Veteran fullback Sam Bremner has starred to lead the Sydney Roosters to a 25-16 win over Newcastle and lock in an NRLW grand final appearance against Cronulla.
After the Sharks stunned minor premiers Brisbane 14-0 in the first semifinal, the Roosters put on a first-half clinic as they blitzed the Knights at Sydney Football Stadium on Sunday.
The Roosters have been hit by injury this season but finally enjoyed a dose of good fortune, with in-doubt trio Tarryn Aiken, Jess Sergis and captain Isabelle Kelly declared fit to play.
It was a positive omen for the side, who were third time lucky after falling at the same stage in the last two seasons.
They do have grand final experience, however, after winning the premiership in the 2021 season and finishing runner-up in 2018 and 2020.
Bremner, who was coaxed out of retirement when regular fullback Corban Baxter ruptured her ACL days before the season kicked off, is set to join St George Illawarra in an off-field role next season but ran rings around her younger opponents.
The 32-year-old’s angling runs off the inside of Aiken tormented Newcastle’s left edge, making eight tackle busts and three line-breaks and scoring two tries.
The Roosters were already in the lead through tries to Keeley Davis and Brydie Parker before Bremner’s late first-half brace blew the double-reigning premiers out of the contest.
Aiken’s inclusion was a boon for the Roosters, setting up two tries and three line-breaks as well as a late field-goal.
She immediately made her presence known at five-eighth, launching a cut-out pass over the stranded Abigail Roache and Tenika Willison to set up Parker — who she had displaced onto the wing — for the opener.
The Knights struck back through five-eighth Georgia Roche but otherwise struggled to make an impact in their attacking 20.
Their forward pack came out second-best, with the formidable Olivia Kernick winning the battle of the second-rowers against Newcastle’s Yasmin Clydsdale.
Late tries to teenage second-rower Evah McEwen and hooker Olivia Higgins raised Newcastle’s spirits but were too little, too late for Ben Jeffries’s side.
Sharks upset Broncos
The Sharks have reached their first NRLW grand final in just their second year in the competition.
The Broncos’ intimidating attack was nullified by a sensational defensive display from the Sharks at Brisbane’s Langlands Park.
It was the first time the Broncos have been kept scoreless in their seven-year NRLW history.
The result was the Sharks’ first win over the Broncos in the NRLW.
Brisbane was dealt a blow before kick-off with second-rower Romy Teitzel — the NRLW’s top scorer in the home-and-away season — ruled out after sustaining a hip injury in the final-round win over St George Illawarra.
The Sharks were not showered in attacking opportunities but made the most of the chances they got against the Broncos, who looked flat and uncharacteristically error-prone.
Captain Tiana Penitani was unstoppable bringing the ball out from the back for Cronulla.
The powerful centre ran for 160 metres and opened the scoring with a try in the 13th minute after an offload from Talei Holmes.
Tayla Preston added the conversion to establish a 6-0 lead, which the Sharks took into half-time.
Penitani’s centre partner on the opposite edge, Annessa Biddle, powered her way over early in the second half to extend Cronulla’s lead.
The strong-running 22-year-old leads the competition for post-tackle metres by a considerable margin.
A try to winger Cassie Staples wrapped up the match with 12 minutes to go after a cut-out pass by impressive five-eighth Georgia Hannaway.
AAP