Summary
So a deserved result for a Broncos squad that’s looked a cut above throughout the 2018 NRLW season. They finish undefeated, and thereby set the benchmark for the competition in 2019.
It was in the balance early on, and the Roosters threatened to rattle their more-fancied opponents but a few crucial early errors cost them dearly, as the Broncos took every half-chance they had before them.
It was discussed as a battle down the guts vs out wide, and in fairness, the Roosters never really brought their speedsters into the game, with the Broncos forwards dominant both in attack and defence down the middle.
Brigginshaw marshalled her troops with aplomb, and Nati showed guile and trickery to end up with two tries, as well as a penalty try.
An excellent display of the power, skill and determination inside the women’s game. A terrific prelude that suggests there’s plenty more to come from the Women’s Premiership.
Ali Brigginshaw gives the speech on behalf of the Broncos. She thanks the Roosters, the sponsors, her teammates, and “the girls who played before us, who we wouldn’t be here today without”.
She lifts the trophy aloft – it’s massive – and then carries it to her teammates, here comes the team song, and the massive smiles.
Brisbane Broncos are the inaugural Women’s Premiership champions!
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Lovely moment with each Broncos player receiving their medal from a young player from the Mt Druitt U11s. And aren’t they just beaming to be involved. Terrific touch from the organisers. They’re buzzing, these kids, and why not.
A gracious concession speech from Ruan Sims from the Roosters. The prop admits execution let the Chooks down.
She thanks the crowd, and the sponsors, and backs the women’s game to expand next season.
And your inaugural Karyn Murphy medallist is...
Kimiora Nati!
Congratulations to the Broncos five-eighth, but you could imagine any number of women out there who deserved that one.
A humble acceptance speech, and her teammates whoop in appreciation.
Full-time: Broncos 34-12 Roosters
There goes the siren, and there go the cheers! They run to huddle together, the Broncos, you can see the delight on the faces!
Roosters slump to the pitch, but their teammates run to lift their comrades.
But it’s Brisbane’s day – the inaugural Women’s Premiership champions!
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58 min: Feterika on the bench starting to beam a massive smile; they can’t wait for the final whistle, the Brisbane sideline squad.
Strong from Taufa. Can she drive her chargers over for one last try?
Walton with a massive bash and carry as well, now it’s Stowers on the angle – but the Broncos hold on. Great rugby all round!
56 min: Roosters with the ball; but they’re lacking direction from the halves. Some of the runners getting in each others’ way; you can see the difference of Brigginshaw and Nati steering the ship out there.
What a job Brigginshaw has done today – will we see the Broncos captain as the first ever recipient of the Karyn Murphy Medal?
54 min: Ruan Sims with a bit of a blowup there; you can’t understate the spirit of these women – so many competitors out there, nobody is taking this lying down.
No niggle or nasty stuff though – she holds her hand up in way of apology and we’re back to the footy. Great attitudes, from all.
52 min: Big tackle Ballinger! They’ve rotated their front row so well today, the Broncos. Between her, Arakua, Peters, Lenarduzzi etc, they always seem to have a big fresh body working hard down the centre.
Isabelle Kelly with a good carry. We haven’t seen much of her today, but she intercepts the kick well.
50 min: Strong metres here from the Broncos, but some stoic defence from the Chooks. What courage – there must be some tired bodies out there, but they’re digging deep, especially with Brigginshaw looking to spark the kill.
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48 min: Great offload from Lenarduzzi, who stands strong in the tackle, and Breayley finds space from broken play. Brigginshaw runs a channel, and they’re almost through again, the Broncos – but the final pass doesn’t go to hand!
Roosters take the six, before Temara kicks for metres.
Try! Broncos 34-12 Roosters (Nati)
46 min: Too good from Nati, once again! The Warriors will be gutted to have missed her signature this season, as the Kiwi international is well and truly showing her worth today. The show and go, and the dummy gives her just enough space to free the hands over the line.
Baker with a terrific conversion, and the tannoy pumps up some Sean Paul! That, Ladies and Gentlemen, is almost certainly the ball game!
44 min: Instant response, Broncos!
The Roosters bring it back, but the tryscorer O’Mealey is met by a wall of defence. She’s bundled into the turf, and the five-eighth stays down, she’s suffered a heavy head knock as her head hits the ground.
Turnover, and here come Brisbane, with the chance of a breather, and to attack from 30m out.
Try! Broncos 28-12 Roosters (O'Mealey)
42 min: They’re 10m out from the line, the Roosters, and Walton’s had at least three hit ups just in this set! Taking matters into her own hands, Eli Walton!
Much better stuff from the Roosters, and they switch inside and O’Mealey sees a half-gap and pins the ears! Under the posts, great try.
Temara with the extras from the boot; another one here, and we could be back in action!
40 min: Close! A great chase from the Broncos on one of their high balls, but the chaser can’t quite regather the ball, and it’s adjudged to have gone forward.
Big run now for Walton! Great effort, she busts one or two tackles, before the umpires call held as three would-be tacklers fail to bring her to ground!
And a great reward, a line dropout as the Broncos are caught in-goal.
38 min: Another huge run from Arakua! Gee whiz, she’s up for this today. Don’t reckon Paul Dyer will ever leave her on the bench again, after this impact.
The Chooks defuse the tricky kick, and are forced to bring out from about 10m out.
36 min: This is better, as the Roosters look to get their outside speedsters involved! The Broncos backline shifts well though, and Parker just ran out of turf down the sideline. She’s forced back inside and Brisbane happy to see them halted on the sixth tackle.
34 min: Ouch. Feterika is in trouble with that knee again; what a warrior though as she looks to battle on.
Penalty to the Chooks, with Gould pinged for offside. What can they make of this.
32 min: They’re showing more intent, the Chooks, but Sims is met with an absolute bone-shudderer from the defensive line.
A good offensive kick puts Baker in trouble on her own line, but she jigs well to evade the chase. The pressure is release as Foliaki is put on report for a lift in the tackle, and the Broncos gratefully accept the penalty.
Second half!
And we’re back underway! The Roosters with some strong carries first up, with decent metres despite strong contact in the tackle. Temara with a booming kick, but Robinson brings it back like a greyhound.
Bad news for the Roosters, with four-try hero from last round, Taleena Simons, on the bench with the ankle strapped. That could be her day!
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Your assessment of that first thirty?
Broncos supporters will be as happy as kittens at milk after that showing.
But Roosters fans – how to turn this one around? Anyone looming as a potential X-factor?
Half-time: Broncos 28-6 Roosters
Ouch. There was plenty of talk about the Roosters being able to draw on their international and big-name experience, as well as momentum from their thumping of the Dragons to find an extra gear today – but it’s been very much one-way traffic during the opening stanza.
Plenty to mull over in the sheds, as the Broncos take a near-insurmountable lead at the break.
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Try! Broncos 28-6 Roosters (Gould)
28 min: Wowee! Forget Billy Slater, how’s this from a fullback’s try! Chelsea Baker with the angled run, and she’s scythed through the defensive line, but then finds both the power, speed and composure to pick out the inside runner for the offload. Good hands by Gould, who speeds for the corner.
Surely she can’t slot this one, Baker? And finally a miss – from the sideline but it slice right.
27 min: Good defence on Ward, and then Hancock who’s made some punishing metres up the guts. Brigginshaw goes to the air with the bomb, and Brown shows great courage and hands to defuse that one.
Arakua now just wrecking humans in defence as well. What an impact she’s having!
Good metres on the kick by Temara, but it’s the Broncos in possession once again.
Try! Broncos 24-6 Roosters (Arakua)
24 min: They put the nose to the grindstone and put in some terrific defence; but on tackle five, the referees pin Sydney for offside!
Brisbane now with six shots at the line, from less than 10m out.
And after a few moves, it’s Arakua – off the bench and into the history books – who crashes over! Brilliant defensive positioning to stop the runner, but just too big, too strong, and this could be wrapped inside a half!
Nearly the sideline and Baker’s put that one over the black dot. Terrific kick, and they’re twisting the knife, the Broncos.
22 min: Okay, we’re back underway. Deary me. Are they feeling the pressure, the Roosters? On tackle one, another handling error! This could be curtains if the Broncos go in here, especially with a morale-sapping last few minutes before half-time.
Big defensive six needed.
20 min: They’re full of pep all of a sudden here, the Broncos, who make great metres from the restart. The pink-haired Baker joins the line and puts it on the chest of Pilley who pins the ears back. Huge covering defence – you could hear that impact from Mars – and they’ve done enough, the Roosters!
Now a moment’s concern with one of the Chooks receiving medical attention. It’s Stowers, who was pinned under a few bodies.
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Penalty try! Broncos 18-6 Roosters
19 min: Yes, is the verdict! Inch perfect from Brigginshaw, the Roosters looked like they had the defenders to clear the danger, but it was Nati stealthing through as the ball held up in-goal.
Baker 3/3, as she continues her reputation as a game-winner with the boot.
18 min: Another excellent delayed pass from Brigginshaw, as she looks to put Pilley through a whole, and the “female GI” almost makes the bust.
Now Brigginshaw rolls the grubber in-goal, another big talking point here, as Simon comes over and attacks the ball with her foot, connecting instead with the arm of Nati, who looks to ground; is that an illegal act?
The video ref is taking a long, hard look – could this be a penalty try?!
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16 min: Brigginshaw with another probing kick to the corner, which forces the Roosters to carry out from inside their 10m. Kelly with a decent run, before Temara looks for distance on the returning kick.
Try! Broncos 12-6 Roosters (Ballinger)
13 min: Yes, very good. Absolutely no stopping the veteran from that range. She’s burst the Roosters line from inside 10, and the legs go like pistons with defenders carried over like a sherpa takes care of backpacks.
No mistake from Chelsea Baker with the kick. Could this be a pivotal passage of the final?
12 min: Walton brings it out from the restart, good response after her earlier fumble. But they’ve been their own worst enemies again, as Sims throws a bit of a wobbler to Taufa and the skipper grasses the pass.
Broncos now with six, starting 40m out. Decisive six here.
Try! Broncos 6-6 Roosters (Gray)
10 min: Sims with a good bust to set up the attack, and then a clever across-field kick from Temara troubles the Broncos, who can’t claim cleanly.
On-field refs say no try for a knock on (each way), but replays show it’s come off the noggin of Simon! A falcon try-assist! But good work from Gray, who reacts quickest to ground.
Tough kick from about three-quarters towards the sideline, but she hooks it wide, does Temara. We’re back level!
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8 min: Broncos chase line working hard to prevent the Roosters from bringing it out easily from their tryline. Brown with a good scurry, but the pressure’s lifted with Brisbane pinged for hanging on too long in the tackle.
And another penalty to the Roosters, who take a second tap on their own 40m line.
Try! Broncos 6-2 Roosters (Nati)
My, my. An early talking point – Nati’s shown great strength to get there, but uuuge question marks over whether she’s successfully grounded that!
The video review took plenty of looks at it, but with “try” the on-field decision, the TV men couldn’t find sufficient evidence to chalk it out. A tough one on Chooks supporters, perhaps.
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6 min: Ooph. A mistake from the restart, some nerves for Walton who puts it down cold.
Now it’s the Broncos with their first chance to attack with gusto.
They swing right, Brisbane, and it’s Nati with a terrific scurry. She gets through the line, with Temara in close attention; she crosses the line, but has she got it down, or has the Roosters’ No 7 done enough defensively?
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Penalty! Broncos 0-2 Roosters
4 min: A second penalty to the Chooks, who opt for the two. Was that the right decision? They had some early momentum and were a good shot at breaching the line.
No mistake from Temara with the boot, so they open the scoring.
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2 min: An early scare as Kelly receives some treatment, she’s looking a bit gingerly on one of the ankles, we’ll keep you posted on that.
And a penalty to the Roosters, with a player being taken without the ball. Good field position now – what can they make from this?
Kick off!
Roosters with the kick, and it’s Ballinger who takes the first hit up.
A steady six from the Broncos first up, it ends with a high ball, and Brown deals well on her own line. The Roosters bring it out from around their 25m mark.
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And our squads are out on the pitch – Taufa leads out the Roosters, Brigginshaw the Broncos.
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We’re about five minutes away from the first whistle at Homebush.
Both squads are going through some last minute warm ups and handling drills. You’d imagine nerves will be high, despite the relative international experience scattered throughout these two squads.
Apart from a place in the history books as the inaugural winners, there’s also some pretty fancy bling on offer today:
#NRLWGF Premiership rings! 💍😍#NRLW pic.twitter.com/KvgL01SYO3
— Women's Rugby League (@WRugbyLeague) September 28, 2018
And the best on ground will be awarded the Karyn Murphy Medal – more on the legendary Jillaroo, here.
But, without further ado, some team news:
Broncos:
(1-13) Baker, Robinson, Ward, Pilley, Kuk, Nati, Brigginshaw, Ballinger, Breayley, Hancock, Fotu-Moala, Feterika, Peters
Bench:
Gould, Lenarduzzi, Storch, Arakua (Harden, Te Kawa)
Roosters:
(1-13) Brown, Parker, Stowers, Kelly, Simon, O’Mealey, Temara, Sims, Maynard, Walton, Gray, Foliaki, Taufa
Bench: Hilder, Togatuki, Latu, Kennedy (Caldwell, Studdon)
For Brisbane, Kody House is unfortunate to miss out with the return from injury of Meg Ward, but otherwise it’s a more-or-less expected lineup. Feterika does well to recover from what looked a nasty knee injury against the Warriors.
For Sydney, Zahara Temara at No 7 ahead of Maddie Studdon is the big selection following her star turn against the Dragons.
As always, we’d love to hear from you in our coverage today of this historic match – were you across the NRLW from the ground floor? At the first training or jersey pressings? Share with your fellow readers your best tales, insights, predictions and groundless gut feelings, via email or twitter @rrjparkin.
Preamble
And finally the day has come! It’s the inaugural Women’s Premiership grand final, and for those that perhaps thought this day might never come, that in and of itself is a pretty big deal.
It’s the battle between the presumptive favourites, the Roosters, and the actual favourites, the Broncos. The pre-season talk was all about the Sydney side, but across the short competition, it’s been the Queenslanders, steered round the park by Ali Brigginshaw and Dally M player of the year, Brittany Breayley, that have garnered the plaudits. They’re the undefeated side, and boast a win against the Chooks in 2018 already; but in fairness, it was the Roosters that pushed the Broncos harder than anyone else this year.
And coming off an emphatic 26-0 demolition of the Dragons in the final round of the regular season, who would argue against Sydney offering a stiffer challenge this time round?
A four-try blitz from Taleena Simon in that match will have caught the attention of the Broncos backroom staff, and it might be an interesting battle of up the guts vs down the wings. Not that Brisbane are bad out wide, as the stellar season of netball-convert Julia Robinson shows, so expect some terrific match ups all across the park.
If you haven’t read it yet, cast your eye over Mary Konstantopoulos’ match preview:
Otherwise, get the kettle on and the snacks prepared, because we’re underway very shortly.
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