Round Ten
Joondalup Giants 44 – Rockingham Sharks 32
First half errors from a young Rockingham side gave the Joondalup Giants the opportunity to set the platform for a 44-32 win at Admiral Park as the NRLWA Fuel to Go and Play Premiership returned to action after the NRL bye weekend.
Sharks halfback Crockett Henry had given the visitors an early lead before a knock on from the kickoff saw the Giants march upfield to quickly level the score through Isaiah Rapana.
Minutes later another lost ball in the low sunlight gave the Giants the chance to increase the lead as Cuz Smith crossed and another dropped ball saw Rapana score his second.
When the Giants scored again on the half hour the game looked over, but the Sharks, to their credit, stayed in the fight and after a super break from the dangerous Henry, Lochy Christie closed the gap.
Jarrad Whitty jumps out of dummy half / Photo – Libby McMillan
But the home side were not done, scoring again on the siren through full back Leon White to give them a commanding halftime lead.
Second half trues form Smith and Rapana eventually sealed the win, but captain Taurean Sheehan said afterwards they had to fight to take the points.
“It was a real 80 minute game,” he said. “With both sides pushing until the siren. A credit to Rockingham, they never gave up.”
Sheehan said the game was full of errors from both sides, “but there was a lot of positives to come out of it, although we still have plenty of work to do.
Jack Bullard takes into the Sharks defence / Photo – Libby McMillan
“It was an arm wrestle, back and forth for much of the game.”
Sharks coach Pete Worth was much happier with the second half performance as his side scored 22 points, but it wasn’t enough.
“Our completion rate in the first half was 43 per cent, which was clearly not good enough,” he said.
“The second half was better, but we made too many errors. We are a young team still learning, we do the right things in practice, but bad habits creep into games.
“Of course it’s disappointing and we could have won, but fair play to Joondalup, they capitalised on our mistakes and took the points.”
