Club rugby: Premier Women round three Team of the Week; Key players so far
Club rugby deep dive: Premier Women Team of the Week, along with the key players who have impressed this season from all nine clubs.
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Who has been the early season standouts for their respective club’s across the opening three weeks of the StoreLocal Premier Women competition?
In this story dedicated exclusively to the women’s competition, we reveal the latest Team of the Week from round 3, while also casting an eye on the early season shakers and movers from rounds 1 and 2.
COLTS ONE, HOSPITAL CUP TEAM OF THE WEEK FROM ROUND 3
The season has just started to get warm, with Bond University’s shutout victory over the Wests Bulldogs highlighting the strength of the competition.
PREMIER WOMEN TEAM OF THE WEEK
15 Tess Littleton (University)
14 Michelle Curry (Wests)
13 Natalie Wright (University)
12 Ariana Hira (Bond University)
11 Kalisi Longopoa (Sunnybank)
10 Cobie-Jane Morgan (Bond University)
9 Sarah Dougherty (GPS)
8 Luana Tongia (Sunnybank)
7 Meleane Mahina (Sunnybank)
6 Cierra Lewer (GPS)
5 Theresa Nasalai (Norths)
4 Nena Williamson (University)
3 Sky-Yvette Faimalie (Sunnybank)
2 Zophronia Setu (University)
1 Memory Manapori (University)
POWER RANKINGS FROM THE OPENING ROUNDS
1 BOND UNIVERSITY
Key Players:
Evie Sampson
A jack in the box scrumhalf who plays above her weight.
In her first year in the top squad, Sampson has shown her running game and natural ability.
Her passing, sniping runs, and improvement has impressed. Sampson she has a great mentor in Cobie-Jane Morgan who can play No.9 or No.10.
2 SUNNYBANK
Key Players:
Kalisi Longopoa
There are not enough words to describe how well the Sunnybank fullback has been to start the season.
She has scored a bunch of tries already, a reward for her kick-returns, cover defence and all round brilliance across the field.
Luana Tongia
The word powerful comes to mind when describing this back of the scrum ace.
This No.8 has dealt out damage both on and off the ball after missing the first game. Tongia has sure made up for lost time over the last fortnight.
Sky-Yvette Faimalie
This Sunnybank Dragons team is the real deal. They have veterans like Cecilia Smith, Ivania Wong, Sera Koroi (outside centre) and Ana Afuie (halfback), and emerging young guns like Faimalie, Taulelei-Siala and Shalom Sauaso ready to pounce.
Faimalie has been a revelation, playing No.8 in round one, blindside flanker in round two and tighthead prop in round three.
She is versatile with a knack for making a ton of post contact metres.
3 UNIVERSITY
Tess Littleton
It has been hard to miss Littleton’s ability to seemingly glide from left to right. With her footwork is sharp and acceleration, Littleton is proving a danger player from broken play, someone who has a knack of beating the first defender.
Natalie Wright
The 21-year-old Queensland Reds scrumhalf was a livewire centre on Saturday, breaking tackles with her step and chewing up metres with her booming kick.
Wright was a class above in her first game back from Super W duties.
4 WESTS
Key Players:
Michelle Curry
Curry was well contained by the Bullsharks on Saturday but still looked Wests post potent attacking back.
She has star written all over her.
Casey Dobson
Has speed, and can finish tries with ease.
She will be on the tryscorers sheet often based off a small sample size.
Dillyn Blackburn
Blackburn has been on a mission to begin the season.
The tall, mobile backrower has eaten metres for breakfast, lunch and dinner in three games so far and sheds contact like its nothing.
5 EASTS
Key Players:
Abby Spooner:
Youngster Spooner played halfback in the opening two games and showed glimpses of what is to come.
Her instinctual running game saw her take advantage of quick taps and she has been effective with her tackles and deft kicking game. It is little wonder she has natural skills - her father Nathan was a visionary No.10 who played for Queensland and the Wallabies.
Taulaga Malaitai
Forward leader Malaitai has been a chief communicator in the forward pack, and has led with her actions across the paddock.
Malaitai’s presence has made way for Gemma Walker to tap into her skills in the backline
Gemma Walker
Walker has been classy acros the early stages of the season, working hard and slotting in where needed.
She scored a wonderful try in round one against GPS and was involved in everything in round two against Brothers.
GPS
Key Players:
Serima Leweniquila
The former Fijiana Drua No.8 hit the ground running in round one and maintained the rage in a big round two victory over Souths.
Bolstered by headgear, Leweniquila has been hard to handle, a player who has the abililty to change a game.
Mana’ia Fotu
The new loosehead prop has had an impact early this season, both in the scrum and through the middle of the field. GPS were fortunate to have her along for the ride this season.
Amelia Brown
Flanker Brown has been smart with her involvements and trusty with her lineout wins. She is a fierce competitor, which comes as no surprise given her father was a champion prop with Souths and who also represented Queensland.
BROTHERS
Wynonah Conway
With a crisp pass that snaps, crackles and pops as it travels through the air, halfback Conway has made an instant on the field for Brothers this season. While she is new to the club, Conway has been with the group for the entire pre-season and Brothers and it shows.
Kirra Burke
Breakaway Burke brings both leadership and strong carries with her into this season. Against the Tigers it was obvious the Brothers girls were really getting around each other, that they were one in, all in during both good and battling periods of the match - and Burke’s leadership would be playing a part in that.
SOUTHS
Key Players:
Leonie Lea
Sixteen-year-old No.8 Leonie Lea has been on fire, stamping her mark on the competition in a short amount of time.
A quiet achiever, she goes about her business and does it at the highest standard.
Deborah Burese
Leonie Lea’s backrow partner is Burese, a flanker who has also been top notch for the Magpies this season.
She has set the tone with her efforts in defence and continues to show up late in the game.
9 NORTHS
Key Players:
Emily Eglen
Norths are on a long rebuild, but supporters were already seeing signs of success in the Eagles’ backline.
Emily Eglen, who has joined the nest from the hot house which is called Dubai, and has immediately made an impact which included scoring a try of the year contender againt University in round two. Watch this space.
Nicola Munday
New player Nicola Munday has been leading from the front as the Eagles’ captain.
In all three games the No.8 has been consistently good alongside club captain and lock Emma Laird, as well as flanker Anna Dunstan.
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