Sport
31 August, 2023
Snakes women book grand final berth
The Caboolture Snakes became the first team to enter this year’s Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League (SCGRL) grand final as the Snakes defeated the Kawana Dolphins 18-10 in last Saturday’s major semi-final at the Beerwah Sportsground.
With Caloundra having beaten Beerwah 32-10 at Tewantin Sports Complex in the other semi-final last Saturday, Kawana and Caloundra will face off this Saturday to decide who meets Caboolture in the decider.
Last Saturday’s clash at Beerwah was scrappy at times while Caboolture turned a 4-0 deficit into an 18-4 lead, before Kawana scored a late try to make the result appear close.
While Caboolture’s win was a team effort, a major turning point occurred when winger Amy Bird produced a spectacular try-saving tackle.
Were it not for Bird’s sensational effort to prevent a runaway try, the Dolphins would have moved to an 8-0 or 10-0 lead and potentially gone on to win.
Both sides squandered possession repeatedly in the first 10 minutes, before Kawana opened the scoring after receiving successive penalties.
In the attacking zone, Brooke Kingdom cleverly changed the point of play as she turned the ball right to Tyla Mitchell who powered through the defence and scored a try.
Back-to-back penalties gave Caboolture the chance to reply, but a Kawana back took an intercept and threatened to score a 95-metre try.
Bird’s phenomenal chase, desperation and perfectly timed tackle not only saved a try to help the Snakes remain within striking distance on the scoreboard, but her effort seemed to have a domino effect as it evidently inspired her teammates.
Following a penalty each way, the Dolphins committed a knock-on at acting-half. The Snakes capitalised as they entered the 10-metre zone, with Emmogen Taumafai tackled just short of the line before Naomi Henry ran onto a pass and muscled her way over the tryline.
A stray conversion attempt kept the score 4-all, before Bird broke the deadlock with an easy penalty goal less than three minutes before half-time.
The Snakes spurned the chance to kick another easy penalty goal in the last minute of the first half, as they sought a try and ended up losing possession.
Early in the second half, the Snakes went on the attack as Abbie Ritchie made a good run. Following a subsequent penalty, Henry fired a pass left to Taumafai who powered over to score amid the last-ditch defence.
Bird’s conversion gave Caboolture an eight-point lead.
Kawana’s defence survived the next major test when Caboolture applied pressure, and a fumble occurred just short of the tryline.
It wasn’t long before the Snakes returned to the red zone, and they were rewarded as Tarnee Evans muscled her way over the tryline and set up a 14-point lead with 11 minutes left.
A needless handling error from Caboolture gave Kawana a late chance to apply pressure, with Mitchell scoring a consolation try in the final two minutes.
