Roosters hold off Sharks to claim NRLW decider

The Sydney Roosters have held off a furious Sharks comeback to claim a thrilling NRLW grand final victory. 

The Roosters led 24-0 at half-time, before Cronulla came roaring back in the second half to pull within two with eight minutes to play. 

Dally M Medallist Olivia Kernick looked to have put the game to bed with a 66th minute try, her second of the game. 

Sharks skipper Tiana Penitani gave her side one last chance with a late try of her own, but that was where the comeback would end, the Roosters holding on to secure a 32-28 win.

Roosters forward Millie Elliott set the tone early with a dominant opening stint while five-eighth Joceleyn Kelleher wreaked havoc with her boot throughout the first half.

The playmaker forced five errors from bombs in the opening 20 minutes and the Roosters made their opponents pay, running in five tries to zero in the first half

A Sharks error opened the door for the Roosters and Kernick put her side up 6-0 when she crashed over in the 15th minute. 

Wingers Jayme Fressard and Brydie Parker then crossed in quick succession on the back of Kelleher bombs, Cronulla struggling to secure possession.

Parker had her second in the 26th minute before Jess Sergis extended the margin in the final minute of the first half. 

Cronulla were a different team after the break, Emma Tonegato and Georgia Hannaway picking apart the Roosters defence. 

Tiana Penitani crossed three minutes into the second half, before Tonegato put Quincy Dodd over to cut the deficit to 12.

Hannaway had a try of her own in the 48th minute and suddenly the Sharks were a chance of pulling off one of the greatest comebacks in grand final history.

The previous biggest comeback in an NRLW game was in the 2021 semi-final when the Roosters turned a 16-0 deficit into a 22-16 win over the Broncos.  

An error off the kick off, however, halted the momentum and the Roosters kicked out to a 26-18 lead courtesy of a Kelleher penalty goal.  

The Sharks were still coming, with Ellie Johnston producing a miracle play to pull her team within two. The prop caught the ball with her legs, before gathering it and crashing over in the 61st minute. 

Kernick's try gave the Roosters some breathing room, but Cronulla still had a pulse and Penitani set up a grandstand finish when she made it 32-28.

The Sharks had one last set of six to complete the comeback, however an errant offload put an end to their charge and the Roosters held on to secure a tense victory.