Cronulla are threatening to chase down the record for longest NRLW winning streak after equalling the premiership’s second-longest run with a 22-6 victory over Gold Coast.
It comes as St George Illawarra kept their finals hopes alive with a 42-14 defeat of Parramatta, who lost star forward Kennedy Cherrington to a painful knee injury.
On a hot Saturday at Gold Coast’s Cbus Super Stadium, right winger Georgia Ravics bagged tries either side of half-time as the ladder-leading Sharks made it eight wins in a row.
Cronulla remain undefeated through six rounds of their second NRLW campaign, set to finish the weekend at least two wins clear atop the ladder.
The Sharks have now matched the eight-game streak Brisbane managed between the 2019 and 2021 seasons as they dominated the early days of the competition.
Tony Herman’s side would equal Newcastle’s record-breaking 11-game run if they win their remaining regular-season games, though they have tough dates against the Sydney Roosters and Broncos to come.
Ravics crossed from an overlap to restore the Sharks’ lead 10 minutes before half-time before cruising over again as Cronulla maintained their strong record in second halves.
The Sharks nabbed all four of their tries down the edges.
Captain Tiana Penitani opened the scoring after four minutes when she burned Georgia Grey and burst down the left side on a 45-metre dash against the run of play.
Lauren Brown’s kicking game helped the Titans threaten but Cronulla’s scramble defence was up to the task of containing their rivals.
Ravics cleaned Emily Bass up as she searched for the Titans’ opener down the left side in the first half, before Cassie Staples rushed over to deny Niall Williams-Guthrie as she attempted to ground a kick from Lailani Montgomery in the second.
When Annessa Biddle stepped inside Jaime Chapman and darted to the tryline in the final minutes, the Sharks were officially home.
Titans captain Georgia Hale went on report for laying a hip-drop tackle on Holli Wheeler in the second half, but the Sharks prop played on.
Later on Saturday, Cherrington’s injury opened the floodgates at CommBank Stadium, where the Dragons scored a crucial second win of the season.
Cherrington’s right leg became caught as she unsuccessfully attempted to stop Dragons hooker Zali Hopkins from scoring the Dragons’ fourth try just after half-time.
The lock forward writhed on the ground in agony and could not put any weight on her foot as she was helped from the field by two Eels staffers.
At 14-8, the game had been in the balance prior to Hopkins’ try, but slipped out of the Eels’ reach following two runaway tries from fullback Teagan Berry in the space of three minutes.
The Dragons remain in the hunt for a top-four berth but likely need to win their remaining three games of the regular season, with a round-nine clash against Brisbane their toughest assignment.
© AAP
