NRLW 2022: Latest news, scores, reports for round 4
The Hopoate name is still making an impact in rugby league but it was Roosters captain Isabelle Kelly who stole the show to end Newcastle’s unbeaten run.
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Cometh the hour, cometh the captain.
Just when it looked like the Roosters’ unbeaten start to the season was about to come to an end, skipper Isabelle Kelly produced the clutch moment her side desperately needed to steal an 18-16 win to virtually wrap up the minor premiership.
The Roosters looked to have imploded in the second half when they blew a 12-0 lead until Kelly scooped up a loose ball and ran 75 metres to break Newcastle hearts with three minutes to go.
It’s the sort of play that only the best players in the world can produce and it’s why Kelly will be one of Australia’s biggest stars when the Jillaroos look to defend their World Cup later this year.
SECOND HALF SPIRIT
They failed to win a game in their inaugural season but the Knights are a legitimate threat and will take plenty of confidence from what they did in the second half.
The Roosters looked set to rack up a big score when they raced in two tries in the opening five minutes, but they fumbled their way through the second half to open the door for a Newcastle comeback.
Romy Teitzel got the ball rolling when she leapt highest to reel in a Jesse Southwell kick to score her side’s first try nine minutes into the second half.
Caitlin Moran has been in the headlines all week and will front the NRL Integrity Unit in the coming days, but she put that behind her to set up Yasmin Clydsdale with a peach of a pass.
The Roosters were still in control at that stage but couldn’t land the killer blow.
Their high error count was then punished when former Rooster Caitlan Johnston charged onto a short ball to put her side in front for the first time, but it was only temporary as Kelly stood tall to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.
STRANGER THINGS
There was a special family feel at Allianz Stadium as the hosts raced out of the blocks inside the first five minutes thanks to a couple of youngsters with famous last names.
There have been some special moments in the NRLW this season but few will top Jasmin Strange scoring on debut after she was handed her debut by her dad John who just so happens to coach the Roosters.
The family connection continued from the next set when Kalosipani Hopoate, John’s daughter, backed up a break by Raecene McGregor who delivered her ninth try assist of the season.
DRAGONS SNARE SLICE OF NRLW HISTORY
Rachael Pearson produced the moment of her career as the Dragons survived a monster comeback by the Broncos to win the first NRLW game to go to golden point.
The 19-18 result keeps St George Illawarra’s top-two hopes alive and puts a massive dent in Brisbane’s chances of playing in the finals for the fifth year in a row.
Saturday’s result was the first time the Dragons had beaten the Broncos in six attempts but they didn’t make it easy on themselves.
The Red V led 18-8 with 10 minutes to go before the Broncos roared home with Chelsea Lenarduzzi in the sin bin.
Former Dragon Jaime Chapman scored a stunning solo long-range try to cut the margin to six points before Ali Brigginshaw stepped through some retreating defence to level things up in the final minute.
That sent the game to golden point where it looked like the Dragons had botched it in the opening set, but a brilliant challenge by Tara McGrath West – who finished with a game-high 199 metres – revealed an illegal strip.
The Dragons marched downfield where Pearson potted the point with a kick that would have made coach Jamie Soward proud.
The Broncos actually scored four tries to three but Pearson’s boot was the difference with the halfback nailing all of her conversions while Brisbane’s Tarryn Aiken managed just one of her shots at goal.
CHELSEA DAGGER
Brisbane’s top four hopes could come down to the match review committee’s findings after star prop Chelsea Lenarduzzi was sent to the sin bin for a spectacular high shot on Saturday.
The Maroons veteran was wrong-footed by St George Illawarra’s Keeley Davis late in the second half and caught her directly in the head with her upper arm.
The Dragons took full advantage with powerhouse prop Elsie Albert crashing over from the next set to push the lead out to 10 points.
There was no malice in the tackle but she was placed on report and will come under scrutiny from the match review committee.
Any ban would be a cruel blow for the Broncos who sit in fourth spot but are only ahead of the Titans on for and against.
Brisbane play the winless Eels in the first game of next week’s triple-header which means the Titans will know exactly what they need to do to qualify when they face the Roosters.
This is already the first time the Broncos haven’t claimed the minor premiership and a loss next week could see them miss the finals in what would be the biggest shock in NRLW history.
QUINCY IN THE GROOVE
The Dragons weren’t as clinical as Soward would have liked but he’ll be pleased with a key change he made midway through the first half that blew the game wide open.
The injection of Quincy Dodd into the contest proved a masterstroke with the dynamic rake setting up Kezie Apps for her side’s first try before she darted over for a four-pointer of her own three minutes later.
TITANS SNARE FIRST WIN OF SEASON
The Eels look set to claim the NRLW wooden spoon after a coaching masterstroke helped the Titans pick up their first win of the season to keep their faint finals hopes alive.
The Titans managed just 28 points in the opening three rounds but they looked far more polished on Saturday with three first-half tries enough to clinch an 18-16 win in Melbourne.
Gold Coast’s forwards combined for all three tries but the star was Evania Pelite who shifted to fullback after being starved of the ball at left centre in the first three games.
The former sevens star was unstoppable on Saturday, racking up 144 metres in the first half on her way to a game-high 232 metres from 26 carries.
Pelite was outstanding at getting their sets started on the front foot and she was well supported by her forwards who reaped the rewards with all the tries.
The evergreen Steph Hancock got the ball rolling with her fourth try of the season while front-row partner Shannon Mato and energetic bench forward Jess Elliston also crossed in the first half.
The result leaves the Titans on two competition points and they must beat the ladder-leading Roosters next week to have any chance of finishing in the top four.
Their cause could be helped if the defending premiers decide to rest players with a top-two finish all but guaranteed.
CLOSE BUT NO CIGAR
Someone at the Eels must have walked under a ladder because they’ve now lost three games in a row by a combined 10 points, including back-to-back 18-16 soul-crushing defeats.
It means they’re in last position with one game to go against the Broncos next Sunday.
They were way off the pace in the first half but at least they gave themselves a chance with a couple of second-half tries to cut the gap to just two points with six minutes to go.
Simaima Taufa scored a stunning solo try from 40 metres out and then Rima Butler barged over to set up a grandstand finish, but a lack of polish in the key positions meant they couldn’t create another opportunity to steal it.
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Originally published as NRLW 2022: Latest news, scores, reports for round 4
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