The Cronulla Sharks have opened up on the heartbreak that followed their initial omission from the NRLW competition and how it's driving the team into Sunday's grand final.
The club invested heavily in their women's program in preparation for the inaugural season and made history when they signed Ruan Sims to the first women's rugby league playing contract for the 2017 season.
The Jillaroos captain was joined at the Sharks by Allana Ferguson, Maddie Studdon, Botille Vette-Welsh and a range of other players who would go on to enjoy considerable success in the NRLW.
Halfback Tayla Preston was a wide-eyed teenager soaking up as much as possible from the senior players and vividly remembers being told Cronulla had missed out on a place in the new competition.
The NRLW creators to watch in 2024: Tayla Preston
"I was in the car with my mum when I got the phone call," Preston told pan66.com. "Behind the scenes there was so much talk about Cronulla paving the way and hopefully being one of those foundation clubs.
"To hear we didn't receive it, I was shattered. I knew the girls who were older than me had worked so hard and paved the way. For them to miss out, they all went on to other clubs but they would have loved nothing more than to play for the Sharks.
"The decision put this passion inside me to one day represent the Cronulla Sharks. I'm so grateful of where we are now and I couldn't have asked for anything better in a weird way. We're in a grand final in our second year in the competition and it's a huge testament to the club and staff involved."
Match: Roosters v Sharks
Grand Final -
home Team
Roosters
2nd Position
away Team
Sharks
4th Position
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Preston was among a talented group of teenagers taking the formative steps in their rugby league careers in 2017, forming the Sharks inaugural Tarsha Gale Cup team.
The halfback wrote her name into the record books when she scored Cronulla's first try in the junior competition. She is one of three players in Sunday's grand final side who were members of the inaugural squad, alongside Talei Holmes and Quincy Dodd.
Sims and Ferguson worked closely with the Tarsha Gale Cup team in 2017, helping mentor the next generation of players.
Ferguson's relationship with Preston even extended beyond the football field to the classroom at nearby Woolooware High School.
"She was my school teacher so it was cool to be able to come to training after school and train with her," Preston said. "She played in the halves and I just looked up to her and admired everything she did in the game.
"She always tried to instil that belief and confidence in me and I know how important those words were to me. Then Ruan, before my first exhibition game with the senior girls she wrote me a hand-written letter to say how proud she was of me.
"To see how much hard work they did for the game, we wouldn't be here and have the amazing opportunities we do without those two. Hopefully we can repay them for all the hard work they did for us and we can lift the trophy on Sunday."
Ruan and Rugby League
Sims was forced to depart the Sharks in 2018 and played two seasons for the Roosters in the NRLW before hanging up her boots and transitioning to a post-football career in media.
Cronulla, however, has always remained close to her heart and she returned to the side as an assistant coach for their inaugural campaign last year.
Under Sims' tutelage, Ellie Johnston has become one of the best young props in the game, while the Sharks forward pack set the tone for the side all season.
NRLW players to watch in 2024: Ellie Johnston
"She's such a big role model for our middles," Preston said. "When Ruan speaks everyone listens. She has that big aura about her within the team and so many girls have respect for her and what she did for the game.
"It's been instrumental for us to have her here. She's been through it all, been in grand finals and big moments so to have someone with that calibre and experience around us is amazing."
The Sharks have shocked plenty of observers with their run to Sunday's grand final, the side winning their first six games of the season to surge into the finals and shocking the Broncos in Brisbane in last week's semi-final.
The decider, however, poses another test with the Roosters running away with a comprehensive 40-0 victory when the two sides played in Round 7.
While a premiership in just their second NRLW season would mark a rapid rise, it would not be unprecedented for the Sharks' women's program.
Cronulla took out the 2018 Tarsha Gale Cup in dominant fashion in their second year in the competition. Led by Holmes and Dodd, the Sharks were undefeated throughout the regular season before defeating Newcastle 36-22 in the decider.
A number of familiar faces turned out for the Knights on that occasion, with current Roosters Olivia Kernick and Jasmine Strange featuring in the loss.
Holmes is excited for her career to come full circle on Sunday afternoon and hopes to share more premiership success with her childhood friends.
"Having Quincy and Tayla playing beside me in a grand final makes it 10 times more special," Holmes told pan66.com.
"It's crazy thinking back to 2018 now. I remember small moments in that game but we were so young and we've learnt a lot since then. It's very exciting to use them going into this week."
Dodd dominates!
Sunday's grand final against the Roosters will mark the end of an era for the Sharks, with Preston joining the Bulldogs for their first season in the NRLW next year.
It was a difficult decision to make, but one that has fuelled her throughout her final campaign with Cronulla.
Now, Preston only has one more thing to do before she says goodbye.
"Last night I was dreaming about [winning the grand final]," Preston said. "You can't play the game before it's been played but it would be something I'm forever grateful for and blessed to be part of this special group.
"After Sunday this group won't ever be together again. We've worked so hard and we've had so much belief in each other. We've had some injuries and setbacks and we're doing it for those girls who couldn't be out there with us this year.
"It's going to be a massive moment and I would love nothing more than to be able to lift the trophy and say I have done it. It would be a full-circle moment to go out on a high and prove to everyone we're a force to be reckoned with."
