![Jada Taylor celebrates her first try in Sharks colours on Saturday against the Wests Tigers. Picture by Cronulla Sharks. Jada Taylor celebrates her first try in Sharks colours on Saturday against the Wests Tigers. Picture by Cronulla Sharks.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ijfQKXbsEKgSKGW5xB5NiF/054254ef-1e75-4d49-af86-36c0dfce3ecd.jpg/r0_1062_3000_2970_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Earlier this year, when Jada Taylor was tossing up whether or not to sign an NRLW contract with the Cronulla Sharks, she could barely sleep.
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But on Saturday, any lingering doubts in the 19-year-old's mind were permanently dispelled when she had her first run in Sharks colours, and scored two tries in the club's 22-0 trial win over Wests Tigers.
"I haven't really felt happier playing football," Taylor said.
"That environment probably made me perform well. I love the team and love the people that are around me, so I just wanted to play well."
The Tamworth product knows Cronulla has taken a punt in giving her the number one jersey, a show of faith for which she was grateful.
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In return, Taylor hopes she can pay off the club's trust by producing more of the performances that rocketed her into the national eye last year.
"I say this word so much, but I'm honestly grateful to the club for every time I get to take to the field," she said.
"I think it's probably a big risk, taking on someone so young in such an important position. But them having faith in me makes me want to give it back to them and play some good footy."
The young fullback's first try of the game was a 50-metre effort after a line break - the sort of thing for which she is becoming notorious.
However, as Taylor steps up to the NRLW level, she knows those will get harder to come by as teams do more research and recognise the threat she presents with her pace and agility.
"No matter how many times it happens, it's always harder and harder," she said.
"It's starting to feel like it happens less and less. I think that's what happens when you play quality opposition, you've got to relish every opportunity you get to have one of those long-range ones."
But she's not worried. If Taylor learned anything on Saturday, it's that the Sharks "absolutely killed" the combinations they had worked on in training, and there will be ample scoring opportunities for her this year.
"There's so much talent across the park, so it makes my job easier when I'm playing with really talented people," she said.
The Sharks will get their maiden NRLW campaign underway on July 22 against the Canberra Raiders in Sydney.
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