Hills teach Central Coast lesson in Schoolgirls master class
Author : Jason Hosken and Amanda Lulham Newscorp Sport
Hills teach Central Coast lesson in Schoolgirls master class
The rising Schoolgirls powerhouse has now won back to back titles in NSW – next on the agenda will be a first-ever national success when they head to Queensland in two weeks.
Replay: Central Coast Sports College v Hills SHS – NRL Schoolgirls Cup…
Hills Sports High are NSW Schoolgirls champions after downing Central Coast Sports College 18-0 in a one-sided grand final at Campbelltown Stadium.
Having fallen to Central Coast in the preliminary rounds, the girls from Sydney’s west came out breathing fire and cruised to back-to-back titles following a dominant first half that included three unanswered tries.
“It was tough coming in knowing that we’d lost to them before,” said Hills coach Patricia Raikadroka.
“We made tactical changes and we had players returning from injury. Those key players lifted the team’s confidence, and Aliahana (Fuimaono) picked up the player of the match.”
Central Coast found breaking the Hills defence a tough assignment.
Ella Knowles runs the ball back in the Schoolgirl Cup Final (Photo – Steve Montgomery)
Looking ahead, Hills are likely to start favourites next season as they chase a third consecutive title.
“A lot of our girls are either in year 11, and some are still in year 10.”
In unfortunate scenes, the game was called seven minutes early after Central Coast’s Bronte Ryan received treatment following a heavy knock.
At the time of reporting, as a precaution, the backrower was mobilised to hospital in the back of an ambulance.
Earlier, punishing backrower Aliahana Fuimaono, who was player of the match, burrowed across to put Hills ahead in the second minute, and the points kept flowing in a first half that finished 14-0.
Restricted by strangling defence, Central Coast rarely crossed halfway and they had little answer to the bullocking efforts of Hills rep stars Ella Walker and Mya Muller.
Walker proved unstoppable early, the Australian Schoolgirls prop continually put her side on the front foot and paved the way for centre Naioka Tuipulotu to cross out wide in the 10th minute.
Rising Harvey Norman Premiership centre Danielle Seckold added another before the break.
And any hope of a Central Coast comeback was immediately dashed on the resumption when Fuimaono dashed down the left edge for her second four pointer of the day.
Trailing by 18, Central rallied in the stifling conditions and began to dominate field position with 10 minutes to play.
Halves Mahlie Cashin and Madison Massey sparked several attacking raids, but Hills had all the answers, scrambling on numerous occasions to shut down promising plays.
With the state trophy in the cabinet, Hills have booked a trip to the Gold Coast next month where they will meet Queensland’s best in a battle to be crowned national champions.
PREVIEW
Hills Sports High aspires to become the pre-eminent nursery for girls rugby league talent in NSW.
Likely standing in their way to achieve that honour is their opponent in Wednesday’s NRL Schoolgirls Southern Division grand final – Central Coast Sports College.
Catch the action from the big game LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV from 11am at Campbelltown Stadium. Check the full week-long Schoolboys/Girls LIVE STREAM schedule from around the country below.
WATCH THE NRL SCHOOLS LEAGUE FINALS LIVE
NSW STATE FINALS
Wednesday, August 28
Campbelltown Stadium
11am: NRL Schoolgirls Cup NSW
Hills Sports High v Central Coast Sports College
WATCH THE REPLAY
12.30pm: Peter Mulholland Cup final
Patrician Brothers Blacktown v Endeavour Sports High
WATCH THE REPLAY
QUEENSLAND STATE FINALS
Thursday, August 29
Sunshine Coast Stadium
10.30am: NRL Schoolgirls Cup QLD final
Ipswich State High v The Cathedral College
WATCH THE REPLAY
12pm: Phil Hall Cup final
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS v Kirwan State High
WATCH THE REPLAY
This match-up is much anticipated, especially with the standard of the women’s game lifting significantly in the wake of the NRLW’s growing popularity and recent expansion.
Hills Sports coach Patricia Raikadroka, whose playing experience included running out for the Australian Prime Ministers XIII and Fiji, said is a key for her young team this season has been the school supporting both rugby league and rugby sevens.
“The skills really complement each other,” she said
Hills second rower Aliahana Fuimaono on the charge. Pic: Steve Montgomery
“We have a pool of athletes that like both and it works well for us. They are taking on opportunities, that are helping them.
“The two sports are quite different, the patterns and how they use their bodies is quite different.
“I know other programs separate, but we work well with the coaches to make sure the players get everything they need and it’s good for the girls.”
The rugby league program at Hills only started 12 months ago and has been an instant hit.
“Our numbers in a year from girls applying have almost tripled,“ Raikadroka said.
“Our senior squad last year was 20 odd and the juniors were about the same.
“We’ve had close to 100 applications to come to the school, we are trying to set ourselves up as a real nursery.
“We are shaping up to be the place to be for women players to come.
“We want them to be good people, the best rugby league or rugby sevens athletes here we can, and we want people that contribute to the culture of the team as well.”
Hills proved too strong for Erindale in last year’s decider.
2023 Schoolgirl Cup Champions The Hills SHS (Photo – Steve Montgomery)
Central Coast has the same ambitions for young football talent north of Sydney.
“It’s only our second year in the competition. Last year we struggled to even put points on the board,“ said coach Paul Franz.
“Now we are a year older, a new school in the rugby league world and girls want to come here.
“They don’t need to leave the coast to play rugby league.”
Hills Sports High made their way into the grand final with a 16-4 victory over Westfields Sports, while Central Coast booked their spot with a 24-10 win over Bass High.
In the pool phase, Hills posted a 42-10 victory over Bass High but were downed 24-10 by Central Coast in late June.
Central Coast also defeated Bass High 24-4 in another pool game.
TEAM LISTS
Hills Sports High
1. Anastasia Leatupue, 2. Esther Tuipulotu, 3. Naioka Tuipulotu, 4. Danielle Seckold, 5. Anita Ropati, 6. Manu’a Moleka, 7. Olivia Va’alele, 8. Ella Walker, 9. Aaliyah Soufan, 10. Shire Thocolich, 11. Aliahana Fuimaono, 12. Kaylee Andrews, 13. Mya Muller, 14. Lyric Salafai, 15. Adriana Tuara, 16. Matoisha Kalepo , 21. Lily-Ann Abboud, 20. Tavina Pritchard
Central Coast Sports College
1. Ella Knowles, 2. Indie Rosen, 3. Grace Dabin, 4. Emily Carlisle, 5. Maia Madden Khan, 6. Mahlie Cashin, 7. Madison Massey, 8. Ellie Brander, 9. Olivia Saley, 10. Emilie Rose Hall, 11. Bronte Ryan, 12. Millie Parker, 13. McKenzie Hammond, 14. Hiva Mahe, 15. Grace Mahe, 16. Ruby Anderson, 17. Summer Pollard, 18. Kaela Ida
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Schoolgirl Cup – The Hills SHS vs Central Coast Sports
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