NRLW Grand Final 2022: Adam Elliott sheds tears for Millie Boyle as Newcastle Knights defeat Parramatta Eels to win first title

A NRL star was reduced to tears of joy after watching his partner play a major role in the Knights’ maiden NRLW premiership win.

Tamika Upton and Millie Boyle were touted as the Knights in shining armour who could turn around Newcastle’s fortunes after they finished with the wooden spoon in the inaugural season.

And all it look was a few months for the former Broncos to turn despair into silverware as Newcastle went from winless earlier in the year to NRLW champions after they pummelled Parramatta 32-12.

Boyle and Upton were part of the Broncos juggernaut, helping the Queensland side to titles in 2019 and 2020 before they made the move to the Hunter this season.

They have been an integral part of the turnaround and were again two of their best performers when it mattered most, with Boyle leading from the front with a game-high 235 metres.

Millie Boyle was all smiles after winning a premeriship with the Knights. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But it was Upton who lit things up with a dazzling solo effort to become the leading tryscorer in competition history, while she also set up a four-pointer in the first half.

“She’s my favourite player to play with,” Boyle said of the Karyn Murphy medallist.

Boyle’s partner, NRL star Adam Elliott, was reduced to tears in the grandstand as she lifted the trophy with her teammates.

“I am just so bloody proud of you guys,” Boyle said of her team after the match.

“You did so well all year. We just never gave up. There’s 17 of us that take the field but we have 27 girls and we wouldn’t be here without each and every one of you.

“There’s going to be a party in Newy tonight.”

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Adam Elliot was overwhelmed after his partners success in the #NRLWGFpic.twitter.com/L5HZQJ838y

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) October 2, 2022

TEENAGE DREAM

The experience of Boyle and Upton have been crucial this season, but so has the emergence of teen sensation Jesse Southwell.

The 17-year-old playmaker won rugby sevens gold at the Commonwealth Games earlier in 2022, and her dream year has continued with another title in the greatest sport of all.

The Dally M Rookie of the Year burst onto the scene with a slashing try on debut in Round 1 and capped a dream season with another solo effort on Sunday that will earn her a few lemonades to celebrate.

The Knights celebrate the final try by Yasmin Clydsdale. Picture: NRL Photos/Brett Costello

CAPTAIN COURAGEOUS

They only won two of their seven matches but the Eels have plenty to be proud of after making it all the way through to the grand final in their second season.

They started the season with four losses on the trot and didn’t qualify for the finals until the final round when they beat the Broncos to steal their spot in the top four.

Written off by everyone and told they were merely making up the numbers, Parramatta then did the unthinkable when they knocked off the unbeaten Roosters in the semi-final in what was perhaps the biggest NRLW upset of all time.

Tamika Upton was outstanding for the Knights. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Things could have gone very differently on Sunday had they not butchered a couple of early chances on the left, and the fact they were still in the contest with five minutes to go says a lot about their resilience under coach Dean Widders.

He’s led them brilliantly while co-captain Simaima Taufa was a colossus again on Sunday, scoring an opportunistic four-pointer off a quick tap to close the gap to four points.

Scores could have been level moments later when Gayle Broughton pounced on a grubber, but her try was ruled out for a push on Yasmin Clydsdale and that took the air out of their tyres.

“It would have been a good one if it had come back our way and somehow the video ref made a blunder,” Eels coach Dean Widders said.

IMMORTAL’S TIPS PAY OFF FOR TEEN STAR

As her teammates celebrated the NRLW title by singing along to a karaoke machine, it was somewhat fitting that Abba’s Dancing Queen blared from the speakers and the microphones as Jesse Southwell was surrounded by reporters.

The Knights prodigy is only 17 as the song says, but it’s another line that sums up her first season in the women’s competition and has some suggesting she will be picked in the World Cup squad for the Jillaroos.

As Agnetha and Benny and the rest of the gang said, the dancing queen would ‘leave ‘em burning and then you’re gone’ and that’s exactly what the teen sensation did against the Eels.

Jesse Southwell scored a try in a superb performance for the Knights. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Just as she did against Brisbane on debut a few weeks ago, Southwell stepped through the defence to score a brilliant solo try that looked eerily similar to what Newcastle legend Andrew Johns used to do.

And it makes sense given the eighth Immortal has been her biggest supporter this year and followed her all the way to the grand final win over the Eels.

“Joey has been helping me throughout the whole competition,” Southwell said.

“He’s been sending me messages and stuff like that, and he’s been giving me heaps of tips on what to do and how to deal with certain situations like kicking early and turning the forwards around. I can’t credit him enough.”

That support has helped the halfback the whole season, with Johns lending her support just before kick-off.

“Joey came into the sheds just before the game and helped us out with a few things,” she revealed. “It’s pretty cool. My dad watched Joey while we were kids. Seeing someone like that come in and talk to me is very, very cool.”

Jesse Southwell capped off a great season with a grand final win. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Sunday’s premiership caps an incredible few months for Southwell who also won rugby sevens gold at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

She’s not old enough to celebrate with a drink like the rest of her teammates, but Southwell could be partying for another reason if her name is read out when the World Cup squad is announced.

She will face stiff competition from veteran Ali Brigginshaw and a few others, but she wouldn’t look out of place on the plane to England.

“I just want to take it one step at a time and enjoy the win,” she said. “I haven’t stressed too much about playing in the World Cup because there are so many great halves in front of me.

“If the opportunity came up, I wouldn’t know what to say. I’d probably have to talk to a few people before I said yes.”

While Southwell wants to stay humble, Knights coach Ronald Griffiths is backing her to get the job done if she’s selected.

“I’m not sure there’s a bigger stage than representing your country at the Commonwealth Games,” she said. “She’s done it there so I’m sure she could do it in league. Her football maturity says to me she could.”

Originally published as NRLW Grand Final 2022: Adam Elliott sheds tears for Millie Boyle as Newcastle Knights defeat Parramatta Eels to win first title