NRLW Grand final: Olivia Kernick scores twice as Sydney Roosters beat Cronulla Sharks 32-28

The Sydney Roosters have won their second NRLW premiership after holding off a fast-finishing Cronulla Sharks to claim the title 32-28.

The Roosters blitzed Cronulla - playing in their maiden decider in just their second season - in the first half to race out to a 24-0 lead before the Sharks rallied in the second half to get within a try in the dying minutes.

The Roosters looked set for the most-dominant win in NRLW grand final history when they ran in five first-half tries at Accor Stadium on Sunday.

Cronulla cut the Roosters’ lead to just 26-24 with five minutes to go but a second try of the afternoon from Dally M Medal winner Olivia Kernick put the game beyond the Sharks’ reach.

Cronulla’s Tiana Penitani scored to close the gap to 32-28 in the final two minutes with the Sharks opting not to take the conversion in a last minute bid to score one more try. The Roosters managed to blunt the Sharks’ last set to claim the title.

Kernick opened the Roosters account before Jayme Fressard scored and winger Brydie Parker bagged a double in an 11-minute whirlwind of points to leave the Sharks shell-shocked.

Cronulla hit back after half-time with tries Cronulla through captain Tiana Penitani, hooker Quincy Dodd and five-eighth Georgia Hannaway.

Ellie Johnston then scored an almost comical four-pointer where the Shark prop caught a short pass right on the line between her thighs before grabbing the ball and tumbling over next to the posts.

That score put the Sharks within two points and a real chance of realising the greatest comeback in the short history of NRLW grand finals at 26-24.

But it was not to be with the second-placed Roosters denying the fourth-placed Sharks a dream first grand final appearance.

Cronulla winger Casey Staples had a torrid afternoon under Jocelyn Kelleher’s towering bombs, with the Roosters five-eighth given ample time and space to measure her kicks.

Sydney’s first three tries came soon after strong work from their chasing pack forced the rugby sevens convert to spill the ball, letting them recover possession high up the field.

Kernick powered her way over for the opener after a quarter of an hour before winger Jayme Fressard scored in the left corner following a smart tap-on from captain Isabelle Kelly.

The Roosters then changed their focus to the right flank, where Parker scored two tries in two minutes as the Sharks defence disassembled.

Halfback Aiken fed Jessica Sergis through a gaping hole in the Cronulla line and the Jillaroos centre, in her first start since August 10, slipped through untouched to send her side into the break with a seemingly insurmountable lead.

After closing the margin to six late on, the Sharks gifted the Roosters possession with an unforced error from the kick-off and followed that up with a penalty for a slow ruck, which Kelleher duly slotted to extend the lead beyond a try once more.

The Roosters won the 2020 premiership.

With AAP