Opinion
We are down to the final match of the delayed 2021 NRL Women’s season and it will be two of the foundation clubs – the St George Illawarra Dragons and Sydney Roosters – that go head to head for the ultimate prize.
In one corner are the Dragons, who after a few years of struggle including a wooden spoon season in 2020 are finally starting to realise their potential under rookie coach Jamie Soward.
The club underwent a significant player cleanout at the end of 2020, including losing star centres Jessica Sergis and Isabelle Kelly to the Roosters, as well as foundation captain Sam Bremner, who gave birth to her second child last year.
They did unearth some star players this year, including Olympic rugby fullback Emma Tonegato, as well as wingers Teagan Berry and ex-Warrior Madison Bartlett, and mature-age rookie halfback Rachael Pearson.
The Dragons booked their place in the decider by defeating the Gold Coast Titans by 24-18, but Soward wouldn’t have been happy with the way things finished as they coughed up two tries in the final five minutes.
This would give him something to think about as he looks to deliver another title to Kogarah Oval – this time as an NRLW coach – after being the five-eighth in the Wayne Bennett-coached side that smashed a three-decade title hoodoo, coincidentally against the Roosters, in 2010.
A consistent regular season saw the Dragons concede only 48 points and win four of their five regular season matches, with the only loss being against the Broncos in Round 3 where they were without injured captain Kezie Apps and suspended pair Madison Bartlett and Kody House.
Even after a loss against a powerhouse club, the Dragons did not lose any belief and the following week they recorded the biggest win in the NRLW’s short history with a 40-4 thrashing of the Knights in Newcastle where the margin could’ve been bigger if not for poor goalkicking.
That was then followed by a 16-10 win over the Roosters at Kogarah Oval, which left the ladies from Bondi needing to rely on the Broncos to thrash the Eels if they were to “Bradbury” their way into the semis.
The Chooks ended up qualifying for the semi-finals in fourth position with a 2-3 record, with the wins being against the Knights and Eels in consecutive rounds, and were drawn to face the Broncos in the other preliminary final.
John Strange’s side appeared set for a long afternoon in the office when they conceded three tries inside the first 15 minutes, during which they had hooker Olivia Higgins sent to the sin bin for a professional foul.
It proved to be a turning point as the Roosters pegged it back to 16-10 at half-time, before scoring the only two tries of the second half – the first of them in controversial circumstances as replays suggested that Keilee Joseph had fallen just short – to complete the upset victory.
It means that for the first time since the competition’s inception in 2018, the Broncos won’t feature in the showpiece match, which has come as a commercial blow for the Queensland Government as it had been anticipated they would be going for a historic four-peat in Redcliffe.
The northerners had been the most dominant club in the NRLW’s early years, dominating teams at will and, prior to their loss to the Roosters, had only lost two matches by two points each (against the Warriors in 2019, and the Titans this year).
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Instead, it will be an all-Sydney showdown in the first standalone NRLW grand final, and it will be the star-studded Dragons who will start favourites to take home their first premiership and add to the title won by the men’s side in 2010.
The Red V had previously featured in the 2019 decider, where they were on the receiving end of a 30-6 masterclass by the Broncos; the Roosters were also on the wrong end on either side with defeats by 34-12 and 20-10 in 2018 and 2020 respectively.
Sarah Togatuki will be free to play for the Roosters after successfully seeking a downgrade on a careless high tackle on Lavinia Gould at the tribunal on Tuesday night; that aside, there are no injury concerns to report for either side.
For the Roosters it will be a huge weekend in Brisbane, with the men’s side playing the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night after spending the week in the sunshine capital following the 28-4 win over the Cowboys in Townsville.
It will be the third professional rugby league grand final to be played in Queensland, following the 1997 Super League grand final and last year’s NRL decider which was shifted to Suncorp Stadium due to a COVID-19 outbreak preventing the match from being played in Sydney.
Now that you’ve got all the inside information, it’s now time to crunch the all-important numbers below.
St George Illawarra Dragons vs Sydney Roosters
Sunday, April 10
1:30pm AEST
Moreton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe
This season: Dragons 16 defeated Roosters 10 in round five at Kogarah Oval.
Last meeting in a final: Never
The stats that matter
* This is the St George Illawarra Dragons’ second grand final, and the Roosters’ third. Collectively, all of their previous deciders have ended in defeat by the Brisbane Broncos.
* There are no previous premiership players in either side. Holli Wheeler, Kezie Apps, Keeley Davis and Shaylee Bent remain from the Dragons’ 2019 side beaten by the Broncos; Jessica Sergis who also played in that side will represent the Roosters on Sunday.
* This is the first decider not to feature the Broncos, who had won the previous three premierships. As such, both the Dragons and Roosters are seeking their first title, and either will become the first premiers from Sydney.
* Jamie Soward has the chance to win another premiership – this time as coach – at the expense of the club he debuted for in 2005, after being part of the Dragons’ 2010 title-winning side that defeated the Roosters by 32-8 in the 2010 grand final.
* Soward would also become the first former premiership winner to win an NRLW premiership as a coach.
Predictions
Match: Dragons by eight points.
First try: Madison Bartlett (Dragons), Jessica Sergis (Roosters)
Karyn Murphy Medal: Keeley Davis (if the Dragons win), Isabelle Kelly (if the Roosters win)
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
St George Illawarra coach Shane Flanagan has said Zac Lomax should be in the discussion when it comes to Origin selection.
This effort just about summed up the Dragons' defence against the Warriors. They held their opponents to their equal-lowest score this season in a…
Zac Lomax has added further to his Origin case with another strong performance in the Dragons' stunning 30-12 boilover win over the Warriors in…
Not what the Warriors needed down 22-6... Roger Tuivasa-Sheck not only ruined his side's chances of pinching the ball back but gifted the Dragons…
The Dragons star became the eighth player to nail a two-point field goal since its introduction and the Fox League crew were highly impressed.…
Who are the hardest working big men in the NRL?
