In using a well-used cliché the Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership Sharks were forced to dig deep in their bid to qualify for the competition finals, but that’s exactly what they were able to do in scoring an 11-10 victory last weekend.
A Maddie Studdon field goal with two minutes of the match remaining saw the Sharks beat the Central Coast Roosters and sneak into the Finals, the win securing third position on the ladder to set up a semi-finals clash with Mounties on Saturday.
With the HNWP including just four teams, the winners of the two semi finals will meet in the Grand Final the following week.
While missing skipper Corban Baxter who is expecting her second child, the Sharks have been able to name a strong line up, one featuring Studdon, Origin hooker Quincy Dodd and NSW squad members Talei Holmes, Sam Bremner and Teagan Berry.
Andie Robinson and Rueben Cherrington, both instrumental in the NSW Under 19’s Origin win over Queensland, have also been named in the Sharks squad.
The two teams met once during the season, the Cronulla girls scoring a 10-4 win way back in round one.
The Sharks v Mounties semi final is scheduled for a 12.15pm kick-off at Netstrata Jubilee on Saturday, with the winner to play the winner of the North Sydney Bears v Wests Tigers match which follows at 2pm, in the HNWP Grand Final.
See below the Sharks team list.
HNWP Team List
Semi Final
Sharks v Mounties
Saturday, July 9
Netstrata Jubilee Oval
Kick-off – 12.15pm
1 Sam Bremner
2 Zali Fay
3 Leianne Tufuga
4 Andie Robinson
5 Teagan Berry
6 Zali Hopkins
7 Maddie Studdon
8 Tegan Dymock
9 Quincy Dodd
10 Holli Wheeler
11 Samantha Economos
12 Talei Holmes
13 Brooke Anderson
Interchange
14 Rueben Cherrington
15 Tayla Curtis
16 Keeley Kopara
17 Claudia Foster
18 Ella Barker