At their NRLW season launch held at Sharks at Kareela on Tuesday night it was announced that Tiana Penitani would captain the Cronulla team in their first year in the elite level women's NRL competition.
A player with representative experience, having played for the NSW Sky Blues and the Australian Jillaroos, following on from a successful Rugby Union career, Penitani was named by head coach Tony Herman as Sharks captain just a little over a week before the season is scheduled to get underway.
Proud to be chosen as the first Sharks NRL captain, Penitani expressed to a room of her fellow players, NRWL sponsors and VIP guests, that it was her intent to also lean on some of her experienced teammates in leading the team in this inaugural season.
"The calibre of athletes we have in this team, Hollie Wheeler, Emma Tonegato, Venessa Foliaki and Quincy Dodd as a part of our leadership group, those names alone go to show the kind of people who are alongside of me to lead this team. I don't want to be a one out leader," Penitani said.
The Sharks 24th and final NRLW signing after obtaining a release from her previous club, Penitani's transition from rugby to rugby league began as a member of the Sharks NSW Premiership team in 2019 and from that point the strong running outside back has certainly made an impression.
In addition to playing for the NSW Origin team and the Jillaroos, Penitani has enjoyed four seasons in the NRLW competition, two years and the Dragons, then two at the Eels where she was a member of their Grand Final squad in 2022.
However, for all her travels, Penitani is happy to be back to a club she feels is her footballing 'home' and is pleased a number of her teammates will also have the opportunity to play in Sharks colours in this historic first season.
"It's really special, we've got so many local girls that have had to scatter around the NRLW and play for different clubs and to be brought back home and to finally get to play consistent footy throughout the whole year together, that's been a really long time coming," Penitani said.
"Then we've also got our beautiful girls who have come from all over the country and even across the ditch in New Zealand, so we want to really create a home away from home for those girls as well."
After a solid trial game hit out, where they held the Wests Tigers scoreless and managed to post 24 points of their own, the Sharks now shift their focus to round one and the Canberra Raiders in a game to be played as part of a triple header of matches at PointsBet Stadium.
Scheduled for Sunday, July 23, the Jersey Flegg Sharks are set to kick off the day with a game against the Sea Eagles, followed by the NRLW season opener, before the Sharks play Manly in a round 21 NRL clash.
Tickets are selling fast, and a full house is expected, with those fans looking to see what promises to be an historic occasion for the Cronulla club encouraged to purchase early to avoid disappointment.
