Parramatta have upset defending champions Sydney Roosters to join last season’s wooden spooners Newcastle in the NRLW grand final.
The Eels had snuck into the semi-finals with their only win of the season last week over the Broncos and were given no chance against the previously undefeated Roosters on Sunday.
But they were never headed in a stunning 24-10 victory.
The Eels win will make for a sea of blue and gold at Accor Stadium on Sunday with the NRLW decider the curtain raiser to the NRL’s Eels-Panthers showdown.
Inspired displays by Eels halves Ashleigh Quinlan and Tayla Preston behind a ferocious and resolute pack laid a foundation of success for the Dean Widders-coached side.
“It is huge. The fans will love this week but I know they will love it even more if we can both get the job done,” said Widders.
“We were willing to fight for each and we were willing to take on anyone.
“To see our girls go out there and not be in awe of some of these big names and take the game right to them … was amazing.”
Quinlan scored herself with a light-stepping move and put centre Abbi Church over to give the Eels a 12-4 half-time lead.
Halfback Preston was enormous and charged like a forward at times.
She chased hooker’s Brooke Anderson kick to score after the break and then put up a trademark wobbly bomb for Rikeya Horne to seal the deal.
The Roosters were well off their game and bombed two certain tries with winger Leianne Tufuga and centre Isabelle Kelly dropping balls with the line wide open.
Those mistakes were a result of the blowtorch applied by the Eels middle forwards Simaima Taufa and Kennedy Cherrington.
Earlier the Knights booked their spot for their first ever NRLW grand final appearance, after defeating last year’s runners-up the St Geroge Illawarra Dragons 30-6 in Sunday’s semi-final at Suncorp Stadium.
But Dragons coach Jamie Soward was clearly unhappy with a denied try at a pivotal part of the game.
“It was a try. She still had her finger on it. It’s a try. It changes the game,” said Soward.
“Newcastle were great, and it’s going to be a great grand final whoever they play – but it was a try.”
The Knights have come a long way from their disastrous 2021 season, going from a winless campaign to now being one win away from premiership glory.
Their high-profile recruits have delivered to power the NRLW side from wooden spooners to grand finalists, and their effort in Sunday’s win were nothing short of enormous.
Fullback Tamika Upton scored twice while Millie Boyle produced a spectacular solo try, but Boyle insists that it’s teh effort of teh entire team that is behind this season’s success.
“Everyone has a role in our team. Tamika and my roles are no different from everyone else,” said Boyle.
“Everyone wants to put on their best performance and play for each other, we have that team-first mentality.
“That’s what I think we have in Newcastle and it’s great to be a part of.
But Newcastle coach Ronnie Griffiths couldn’t praise his captain enough, after her efforts that included 25 tackles and 160m from 20 rampaging runs.
“Quite possibly the best performance from a skipper I’ve seen in a long time,” said Griffiths.
“We’ve asked plenty of her defensively and she has two carries a set.
“One of the bravest performances from a middle front row captain.
“And oh (her try was) unbelievable – we just went up, we were in raptures.”
The former Brisbane pair starred on their old turf at Suncorp Stadium in the first of Sunday’s double-header, three-time champions Brisbane absent after missing the semi-finals for the first time.
Newcastle, who were 0-5 last season, will play the winner of the Sydney Roosters and Parramatta in next Sunday’s decider.
The Dragons, who had lost 30-8 to the Knights a week ago, had powered back into the contest when star fullback Emma Tonegato crossed in the right corner.
But a knock-on was spotted on review and a 12-10 scoreline was suddenly 18-6 at halftime, when Knight’s five-eighth Kirra Dibb scooted over from dummy-half.
The Dragons dominated territory in the second half, but the Knights’ defence held firm.
Upton breezed through for a second try to seal the result before Kiana Takairangi’s try was the icing on the cake.
Dragons winger Teagan Berry kept her side close early on, plucking an intercept from Upton’s kick return to score against the run of play.
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Tonegato’s no-try followed, her side unable to score another point as the Knights made an early grand final statement in Brisbane.
© AAP
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