Live stream: NSW Combined High Schools soar to win historic first ASSRL Nationals Under-18 Schoolgirls title

They came into the tournament as a bunch of champions, they left as a championship team. NSWCHS created history at the ASSRL Under-18 Nationals. HEAR FROM THE PLAYERS.

“We came into this tournament a bunch of champions and we have left a champion team.”

It is the one line delivered by NSW CHS under-18 girls coach Alec Bush that perfectly sums up a week of triumph for his team.

The sky blues were dominant as they released the handbrake to roll all over Queensland, and become the inaugural ASSRL Under-18 Schoolgirls champions on Friday.

NSW CHS claimed the premiership in style with a one-way 38-8 demolition, dedicating the win to injured lock forward Aliyah Nasio.

DID YOU MISS THE ASSRL FINALS? RE-WATCH ALL THE ACTION FROM THE FINAL DAY HERE

The Winning team NSWCHS QLD girls Vs NSWCHS ASSRL grand finals Friday July 7, 2023. Picture, John Gass

It was one-way traffic in the first half, NSW CHS racking up a 26-0 deficit, before letting in two late consolation tries to their highly-fancied rivals.

“I am proud of our team,’’ said NSW CHS player of the tournament, St George Illawarra NRLW prospect Indie Bostock.

“We played as sisters, played as a family and I think that is what got us the win over Queensland.

“We had a bond like no other, and it was good to get the win with family.’’

Queensland coach Deanna Turner said her team just never got going.

“I just don’t think we put it together today,’’ Turner said.

“We were slow out of the blocks, then they got momentum and we just couldn’t turn them around or adjust to their shifts playing down the short side.

“They were a better team today and we just have to cop that on the chin.’’

NSWCHS players celebrate a try QLD girls Vs NSWCHS ASSRL grand finals Friday July 7, 2023. Picture, John Gass

QLD girls Vs NSWCHS ASSRL grand finals Friday July 7, 2023. Picture, John Gass

NSWCHS player Faustina Akeje QLD girls Vs NSWCHS ASSRL grand finals Friday July 7, 2023. Picture, John Gass

NSW CHS’s two try hero, fullback Caley Tallon-Henniker, another Dragons prospect, said it was a win that had been brewing since the start of the tournament last weekend.

“I feel like we’ve been building for that the whole tournament,” she said.

“Everyone knows that New South Wales wants to play Queensland and get the win. We stuck together, we played for Aliyah Nasio.’’

The Figtree High fullback broke the game wide open with two scintillating long distance efforts, the second a 50m solo try when she capitalised on a scrum base fumble by Queensland.

Then, with interchange forwards Monica Fasavala-Faamausili and Faustina Akeje (both Bass Hill School) seemingly running down hill, NSW CHS established a 26-nil lead at the break to wrap up the final.

NSWCHS player Faustina Akeje QLD girls Vs NSWCHS ASSRL grand finals Friday July 7, 2023. Picture, John Gass

“They’re incredible, they come on and are the impact players breaking through the middle,’’ said Tallon-Henniker in relation to Fasavala-Faamausili and Akeje.

The inaugural tournament, which was introduced to help build further pathways for girls entering the elite levels of the game, has been deemed a major success this week.

Queensland were standouts of the tournament, having not lost a game before the grand final, despite being pushed to the limit by an exciting NSW Combined Catholic Colleges side in the semi-final.

The schoolgirls action continues on KommunityTV later this year with the national and state finals of the inaugural NRL Schoolgirls Cup as well as the ASSRL Under-16 Schoolgirl Nationals in Port Macquarie in September.