on the Warriors goal-line defence.
Sharks 6, Warriors 6 after 36 minutes
The Warriors have been rolling through their sets, but Luke Metcalf puts a beautiful kick in inside the 40 metres and nails his first 40/20 attempt of the season.
Great field position for the Warriors here, and a chance to get on top for the first time in this game.
It’s good news and bad news for the Warriors, with winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak officialy ruled out of the match with a wrist injury, at the same time Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad soars over to score.
It was the late offload from Demitric Vaimauga that made the play possible, with Wayde Egan pushing up in support and Nicoll-Klokstad finishing it off.
The conversion from Luke Metcalf is successful, and we’re all square in this match.
Sharks 6, Warriors 6 after 22 minutes
It’s been a rough 10 minutes for the Warriors in the Shire, with both winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Mitch Barnett off the field with injuries.
Watene-Zelezniak had to come off after injuring his left hand while trying to keep a ball in-field on the Sharks line, while Barnett was forced off the field after splitting his chin open.
We’ll keep you updated with any news on both.
Edward Kosi gave the Sharks an opening, and cult hero Tom Hazelton takes full advantage of the good field position.
He barges over close to the line, with Mitch Barnett and Wayde Egan unable to stop the force of Hazelton, and Cronulla have the first points of the match.
It’s an easy conversion for Daniel Atkinson, and the Sharks are up 6-0 after four minutes.
Sharks 6, Warriors 0
A floating kick from Daniel Atkinson at the end of the set, and it’s New Zealand winger Edward Kosi (who came in as a late replacement for Roger Tuivasa Scheck) who has the first error of the match.
He took his eyes of the ball at the last minute, and give Cronulla the first opportunity at points.
And the 2025 season is under way.
It’s Niwhai Puru who gets us under way with the kick-off for Cronulla, and Mitch Barnett takes the first carry for the Warriors.
A big turn-out in Cornulla tonight considering it’s just a trial match.
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