Sharks look to tame the Tigers in HNWP Grand Final

Author: Sharks Media
Timestamp: Fri 15 Jul 2022, 12:30 PM

Two teams who produced perhaps their best performances of the season last weekend, come together at Campbelltown Stadium on Saturday to decide the 2022 Harvey Norman Women’s Premiership title

While the Sharks were dominant 22-4 winners over Mounties in their semi-final victory, the Wests Tigers were equally impressive in downing minor premiers the North Sydney Bears to set up an exciting Grand Final clash.

The game matches the third and fourth placed teams following the nine-round season, with Sharks half back Maddie Studdon expressing in an interview with the NSWRL website how her team will need to shut down the Tigers key players if they hope to come out on top.

“I need to watch that short-kicking game of hers,” Studdon said of her halves opponent Emily Curtain. “We need to keep an eye on her and their five-eighth (Losana Lutu) is a good ball runner.

“They work well together and then we’ve got to not let Kezie Apps and Jess Sergis out of our sights either. They are very talented as individual players and as team players.”

Sergis played just two games prior to the semi-final, Apps three, with the inclusion of the pair to strengthen the Tigers tomorrow afternoon.

“If we stick to our game plan, defensive patterns and believe in them, hopefully we can shut down those star players,” Studdon said.

For the Sharks, Studdon’s experience will be vital, so to that of NSW Origin squad members Sam Bremner and Tiana Penitani.

Bremner, brilliant in the Sharks win over Mounties, carrying the ball for almost 200 metres, while also scoring a try and creating another two, heaped praise on coach Tony Herman and his coaching staff following last week’s the win.

“I wanted to enjoy my footy this season, and I’ve ticked that box,” Bremner said. “Tony has taught me so much this season. I’m continuously learning. It’s crazy I’ve been playing the game for so long, but I feel like I’ve still got more to give and so much to learn. Tony’s doing a great job with that and so are the other girls.”

As for Penitani, she also came into her own the second half against Mounties, the hard-running centre setting up the game sealing four-pointer in the dying moments of the match.

The Sharks will also look to hooker Quincy Dodd and prop Holli Wheeler to lead the way up front, with the pair getting through a mountain of work in the win last weekend.

In their final preparations for the game at Campbelltown on Saturday, the Sharks held a Captain’s run at PontsBet Stadium, attended by Luke Geelan from Shore Hire and Matt Harrison from AFS Group, sponsors of the Sharks women’s teams in 2022.

The Sharks team also thank valued partners Aramex and Minespec Parts for their support throughout the HNWP season.

The Sharks v Wests Tigers match is scheduled for a 2.00pm kick-off at Campbelltown Stadium.

See the two teams listed below.

Grand Final - Grand Final - Saturday 16 Jul

Full Time

Sharks

Wests Tigers

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Sharks is number 1 Sam Bremner

Fullback for Wests Tigers is number 1 Tayla Preston
Winger for Sharks is number 2 Zali Fay

Winger for Wests Tigers is number 2 Tess Staines
Centre for Sharks is number 3 Tiana Penitani

Centre for Wests Tigers is number 3 Keele Browne
Centre for Sharks is number 4 Leianne Tufuga

Centre for Wests Tigers is number 4 Jessica Sergis
Winger for Sharks is number 5 Teagan Berry

Winger for Wests Tigers is number 5 Josephine Lenaz
Five-Eighth for Sharks is number 6 Zali Hopkins

Five-Eighth for Wests Tigers is number 6 Losana Lutu
Halfback for Sharks is number 7 Maddie Studdon

Halfback for Wests Tigers is number 7 Emily Curtain

Forwards

Prop for Sharks is number 8 Tegan Dymock

Prop for Wests Tigers is number 8 Imogen Gobran
Hooker for Sharks is number 9 Quincy Dodd

Hooker for Wests Tigers is number 14 Ebony Prior
Prop for Sharks is number 10 Holli Wheeler

Prop for Wests Tigers is number 10 Kezie Apps
2nd Row for Sharks is number 11 Samantha Economos

2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 11 Christian Pio
2nd Row for Sharks is number 12 Talei Holmes

2nd Row for Wests Tigers is number 12 Taylor Osborne
Lock for Sharks is number 13 Brooke Anderson

Lock for Wests Tigers is number 13 Najvada George

Interchange

Interchange for Sharks is number 14 Rueben Cherrington

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 9 Sophie Curtain
Interchange for Sharks is number 15 Natasha Penitani

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 15 Jasmine Lepua
Interchange for Sharks is number 16 Kirsty Sant

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 16 Shekinah Edwards
Interchange for Sharks is number 17 Cassie Staples

Interchange for Wests Tigers is number 23 Rachel Simpson