NT Titans shine at Women’s National Champs in top class

Coach Leon Cleal has praised the team’s resilience and the emergence of new talent, lauding the team’s ability to compete at a higher level.

The Titans in the rooms before a match-up. Picture: Facebook/NRL NT

The NT Titans women’s side has returned home from another National Championships with their heads held high after splitting their four matches against Western Australia, New Zealand, NSW City and Fiji.

The rugby team was on the end of two close losses, to New Zealand 6-8 and NSW City 6-12, while also claiming two comprehensive victories beating Western Australia 22-4 and Fiji 14-0.

Two Titans stars were also named in the competitions team of the tournament with Lyrech Mara and Abigail Sekitoga making the side which was announced at the conclusion of the Gold Coast tournament.

The team of the tournament including NT Titans Lyrech Mara and Abigail Sekitoga. Picture: Facebook/NRL NT

Though the results weren’t as dazzling as last year’s four wins and zero losses, NRL NT pathways manager Duncan MacGillivray said the side had to deal with some player changeover heading into the tournament.

“Probably got the bulk of our side from last year but we do have a few changes,” he said.

“We’ve got a couple of young girls, I think we’ve got three or four 19-year-olds.

“We did lose a few of our players who are competing down south but we were able to bring it up which opened the door for the young girls to come in.

“So, it’s been good for them to get the opportunity and they have really stood up the last couple of days and been really good.”

After last year’s clean sweep the Titans were moved up to Pool A this year, which saw them battling well known international rugby league power houses in Fiji and New Zealand.

The girls split the results against the overseas teams, only just going down to New Zealand - while still having the chance to win the game on the last play - showing they had what it takes to compete at the higher level.

Coach Leon Cleal said the Titans members didn’t take a backward step facing tougher opposition.

Coach Leon Cleal gives the girls a rev up pre-game. Picture: Facebook/NRL NT

“We were up into Pool A,” he said. “So, we’re playing against the higher quality teams and they (Titans) are certainly showing that they belong in this level.”

Cleal said the girls returning from last year were key to the team’s success while also singing the praises of the new faces in this year’s side especially on the front lines.

“We’ve only got one or two of the forwards (from last year’s squad),” he said.

“Which is a challenge, trying to get our forward pack back up and going, but we’ve got a lot of younger ones in there and they’ve been doing a good job for us,

“But it’s definitely good that we’ve done the groundwork over the last few years and we’ve got that core group in there now which has certainly made a difference.”

An extra wrinkle for the Titans and the coaching staff to tackle this year was the timing of the championships, which were held midseason last year, before being moved to the preseason this year.

The NT Titans at the 2024 Harvey Norman National Championships. Picture: Facebook/NRL NT

Cleal said it certainly made an impact and changed up the way they would usually attack the tournament.

“We simplified the game down a fair bit this year, only because they haven’t had that opportunity to play footy so they haven’t got a lot of the fully smart about them for the start of the year,” he said.

“You haven’t been out there and aren’t yet understanding how you’re going to play this year etc.

“So yeah, that has been challenging, but look, all the other sides were in the same spot too and I think it showed in the first half of all the first games.”

All 12 teams were in action on the final day of the tournament with the Queensland Sapphires defeating NSW City to be the only undefeated side from Pool A for the comp.