Author : NSWRL Media Release

Country Women take early bragging rights against City

NSW Country Women after the win over NSW City women (Photo : NSWRL)

A Kirra Dibb Player-of-the-Match performance helped NSW Country go back-to-back with an 18-12 win over NSW City at Kogarah’s Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Thursday night.

Dibb’s fingerprints were all over the match. She had two try assists, didn’t miss a shot at goal, and her positional kicks meant her game-management was second to none.

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“Our halves in Kirra and Jocelyn (Kelleher) got us really nice movement throughout the game and the forwards just ripped in putting their heads where some people wouldn’t put their feet,” said Country coach Ruan Sims.

Sims was at Country’s helm in the upset 14-6 win over City in 2022. Tonight’s result showed that win was no fluke.

“Yes we had three tries scored on us in that first half but it wasn’t an insurmountable lead,” she said.

“We needed to show some real grit, determination and willingness to work hard. And we did that to claw our way back.”

It was 12-6 in City’s favour at half-time after they took a 12-0 lead after just 11 minutes.

City’s first try in the second minute came via a routine right-edge movement, which winger Cassie Staples finished off.

Five minutes later halfback Tayla Preston caught the Country defence napping and scored easily, before back rower Monalisa Soliola out on the left edge punched through for City’s third.

Preston didn’t have much luck with three missed conversions, but at 12-0 it seemed City was going to run away with the match.

The turning point came when Country winger Teagan Berry scored a 95m intercept try, which Dibb converted.

Sky Blues captain Kezie Apps came off Country’s bench after that four-pointer and her presence made a difference.

“That was the message I sent down after Teagan’s try – we need to latch onto this because that’s the shot in the arm we needed to get back into the game,” Sims said.

“Kezie’s voice and leadership and some of those hits helped us turn the tables.”

Even City coach Kate Mullaly felt Berry’s long-range try was the turning point.

“It was literally that momentum swing they needed and they rolled with it,” Mullaly said.

“We tried to get things back in our favour for the rest of the game. I’m so proud of the girls as they never stopped trying.

“We scored the equal amount of tries to them – our kicks just weren’t there. But the City girls are a young bunch and they will learn from this.”

Dibb’s kicking game kept turning the City defenders around and at half-time it was anyone’s game.

Dibb was in the thick of things early in the second half, getting her arms free for an offload to prop Ellie Johnston and then converting the four-pointer to draw scores level 12-12 after 42 minutes.

Another try assist for Dibb – a corner kick for Berry to grab her second – put Country in the lead (18-12) for the first time after 53 minutes.

Then the arm wrestle really began with City hooker Quincy Dodd and her backrowers in Soliola, Shaylee Bent and Brooke Anderson working hard to get their teammates on the front foot.

But props Viena Tinao, Ellie Johnston and Tayla Predebon were immense for Country, as was young fullback Jada Taylor who took some brave takes on her own goal-line by smothering the ball.

Country Women 18

TRIES : Teagan Berry 2. Ellie Johnston
GOALS : Kirra Dibb 3

City Women

TRIES : Monalisa Soliola. Tayla Preston, Cassie Staples
GOALS :

Other Games

The CABE Under 16s, Under 18s, Men’s Open Age and NSW Wheelchair Rugby League will all be played on Saturday 6 May. The first three matches will be held at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium while the wheelchair match will be played at Queanbeyan PCYC.

On Sunday 7 May matches will be held for CABE Physical Disability Rugby League, and the Harvey Norman Under 17s Women’s and Under 19s Women’s at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.

The Under 16s Country team is made up of players from the SLE Andrew Johns Cup and the City team from the UNE Harold Matthews Cup, while the Under 18s Country team is from the SLE Laurie Daley Cup and the City team the UNE SG Ball Cup.

The Under 17s Country and City Women’s teams consist of players from the Lisa Fiaola Cup while the Under 19s Women’s Country and City teams are made up of players from the Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup.

The Men’s Open Age Country team is made up of players from the Men’s Country Championships, the City team from the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup.

All matches will be live streamed on NSWRL TV on the NSWRL Facebook page. Entry is $5 at the gate, while pensioners and children aged 12 and under are free.

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The post Country Women take early bragging rights appeared first on OurFootyTeam.

Author : Sharks Media

Sharks HNWP Team List Round 1

Under the guidance of newly appointed coach Ruan Sims, the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership Sharks face a tough first up assignment when they take on the Wests Tigers in a Grand Final rematch.

Beaten in a thrilling overtime Grand Final in 2022, the Sharks will be keen to make a round one statement in the match to be played at Campbelltown Sports Ground this weekend.

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See below match details and the Sharks team list.

The Tarsha Gale Sharks have a round one bye.

Cronulla Sharks HNWP team after their successful trial v Bulldogs 2 weeks ago (Photo : Steve Montgomery)

Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership – ROUND 1

Sharks v Wests Tigers
Saturday, February 4 Campbelltown Stadium, Kick-off – 11.30am

1 Cassie Staples
2 Brandii Davis-Welsh
3 Monique Donovan
4 Kiana Takairangi
5 Ella Barker
6 Zali Hopkins
7 Maddie Studdon
8 Sarah Boyle
9 Sienna Stewart
10 Natasha Penitani
11 Rhiannon Byers
12 Tayla Curtis
13 Ellie Johnston

Interchange

14 Felicity Powdrell
15 Jazmon Tupou-Witchman
16 Mackenzie Lear
17 Chloe Saunders
18 Stephanie Ball

Ruan Sims, the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership Sharks face a tough first up assignment when they take on the Wests Tigers in a Grand Final rematch (Photo : Steve Montgomery)

The post Sharks HNWP Teams Round 1 appeared first on OurFootyTeam.

Author : Margie McDonald

Sims and Young take on new roles

Decorated Sky Blues players Ruan Sims and Rebecca Young are putting those years of playing experience into their new coaching careers in 2023.

Sims is no stranger to the clipboard and whistle. She coached the 2022 NSW Country Women’s team to a 14-6 win over City in May and then was assistant to Harvey Norman NSW Sky Blues coach Kylie Hilder in their 20-16 Origin win over Queensland in June.

In 2023 she will be head coach of the Cronulla Sharks in the NSWRL’s Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership, and assistant coach to the NRLW side making its debut this year in a 10-team competition.

Young, who like Sims is a former Jillaroo, is also stretching her Rugby League talent into the coaching sphere and has been named an assistant for the NRL Indigenous All Stars women’s team.

Young will work with head coach Ben Jeffries for the game in Rotorua on Saturday 11 February – the first time the annual men’s and women’s event against the Maori All Stars has been held in New Zealand.

For Sims, she is already enjoying the cross-pollination with True Blue Craig Fitzgibbon – the Sharks NRL head coach.

“Absolutely. I get a lot more out of if than he does, that’s for sure,” Sims told nswrl.com.au

“He’s been incredibly open and accommodating. From the get-go any training sessions or meetings I’d like to attend, Craig is happy for me to be there.

“It’s great for me to observe and learn off Craig, who in turn worked under Brad Fittler and Trent Robinson as part of their success in Origins and Grand Finals.

“He himself was a rookie NRL coach in 2022 and had such a good year (Sharks finished second on the ladder) so it’s too good an opportunity to pass up as he’s so receptive.”

Sims’ CV is equally impressive as a pioneer of the women’s game – a dual international who represented Australia in rugby union and Rugby League – and the first female player to sign a professional player contract in 2016.

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“There’s a real buzz about the Shire regarding the women’s program,” Sims said.

“It kicked off in Cronulla in 2016 and then the NRLW started in 2018. There was a fair bit of disappointment when the Sharks didn’t get a team into that first year,” she said.

“But now we have and the support locally has been absolutely massive. That’s been a driving force for the club.”

The chance to continue the improvement of the women’s game motivates Sims.

“I have always really enjoyed the feeling I got from helping players develop their skills and find even more enjoyment in the game,” she said.

“There’s always challenges and opportunities that come along and these (Sharks appointments) are ones I didn’t think I would get but I’m relishing definitely – it’s an exciting time, very exciting.”

Sims will be a busy woman alongside her work with ABC Grandstand and the Nine Network’s programs and NRL coverage. That’s on top of her regular job with the NSW Fire Brigade.

“There’s an Excel spread sheet that keeps my life running on track,” Sims joked.

“The thing is, that if you love what you do it doesn’t seem like work. I’m really fortunate that all the careers I do have, I really enjoy them.”

Sims was recognised with the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to Rugby League in 2021.

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Author : Alicia Newton NRLW Chief Reporter

Rubys stun NSW City to win under 19s title

The Queensland Rubys are the under 19s champions after beating NSW City 10-4 in the Harvey Norman National Championships final on Sunday.

In a tense contest, the Rubys led 6-0 at half-time courtesy of a try through five-eighth Ellie Williamson before the Queenslanders defended their way to victory against a fast-finishing NSW City side at Pizzey Park.

After three days of gruelling rugby league, the Rubys repelled three City raids in the second half which included a try-saving intercept from winger Helen Uitualagi.

Williamson finished as the Tahnee Norris medal winner for player of the tournament and is all but certain to represent Queensland in the under 19s State of Origin clash on June 23.

Match: NSW City v QLD Rubys

NSW City 4 – 10 QLD Rubies
Venue : Pizzey Park, Gold Coast

“It’s just been a great week spending time with all the girls and learning about each other and bonding,” Williamson told NRL.com.

“To be able to play Origin would be amazing, I hope I can make it. It would be an exciting opportunity.

“Hopefully I can play in it and then aim for an NRLW contract in the near future.

“That’s what I like about this tournament, to watch all the girls be able to show what they can do.”

Tahnee Norris with player of the under 19s tournament Ellie Williamson. ©Jason O’Brien/NRL Photos

Earlier, play was stopped for almost a half an hour due to a serious ankle injury to NSW City interchange player Sienna Williams, who was taken from the ground via ambulance.

A try to Williamson in the first half set up a six-point lead before a 20-metre cut-out pass from Chantay Ratu sent Tahlia Marshall over late to seal the result.

NSW City hit back through Rueben Cherrington with seconds left on the clock but the Rubys held their nerve with a last-second defensive play handing them the win.

NSW City NSW Country beat the Sapphires on day four. ©Jason O’Brien/NRL Photos

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Author : NRL.com

Squads released for 2022 Harvey Norman National Championships

The under 19s Queensland Sapphires and Western Australia’s opens team will be looking to defend their respective titles when the Harvey Norman National Championships begin on Thursday.

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The Sapphires, featuring players in line to represent the Maroons in the under 19s State of Origin clash on June 23, beat their fellow Queenslanders the Rubys in last year’s underage decider.

Western Australia defeated a gallant First Nations Gems outfit who return to the tournament for the second time.

The four-day event acts as a crucial pathway for the next crop of female talent to be picked up by NRLW clubs and higher representative honours in 2022.

National Championships Squads

Under 19s

Northern Territory:

Abigail Sekitoga, Holly Meeks, Nanise Vakacavu, Charlotte Elcoate, Janna Ransome, Siniva Sa’anga, Jonte Fitzgerald, Tiah Young, Tiana Storey, Tyla Kingdon, Ilisapeci Bari, Ellie Niki, Eve Genders, Fatima Issah Bandao, Tusiga Salei, Brooklyn Johnson, Rose-Maree Goninon, Charlize Simmonds, Caitlin Houlihan, Abigail Kate Hills.

Coach: Meg Clohesy.

NSW City:

Cassey Tohi-Hiku, Petesa Lio, Maddie Binding. Rosemarie Beckett, Zoe Cass, Luisa Yaranamua, Anneka Wilson, Folau Vaki, Rueben Cherrington, Ruby-Jean Kennard, Otesa Pule, Leilani Wilson, Iesha Duckett, Losana Lutu, Tyla Amiatu, Kalosipani Hopoate, Chloe Jackson, Sienna Williams, Tahleisha Maeva, Monalisa Soliola.

Coach: Kate Mullaly.

NSW Country:

Annabel McDonald, Charlize Lloyd-Phillips, Mia Middleton, Jordyn Preston, Alanna Dummett, Jada Taylor, Tayla Montgomery, Tiana Kore, Salma Nour, Mercydes Metcalf, Jules Kirkpatrick, Mackenzie Lear, Kayla Waldron, Sophie Clancy, Milly Lupo, Jemma Gallagher, Matilda Jones, Kayla Fleming, Ma’ata Alai Lokeni, Lily Rogan.

Coach: Alicia-Kate Hawke.

Queensland Rubys:

Rialey Baty-Karauria, Kaieisha Afoa, Helen Uitualagi, Atlanta Peters, Tahlia Marshall, Ellie Williamson, Chantay Kiria-Ratu, Dannii Perese, Lily-Rose Kolc, Felila Kia, Sunny Gerrard, Hannah Larsson, Emma Barnes, Fiona Jahnke, Georgina Tuita’alili, Jacinta Carter, Mackenzie Baty-Karauria, Tarleah Fisher-Pearson, Lavinia Kitai, Layne Northey.

Coach: Maia Tua-Davidson.

National Championships: Under 19s draw

Queensland Sapphires:

Traevonnah Fisher, Nekina Dingley, Makayla Everding, Kylie Janes, Luca Howarth, Olivia Cave, Emily Bella, Theo Mosby-Nona, Etuina Suavai, Lillian Yarrow, Montana Mook, Grace Giampino, Ataliah Love, Kayla Shepherd, Alenna Whipp, Libby Surha, Ashlea Nolan, Hannah Mountford, Remi Bishop, Jayde Herdegen.

Coach: Gavin Lloyd.

South Australia:

Grace Bridge, Audrey Holt, Hannah Polley, Jane Afeaki, Samantha Cooper, Zahn Anthony, Frances Afeaki, Ella Christie, Djkeera O’Brien, Sophie McClure, Victoria Johns, Ana Ikahihifo, Georgia Dimasi, Courtney Plowman, Ngaia Ngaraukura, Tashara Wilson, Rosina Tupua, Kalesi Natadra, Rebecca Williss, Te’Anu Karpani.

Coach: Maryanne Longstaff.

Victoria:

Phoenix Caroline Mahakitau-Daniel, Ameena Kanj, Chantelle Latu, Sillah Rumints, Tafai Lemauga, Jade Te Aute, Madison – Lee Kelly, Della Raymundo, Kirsty Matapa, Xrysian-Aroha Pakoti, Terisa Margaret Lemauga Nafatali, Dilyza Leugaimafa, Petalina Atoa, Harmony Vatau, Fahina Ofahengaue, Summah Mauafu Autalaga, Heavenly Kidwell, Iliseva Sovau, Aliena Faavae, Paris Lia’i.

Coach: Tim Auremi.

Western Australia: April Alan, Alkira Dane, Taneka Doney-Vati, Melodie Toby, Rachel Lowndes, Nicole Ledington, Anahera Te Rahui, Adalaide Faamausili-Fala, Samantha Wood, Debra Vini, Tylah Edwards, Aliyah Grey, Shainai Proctor, Aliyah Tanonef, Nakaia Erceg, Ana-Malia Lomano, Shiane Kani, Tehani Tairea, Lorena Araya-Aliivaa, Fine Tuimoala.

Coach: Daniel Manning.

The Northern Territory will feature in both the open’s and under 19s competitions. ©Nathan Hopkins/NRL Photos

Opens

Australian Defence Force:

Lauren Dam, Michelle Vocea, Emily Kapernick, Paris Sinclair, Samantha Mead, Cassidy Morley, Ebony Allsopp, Mardi Longford, Carla Humphries, Taylah Eastwood, Madeline Burton, Cayla Barlow, Kiara Hawkins, Kirsten Wilson, Eboni Fraser, Lauren Sallis, Amanda Thomas, Lowanna McDougall, Olivia Hebei, Justine Sou. Coach: Shane Bullock.

First Nations Gems:

Brandii Davis-Welsh, Baylee Davies, Tawana Sullivan-Togo, Shanti Kennedy, Brooke Saddler, Brodii Ingram, Rebecca Ford, Essay Banu, Oaklee Tighe, Lyrech Mara, Bree Chester, Ahlivia Ingram, Sareka Mooka, Bakoi Mosby, Madyson Tooth, Keegan Irelandes, Shaenice Allan, Jessica Howard, Vanique Malayta, Kiara Naicoko. Coach: Jessica Skinner.

Northern Territory:

Latoniya Norris, Ayesha Kay, Kelam Nona, Shayla Barba, Tanisha Garling, Calista Boyd, Kiyanah Toy, Cassiela Wapau, Mateeka Nielson, Bianca Scrymgour, Ivana Schober, Shari Togo, Rease Casey, Melody Wehipeihana, Kirsty Cooper, Kagui Gimini, Kirra Muggeridge, Latia Schefe, Jayda Lofipo, Jo De La Coeur. Coach: Leon Cleal.

National Championships: Opens draw

NSW Country:

Shannon Rose, Jorja Holden, Jessica Gentle, Caitlin Shoulders, Christa-Lee Smith, Olivia Glanville, Brooke Carter, Ashley Bills, Sian Filipo, Ella Buteux, Josie Strong, Macie Carlile, Melanie Watherston, Tamika Bull, Kaitlyn Andrews, Theresa Wilhelmus, Terri-Lee Van Wyk, Sarah Dimech, Alicia Wright, Katrina Latu. Coach: Russell Grigg.

Victoria:

Heaven-Leigh Dakartis, Maddy Simon, Beauty Christina Mauafu Autalaga, Maureen Tuia, Maria Nelio, Tasheena Toamau, Maleyna Hunapo, Rangi Asha Aukino, Monica Moore, Tiana Kani, Hiria Williams, Jessica Rastrick, Viena Seumanufagai, Georgina Moana, Mena Layfield, Mary Hafoka, Easter Titae, Stefanie Vang, Jane Nanai-Schmidt, Jayne Kareroa. Coach: Brandon Taunoa.

Western Australia:

Elle Warren, Alex King, Huia Swanell, Ariana Hira-Herangi, Tiarne Barnett, Juraea Turner, Rachel Withoos , Heather Matoe , Mahinarangi Clair, Sera Ravatudei, Cherysh Leaf, Te Rauhina Wall, Anneka Stephens, Paihau Pomare, Demi Butler, Arnika Cave, Michaela Turner Wallace, Roimata Toa-Amoa, Shenae Gilmore-Spence, Ariana Ruru-Hinaki. Coach: Brad Costello.

The 2022 Harvey Norman National Championships will be live streamed on NRL.com across the four days with both finals on Sunday June 12 to be shown LIVE on Kayo Sports.

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