Back with a bang: Sifa's sweet return from Auckland nightmare

Axed from the NRL side after being “carved up” by Rocco Berry the last time they met, Siosifa Talakai took plenty of satisfaction from getting one back as the Sharks opened their season with a win over the Warriors on Friday night. 

The powerhouse centre was among a list of high-profile players dropped from first grade by coach Craig Fitzgibbon following a 44-12 drubbing by the Warriors in Round 20 last season, but returned to Go Media Stadium in Round 1 of the new campaign to play a starring role in his side’s 16-12 comeback victory.

Talakai scored what ended up being the winning try just before the hour mark, but even more importantly managed to contain a Warriors right edge led by Shaun Johnson and win his personal duel with opposite number Rocco Berry.

“I had to do a job, there was a few scars from last year when he pretty much carved me up,” Talakai told NRL.com.

“I knew I had my work cut out for me. It did feel good, but I'm still not satisfied.

That dropping last year was definitely needed at the time and it kept me honest.

Siosifa Talakai

"This pre-season I chose not to do anything [away from footy] and I chose to come back early. When you put down your head down and work hard, things come to fruition.”

He was far from the only Shark to impress as the club tasted opening-round victory for the first time since 2021, with Fitzgibbon saying the heart shown by his men was arguably the best he’s seen since taking charge of the team in 2022.

Down 12-0 after 14 minutes and having had less than a third of the ball at the 20-minute mark, Cronulla battled back to trail by six at half-time before overpowering their opponents with a spirted second stanza.

“We missed the kick physically, that’s for sure,” Fitzgibbon said of the slow start. 

“They got the jump on us there, but I knew after we were down 12-0 and had I think three sets on our try-line, I thought ‘they’re starting to rip in here, starting to get some energy back, starting to find a way’.

“We can certainly play some better footy than we did [Friday], but just the grit, perseverance and turning up for each other, in what was Jack Williams’ 100th game, I am really proud of that effort.”

While they looked a far cry from the smooth attacking outfit they were last year for most of the match, the Warriors still applied plenty of pressure and found success with their short kicking game, which might have got them back into the contest if not for some huge efforts by Sharks fullback Will Kennedy.

After missing the club’s final six games last year with a hamstring injury, the 26-year-old came up with a try-saving play in the first half and was on the spot to clean up several dangerous kicks from the in-goal area.

Post-match captain Nicho Hynes labelled it the best performance of Kennedy’s career and said he believes it’s a precursor for what’s to come from his No.1 this season.

“There was a point there where we defended our line in the first half and Will saved [a] try and I knew that was going to win us the game,” Hynes said.

“Some of his defensive efforts that no-one would notice, that I certainly notice, where he got in the line and put pressure on Shaun and got in behind to get the kick… he was unreal.

“That’s his growth area and he’s growing. I can’t wait to see what he’s going to do for us this year.

“I am just so proud of our defence and I think everyone can see how proud we are of our defence.”