Burleigh players help Brisbane Broncos to NRLW premiership

JUST four of the six Burleigh Bears connections involved in the NRLW grand final walked away happy after a Brisbane Broncos win.

THERE was pleasure and pain for Burleigh’s NRLW competitors yesterday, with just four of the six Bears connections involved in the competition walking away happy form the inaugural NRL competition.

Brisbane dominated the Roosters to win the inaugural NRLW title 34-12 in a one-sided grand final, with Bears players Amber Pilley, Rona Peters and Chelsea Lenarduzzi snaring premiership medallions.

Lenarduzzi was promoted to the starting line-up for the final, with Burleigh coach Tahnee Norris, who led the Bears to a fourth consecutive South East Queensland division one title this year, saying the young forward has the potential to be the next Jillaroos front-rower.

GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS FOR $3 A WEEK

MIXED EMOTIONS FOR DEPARTING TITANS BOSS

NRL TO ENGAGE PSYCHOLOGISTS FOR REFS

Roosters Tazmin Gray scores a try during the Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos NRLW Premiership match. Picture: Brett Costello

“She has a huge amount of potential and a huge amount of skill as well,” Norris said.

“She’s developing an offload to her game which I think is going to be really good for her.

“There’s a lot of work to be done, also defensively, to be that tough front-rower — putting the big hits on and being a dominant defensive player as well — but she has good potential.”

Broncos five-eighth Kimiora Nati scored a hat-trick to win the Karyn Murphy Medal as player of the grand final, stepping up as the Roosters targeted her halves partner, Brisbane captain Ali Brigginshaw.

The Roosters’ first try came from a Burleigh combination with Zahara Temara’s cross field kick finding Tazmin Gray after bouncing off the head of Taleena Simon, Gray on the spot for the most unlikely of tries.

Norris was impressed with the final and her players.

“Tazzie Gray, in a beaten side, she was probably my standout,” Norris said.

“She had a really good game but it’s hard watching it when you’ve got six girls involved in both teams.”

Playmaker Temara has been as revelation for the Chooks since being shifted into the halves after the opening two games of the season, although the Nerang junior was kept relatively quiet in the decider.

Tazmin Gray of the Roosters tackles Rona Peters of the Broncos during the NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos and the Sydney Roosters. Photo: AAP

“I actually don’t mind her at lock but you could really see the difference when she moved back into her preferred position — because defensively, she’s a really strong player,” Norris said.

“Lock’s actually a pretty good position for her — playing the old school, five-eighth sort of lock.

She’s got a really good kicking game but I thought she was a bit quiet today, (Lavinia) O’Mealey was the more dominant player for me today.

“I think that was part of the issue for the Roosters, they had two (natural) five-eighths playing in those (halves) positions.”

With the Roosters unable to control possession, they had little chance against the premiership favourites, with former Burleigh player, fullback Karina Brown also left disappointed.

Burleigh’s fourth member of the Broncos’ squad, interchange player Tallisha Harden, was not named in Brisbane’s final 17 and did not play on Sunday.