NRLW Saturday: Dragons take on Roosters; Sharks rewrite record books

28 min: A big goal-line stand from the Roosters, who repel a spirited raid from the Dragons and then earn a penalty while coming out of yardage to really release the pressure valve. 

23 min: Teagan Berry grabs try number 31 for her NRLW career, pushing through from close range out of dummy half. The platform for the hit-back was laid by a long break from Margot Vella, which was compounded by an Olivia Kernick penalty that handed the Red V six more tackles. Raecene McGregor misses the fairly straightforward conversion attempt. 4-4. 

18 min: The Dragons enjoy some rare possession in the opposing red zone, helped down field by a Roosters penalty, but the Tricolours are up to the task defensively and turn them away. 

14 min: The Roosters cough up a fifth error for the game. Right now they look dangerous every time they are on the ball, although the final touch has mostly been lacking. 

9 min: No mistake this time from Aliyah Nasio, who turns provider for Isabelle Kelly to score. Nasio got through an initial gap before selling a couple of defenders on a dummy and squeezing an offload out to Kelly. The conversion is no good from Jocelyn Kelleher, so it's 4-0. 

7 min: Teagan Berry saves what looked to be a certain try by stripping the ball free from the grasp of Aliyah Nasio over the line. A four-pointer goes begging for the Tricolours. 

5 min: An early chance for St George Illawarra ends with a knock on from Keele Browne. The Red V are keen to move the ball side-to-side early on. 

1 min: The Dragons dodge a bullet after a messy retrieval of the kick-off. They end up with possession and finish the set well with a booming kick down field.  

 

*NRLW Magic Round heads to McDonald Jones Stadium in 2025 in Round 5. Be there for this historic event and grab your tickets now!

Late Mail

Raiders: No further game day changes after Tatiana Finau was elevated to the bench a day before the game, with Lili Boyle making way. Fiji Bulikula representative Sereana Naitokatoka returns from suspension to partner with halfback Zahara Temara in the halves in the only change from last week. 

Sharks: The Sharks are 1-17 with no late changes. Youngster Stephanie Faulkner comes onto the bench for her NRLW debut in place of Filomina Hanisi (ACL). Faulkner was voted the Sharks' Female Junior Representative Player of the Year in 2023 before graduating to Tarsha Gale Cup and Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership level. Grace-Lee Weekes is 18th player.

Numbers game

• The Dragons have lost their last four games against the Roosters.
• The Roosters are aiming for a club record eighth straight victory.
• Dragons fullback Teagan Berry has scored 30 tries in 33 NRLW appearances.

Raiders v Sharks at GIO Stadium

Fulltime

The Sharks have written themselves into the NRLW record books after romping to a 56-6 win over the Raiders at GIO Stadium, with Emma Verran scoring four tries and Georgia Hannaway kicking eight goals. The 50 point margin equalled Cronulla's biggest ever win - a 56-6 defeat of Parramatta in 2023 - while Verran became the fifth player to score four tries in the NRLW and Hannaway bettered former team-mate Tayla Preston's record of seven goals. Verran fell just short of becoming the first player to score five tries in an NRLW match after unselfishly passing for team-mates to score. Rookie forward Stephanie Faulkner scored two tries on debut. 

66 min: Verran showed her unselfishness to put Byers over for her second try after splitting the defence off a Dodd pass and passing to the secondrower to score. Hannaway converted. Sharks 56 Raiders 6.

53 min: The Sharks are within range of their biggest ever NRLW win after winger Georgia Ravics scored out wide to bring up the half century of points with more than 15 minutes remaining. Sharks 50 Raiders 6.

50 min: Rhiannon Byers has crashed over for Cronulla's seventh try of the match after a short pass from lock Brooke Anderson close to the Raiders line. Sharks 46 Raiders 6 

42 min: Dodd and Verran have combined again to lay on a second try for Faulkner on debut. Dodd raced out of dummy half and Verran backed up to almost scored her fifth but passed to Faulkner before the line. Hannaway converted. Sharks 40 Raiders 6.

39 min: Verran has started the second half as she finished the first to score her fourth try of the match after juggling the ball and slicing through the defence close to the tryline. Hannaway missed the sideline conversion. Sharks 34 Raiders 6

Halftime summary

The Sharks are dominating possession, field position and on the scoreboard after a strong first half performance to lead 30-6 at the break. After last weekend's disappointing loss to Parramatta in the NRLW season opener, Cronulla's big name stars Quincy Dodd, Emma Verrans and Tiana Penitani Gray are leading the way. Penitani has three tries, while Dodd has scored one and laid on another. With just 38 per cent of possession, the Raiders have been forced to make 158 first half tackles compared to 100 by the Sharks. The home team has also conceded five penalties. 

34 min: Verran has grabbed a hat-trick to give the Sharks a big halftime lead after Hannaway's conversion. Sharks 30 Raiders 6.

29 min: Sharks debutant Stephanie Faulkner, the first player to come through the Cronulla pathways from U7s to NRLW, has crashed over to score. Hannaway converted. Sharks 24 Raiders 6. 

25 min: Verran has scored her second try after a perfectly timed run for a grubber kick behind the Canberra defensive line by Dodd. Hannaway converted. Sharks 18 Raiders 6.

19 min: The Raiders have hit back through Kiwi Ferns winger Maddison Bartlett, who finished a backline movement to score her 28th NRLW try and 14th in her last 14 appearances. Zahara Temara converted from the sideline. Sharks 12 Raiders 6.

15 min: Raiders winger Isabella Waterman, who produced the Round 1 tackle of the week, came up with another bellringer to force an error from Cronulla superstar Tiana Penitani Gray and save a certain try.

12 min: Sharks fullback Emma Verran split the defence to race away for her side's second try. Hannaway converted. Sharks 12-0.

9 min: Sharks centre Anessa Biddle has been placed on report for a high tackle on Kiwi Ferns team-mate Robins-Reti. The Raiders fullback has undergone a HIA.  

4 min: Jillaroos hooker Quincy Dodd has opened the scoring for the Sharks after grubbering into the Raiders goalpost and chasing through to catch the rebounding ball which went over the head of Canberra fullback Cheyelle Robins-Reti. Georgia Hannaway converted from in front. Sharks 6-0.

The Raiders made a last minute change with Emma Barnes starting at hooker and Chanté Temara moving to the bench.

Lime green wall

Raiders prop Sophie Holyman told NRLW on Nine: "The focus this week has been all about us. Defence is going to win us this game, I think, so for us we've just got to be better there. We know that in attack, we have moments there, and obviously a few tries have got disallowed, so I guess today is icing the small moments and having a brick wall as a defence line."

Sharks history maker

Debutant Stephanie Faulkner is the first player to transition from the club's pathways to NRLW.

The rookie forward told Nine: "It's a dream come true. I'm in disbelief. I'm pinching myself right now, so excited to get out of the girls, but yeah, dream come true. I've just got to keep it simple, they've got big forward pack and so the game will be won in there ... just run hard, tackle hard."

Late Mail

Raiders: No further game day changes after Tatiana Finau was elevated to the bench a day before the game, with Lili Boyle making way. Fiji Bulikula representative Sereana Naitokatoka returns from suspension.

Sharks: The Sharks are 1-17 with no late changes. Youngster Stephanie Faulkner comes onto the bench for her NRLW debut in place of Filomina Hanisi (ACL). 

Numbers game

• Raiders winger Madison Bartlett has scored a try double in both games against the Sharks.
• The Sharks have won both games played against the Raiders in 2023-24.
• The Raiders are on a seven-game losing streak at GIO Stadium.

While we are waiting for kickoff in the first match of today's NRLW triple header, here are a few stories from around the grounds:

Cowboys v Knights at Queensland Country Bank Stadium

*NRLW Magic Round heads to McDonald Jones Stadium in 2025 in Round 5. Be there for this historic event and grab your tickets now!