The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks secured their eighth consecutive victory with a thrilling seven tries-to-five win against the Penrith Panthers in the Minor Semi-final at Leichhardt Oval. The Sharks, who had to fight their way into the finals after finishing fifth, extended their winning streak from the last six rounds of the regular season. Their victory over the fourth-placed Newcastle Knights in last week’s Elimination Final set the stage for today’s triumph over the second-placed Panthers.
Key to the Sharks’ dominance was left centre Michael Gabrael, who scored a hat-trick, and fullback Siteni Taukamo, who added two tries of his own. Both players caused havoc on the Panthers’ right edge during the first half, each crossing for two tries within the first 35 minutes. Their efforts contributed to the Sharks’ commanding 24-10 lead at halftime.
Gabrael’s impact didn’t stop there. He completed his hat-trick in the 60th minute and later set up winger Te Wehi Waitere for another try in the 64th minute, sealing Cronulla’s win. Despite challenging weather conditions, goalkicker Riley Pollard successfully converted six of his seven attempts, further solidifying the Sharks’ grip on the game.
Penrith started the match strongly, with winger Jirah Liddiard scoring in the fourth minute. Fullback Jaxen Edgar followed up with another try in the 21st minute, weaving through the Sharks’ defense after a clever dummy. Despite trailing 30-16 in the second half, Penrith mounted a comeback with tries from bench forward Siotame Hansen and centre Angelis Hotere-Papalii, closing the gap to 30-26.
However, Cronulla’s late surge, with two more tries, proved too much for Penrith to overcome, ensuring the Sharks advanced to next Saturday’s Preliminary Final. With the team’s dynamic performance, particularly from Gabrael and Taukamo, Cronulla continues to build momentum as they move closer to a potential title.
