North Tamworth secured the Whitehaven Coal Group 4 Ladies League Tag Minor Premiership with their 12-6 win over Werris Creek at David Taylor Park last Saturday.
They managed to finished a point above Kootingal after the Roosterettes beat Gunnedah 20-6 at Gunnedah on Sunday, leading into a big final round for Group 4’s Ladies League Tag.
The two sides will match up in Saturday’s Major Semi Final at Moree while third-placed Werris Creek tackle Dungowan at Boggabri in Sunday’s Minor Semi-Final.
Dungowan warmed up for the knockout semi with a 46-0 win over Boggabri at Boggabri where Sarah Stackman scored two tries and kicked three goals.
The Cowgirls face a Werris Creek side Magpie coach Anna Smith said will be “playing our first semi-final game for five or six years”.
“We were playing against the benchmark and I was really proud of them,” Anna Smith said after the six-point loss to the minor premiers.
Mia Cloake and Chloe Shanley were outstanding with Shanley receiving the club’s players player award.
Smith said the side is “looking forward to the semi against Dungowan”.
“We drew 8-all with them last week,” she said of the recent previous encounter.”
“It was a team effort today and we did play really well as a team.”
North’s coach, Damian Kenniff, was away and first grade coach Paul Boyce filled in for him.
“The girls played really well,” he said.
“Leica (Le Brocq) led the way and Amy (Barraclough) as well.”
Gunnedah go down to Kootingal
On Sunday fifth-placed Gunnedah had nothing to play for but made Kootingal earn their 20-6 win with Gunnedah captain-coach Jacquie Jones adding “it should have been 20-12”.
She had made a break and looked like scoring but faltered.
“It should have been 20-12,” said Kootingal coach Jeff Faint.
“We were leading 16-6 (at the time). If Jacquie doesn’t fall it would have been interesting. They couldn’t have made the semis anyway and didn’t have anything to lose. They did make it interesting, came out with a lot of pace and asked a few questions of us. It wasn’t our most polished performance. It was a win but we were far from our best.”
Abbey Shanahan was the Kootingal players player award winner despite being ill.
“She started today because we had just the three subs,” Faint added.
“Danny Seabrook has been overseas and she played her first game this season and held her own.”
Jacquie Jones thought the 20-6 scoreline didn’t reflect the game.
“It was much closer than that.”
“They scored two tries in the first 10 minutes and then early in the second half.”
“We’re not good starters and took a while to warm up.”
“We were pretty good in between and put a lot of pressure on them and they made a lot more errors than they normally do.”
She said Tarryn Heinrich “got our players player points”.
“She played link and was really good in attack and defence, and we lost Zoe Fleming seven minutes into the first half too. She’s been playing everywhere and is our kicker.”
Jacquie Jones reckoned it a “bitter sweet” season for the side.
“The first time we haven’t made the finals for a long time.”
She said the side showed it was more than competitive.
Major Semi Finals
Saturday, August 24 (Boughton Oval, Moree): First Grade – Moree v Werris Creek (3pm kickoff). Second Grade: Moree v Dungowan (1:25pm kickoff). Under 18 – Dungowan v Werris Creek (12 Noon kickoff). Ladies League Tag – North Tamworth v Kootingal (10:45am kickoff).
Minor Semi Finals
Sunday, August 25 (Jubilee Oval, Boggabri): First Grade- Boggabri v Kootingal (3pm kickoff). Second Grade: Werris Creek v Gunnedah (1:25pm kickoff). Under 18- Kootingal v North Tamworth (12 Noon kickoff). Ladies League Tag – Werris Creek v Dungowan (10:45am kickoff).
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