Fulltime: Roosters 30 Broncos 6
There it is. Roosters win the NRLW title and go undefeated through the entire season. Per colleague Billie Eder, they only trailed for 70 minutes (and two seconds) throughout their entire campaign. If that’s not dominant. Then I just don’t know what is. And today, they just blew Brisbane off the park.
Five-eighth Jocelyn Kelleher was outstanding and set the match up with her kicking. Halves partner Tarryn Aiken followed her in.
Try: Southwell breaks the Broncos duck
The Broncos are on the board. No grand final donut for them, which is only fair. They deserve points given their second half effort today and it’s their two best players combining for it.
Jesse Southwell and Tamika Upton find a couple of tired Roosters defenders down their right edge and they exchange a couple of passes, it’s Southwell who finishes it off last with and she dots down under the posts with less than five minutes to go.
Roosters 30 Broncos 6
Try: Parker gets a treble
Brydie Parker has a hat-trick. The Chooks go to the right wing again and as we’ve said, the Broncos have held their gloves up this half. That’s the first points since the break, we’re 23 minutes in.
But the Roosters skin them for numbers and it’s pretty simple for the prolific winger, Kelleher throws the last pass and Parker dives over. Easy does it.
Roosters 30 Broncos 0
Powerbrokers trickle in to press the flesh with PVL
All eyes may be on the NRLW grand final right now. But gawkers in the private suites at Accor Stadium have already been treated to the sight of a trickle of powerbrokers from business and politics, making their way into the president’s suite to press the flesh with rugby league chief Peter V’landys.
Among the early arrivals were Communications and Sport Minister Anika Wells, who has well and truly resurfaced from the months-long hibernation period triggered by last year’s expenses scandal. Also in the building is a man known for his love of a different code: Former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire, who was seen with his wife, Carla Galloway, climbing the escalator to the private suites.
No try: Upton denies a certain four-pointer
It’s a try! Until it’s not! Isabelle Kelly strolls over. And then Tamika Upton knocks it out of her hands as she’s ready to dot down. Bizarre scenes.
Brisbane go downfield and almost score themselves. Considering it’s 26-0, bit doing. Kelly’s still wondering what happened there, she just got absolutely mugged.
Roosters 26 Broncos 0
Jocelyn Kelleher has the ball on a string
Jocelyn Kelleher’s kicking game is frankly, a bit mean at the moment. She’s launching bomb after bomb and giving Tamika Upton, the best player in the game, nothing at all to work with.
The Broncos are keeping their gloves up after halftime so far. But it feels like a matter of time as the Roosters start to get going. And right on cue, they get a high tackle penalty. Millie Elliott has come back off the bench. Could be points coming here. That said, Deleni Paitai has just belted Kelleher with a great ball-and-all shot defending her own line. That’s how it’s done. And the Broncos deny that raid.
Roosters 26 Broncos 0
Kick-off: Can Brisbane make a game of it?
And we’re back. Can the Broncos make a game of this? Honestly, probably not. But here’s hoping. Because no one wants to see a second half just meander to the end of the season. But Chooks are on the attack straight away. And they’re over the line again, Jess Sergis trying to get the ball down after a bomb was allowed to bounce.
We’re checking this one upstairs. There’s a lovely flick pass from Brydie Parker. And Sergis is wrestling to get the Steeden down in the corner but Tamika Upton manages to hold her and take her touch-in-goal. Broncos ball.
Roosters 26 Broncos 0
McDonald Jones Stadium filling up hours before kick-off
It says something about the Newcastle Knights that they can pack out a stadium when the actual footy match is being played 170 kilometres away.
But that’s exactly what’s happening at McDonald Jones Stadium.
With the NRL decider still over three hours away, hundreds of families have already spread out picnic rugs on the hallowed Knights turf, the western grandstand is filling up and thousands more Novocastrians are waiting outside to get in.
Half-time: It’s a demolition derby
And there’s the halftime hooter, mercifully for the Broncos. They need a reset like nothing else.
If the Roosters roll on in this fashion – what sort of conversation are we having at the end of this game given this team has lost one game in the past two years, about the spread of talent across this NRLW competition?
Take nothing away from this Roosters team, of course. They’re playing superbly. But hey, maybe we should.
Tries: Parker doubles up, Hall joins the party
Life doesn’t get any easier for Kelleher, the Roosters keep scoring out wide. But they certainly keep scoring.
Brydie Parker has her second in under half an hour as she dives over in the corner. We did have a very one-sided NRLW first-half two years ago between the Chooks and Sharks, and Cronulla came roaring back with one of the great revivals
But man it’s hard to see a repeat right now. Again, especially when Amber Hall barrels over out wide with half-time looming. There’s no stopping her from close range.
Roosters 26 Broncos 0
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
