Finals Week One wrap: Jersey Flegg, Women’s Premiership

The later clash presented the rare occasion of two sides going head-to-head in consecutive weeks, with Penrith Panthers claiming a 28-20 win over Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the Qualifying Final after facing them just seven days earlier for a 42-28 victory.

Penrith weren’t showing any complacency the second time around as they raced to an 18-0 lead within 30 minutes. The second half started in similar fashion with wingers Harry Wald and Cameron Kanaan each scoring their second try of the match, helping the Panthers to a 28-0 lead.

The Bulldogs embarked on a comeback with just over 15 minutes remaining but hadn’t left enough time to turn things around despite four quick tries, closing out the 28-20 final score.

NSW Women’s Premiership

Leichhardt Oval was the venue for the first week of finals in the NSW Women’s Premiership, a double-header on Sunday kicking off with South Sydney Rabbitohs securing a dominant 32-16 win against Penrith Panthers.

The second-placed Rabbitohs clicked into gear from very early on as back-rower Claudia Brown bagged first points, then in the 12th minute halfback Kiara McGregor followed suit. McGregor nailed both conversions for a 12-0 lead.

Shortly after that, it was South Sydney skipper Jazmon Tupou-Witchman who powered over the try-line, beating a handful of defenders ensuring no one would stop her from scoring.

While the Panthers managed to go to the break trailing 16-4 after a late try courtesy of Aaliyah Boland, the reprieve was short-lived when the Rabbitohs improved their advantage to 26-4 in the opening minutes of the second half.

The Panthers gave themselves a remote chance when they bagged back-to-back tries, but the Rabbitohs had the final say as Kiara McGregor found her way over the line for the second time and converted her own try to complete the 32-16 victory.

The Elimination Final between Mounties and Central Coast Roosters was arguably the best of the weekend as both teams went to toe-to-toe for the full 70 minutes.

Gabrielle Savage scored first for Mounties in the corner off the back of quick ball movement to the right, then forward Eliza Lopamaua hit back from close range.

No.9 Shawden Burton grabbed the Roosters’ second, before Mounties centre and PNG international, Relna Wuruki-Hosea, scored a quick double – the second try a standout solo effort from distance.

With minutes until half-time the Roosters were able to level the scores at 16-all from a well-worked scrum play, when halfback Talea Tonga drifted to the right and fended off the fullback to score.

To start the second half Wuruki-Hosea barged over to complete the hat-trick, before scores were locked once again at 20-allwhen Tonga put centre Majayda Darcy over to score with a short ball.

From that point a valiant Roosters side couldn’t quite hang on as field position began to turn the way of Mounties and the yellow and black pushed ahead for two more four-pointers, not without a handful of remarkable defensive efforts by Central Coast. Final score, 30-20.