The family heartbreak driving young Shark's finals bid
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Cronulla young gun Riley Jones has opened up on his emotional journey to the NRL as he looks to honour his late father's legacy in Saturday's sudden-death final.
The centre will play just his second match for the Sharks when they take on North Queensland in an elimination final at Allianz Stadium.
Jones' dad Shane lost his battle with leukaemia in 2021, with the youngster using that pain as motivation on a rugby league journey that saw him play a solitary game for the Knights in 2023 while living with Kalyn Ponga before a fresh opportunity emerged with the Sharks last year.
Riley Jones Try
Having ended a 1099-day wait to make his second NRL appearance last weekend, the 24-year-old knows his father will be looking down with a smile when he runs on to Allianz Stadium on Saturday night.
"I feel safe out there and confident knowing that he's watching," Jones told NRL.com. "I wish he could be here but I know he's watching.
"My family's been amazing since he died. Mum has been great and I've got an amazing partner so that helps make a situation like this a lot easier.
"My brother wants to do something to help raise awareness for leukaemia so he's shaved his head which is pretty special to see. He presented my Sharks jersey last week. He's pretty shy so for him to step out of his comfort zone and do that was special."
Match: Sharks v Cowboys
Finals Week 1 -
home Team
Sharks
5th Position
away Team
Cowboys
8th Position
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
A Central Coast product, Jones was coached by his father throughout his junior playing days before eventually joining the Newcastle system.
Shane was a highly regarded coach in the region and played a role in the development of fellow NRL players Harry Hayes and Oryn Keeley.
Jones was playing SG Ball for the Knights in 2021 when his father died and he's carried the lessons learnt from his dad throughout his career.
"It was a difficult time," Jones said of his dad's passing. "It was covid so we couldn't see him a whole lot, which was the hardest bit. It's hard to talk about, it's not a nice situation but I'm fortunate to have all the years leading up to it with him.
"I learnt a lot off him growing up. He coached me all the way through juniors, there's a couple of other boys who played under him so it's cool to see those boys' journeys come to life and know dad had a little bit of an impact on their journey."
Jones lived with Ponga during his time at Newcastle, the pair striking a close bond over their shared interests in fashion and golf.
A golf clothing range is currently in the works and they are looking to release the line over the summer once the rugby league season ends.
Kalyn Ponga Try
While Jones played hooker during his time at the Knights before making the switch to centre last year, he credits Ponga for providing an insight into what it takes to be an NRL player.
"Looking back I was so fortunate to live with him and learn off him," Jones said. "I was playing hooker so it was a different position but I learnt how he prepares for a game, how he can switch off when he needs to but then lock in when he needs to.
"He's one of my best mates now and we both love golf and fashion so we're going to try and combine the two to see where it takes us. We're focusing on footy at the moment but the clothing line is in the works and in the off-season we'll have a bit more time to make it come to life."
Jones impressed in his Sharks debut last weekend, scoring a try in a four-point loss to Melbourne.
The 24-year-old has been rewarded for his commitment over the past 18 months with a contract extension for the 2027 season.
A rib injury to Mawene Hiroti saw Jones retain his place in the team for Saturday's sudden-death showdown, where he will line up opposite North Queensland young gun Jaxon Purdue.
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While it's a tough spot to be thrown into, Jones has faced bigger hurdles throughout his career and his teammates are confident he will deliver on the big stage.
"He's a great person off the field and to see him take his opportunity with both hands and play so well is all you want from players in your club," captain Blayke Brailey said.
"Fitzy always talks about wanting good players but better men and Riley epitomises that in every sense. He'll do a great job for our side on Saturday."
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