LeagueNews.co | Robbie Hamilton
In a tense battle at Belmore Sports Ground on Friday night, the Sharks managed to snatch a hard-fought 12-6 win over the new-look Bulldogs.
It wasn't an easy victory for Craig Fitzgibbon's men, as the scores remained deadlocked at 6-6 for the entirety of the second half.
However, it was Sharks youngster Chris Vea'ila who became the hero of the night when he crossed for the match-winning try.
Both teams will be relieved to have the chance to brush off the rust and fine-tune their combinations before Round 1, especially considering the Bulldogs' tally of 17 errors and the Sharks' 14.
The game got off to an exciting start, with Cronulla's Teig Wilton finding a gap and scoring in the 14th minute to take a 6-0 lead.
The Bulldogs fought back, with Josh Addo-Carr making a break and setting up new recruit Bronson Xerri for what looked like a try, only to be denied by a fantastic defensive effort from Briton Nikora.
However, the Sharks' luck took a turn, as Nikora was sent to the sin bin for a leg pull, and the Bulldogs took full advantage of the extra man, scoring through Jacob Preston.
Matt Burton converted, bringing the scores level at 6-6 going into halftime.