Tarsha Gale Cup 2021: Newcastle Knights tryscorer Sophie Clancy just getting started

Knights’ young gun Sophie Clancy might start on the bench but her tryscoring ability is a big reason her side remains undefeated heading into the finals.

She has already scored nine tries this season, but Knights’ young gun Sophie Clancy is just getting started.

Clancy starred for Newcastle last week against Illawarra and is a big reason her side remains undefeated heading into the Tarsha Gale Cup finals.

“She’s our leading try scorer, and we play her off the bench,” Knights coach and elite pathway manager Casey Bromilow said. “She’s very quick out of dummy half. When we bring her on the field, the middles are tired, so she gets joy jumping out of dummy half.”

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Bromilow said Clancy is one of many young Knights pushing for representative honours this year. The coach also lauded the under-19s squad for making serious strides this season — the same group won just one of five matches in 2020.

“We changed up pre-season this year, the girls hated it but we actually didn’t touch the footy until January,” Bromilow said.

The Knights are determined to obtain an NRLW licence in 2022. Picture: Knights Media

“For our November and December pre-season, we actually tackled for six weeks. It was about getting them to understand that tackling doesn’t hurt if you do it right

“In the end they got plenty of confidence out of that and we’ve only had 42 points scored against us this year.”

Bromilow said the quality of Tarsha Gale Cup footy has skyrocketed since he started running Newcastle’s side in 2018. The coach confirmed the Knights are determined to obtain an NRLW licence over the next two years.

“We’re keen as mustard to get a licence,” Bromilow said. “We would love to be in it.

“Our Centre of Excellence should be built as of November 1, we should be in there and it would massively cater for an NRLW team.

“If we were lucky enough to get a licence for 2022, we would be ready to go and hit the ground running.

“We’ve seen a massive improvement in female players. We know that Newcastle has a really good catchment and we’re lucky to have pathway competitions.”

The Knights are undefeated this season. Picture: Knights Media

Around the grounds, the SG Ball Sydney Roosters will take on the Raiders at Mascot Oval. Both sides are looking to affirm their place in the top six, but Canberra have called in big guns Clay Webb, Trey Mooney and Xavier Savage for the clash.

The Eels must also win their match against the Thunderbolts to stay in the race for finals.

ROUND 9 — TARSHA GALE CUP

Saturday, April 3

Steelers v Tigers, 10am, Collegians Sporting Complex, Wollongong

Knights v Bulldogs, 11am, Maitland Sports Ground, Newcastle

Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy v Raiders, 11:20am, Mascot Oval

Friday, April 2

Dragons (26) beat Sharks (8)

BYES: Eels

ROUND 9 — SG BALL CUP

Saturday, April 3

Steelers v Magpies, 1pm, Collegians Sporting Complex, Wollongong

Eels v Thunderbolts, 1pm, McCredie Park, Sydney

Panthers v Sharks, 1.30pm, BlueBet Stadium

Knights v Bulldogs, 2pm, Maitland Sports Ground, Newcastle

Roosters v Raiders, 2.30pm, Mascot Oval

Friday, April 2

Manly (56) beat Dragons (24)

BYES: Bears

ROUND 9 — HAROLD MATTS CUP

Saturday, April 3

Eels v Central Coast Roosters, 11am, McCredie Park, Sydney

Steelers v Magpies, 11:30am, Collegians Sporting Complex, Wollongong

Panthers v Sharks, 12pm, BlueBet Stadium

Knights v Bulldogs, 12:20pm, Maitland Sports Ground, Newcastle

Roosters v Raiders, 1pm, Mascot Oval

Friday, April 2

Manly (32) beat Dragons (16)

BYES: Bears