Darwin Sistaz and Palmerston Raiders ready for a tough battle to take out the 2020 NRL NT Women’s Premiership

THE undefeated Sistaz are targeting an NRL NT premiership just a year after picking up a wooden spoon, but Palmerston in its first ever women’s grand final won’t make it easy for the minor premiers

2020 NRL NT Women's Grand Final grand final captains Bianca Scrymgour from Sistaz and Palmerston's Simone Garner. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

Team lists for the NRL NT Women’s Grand Final

THE undefeated Sistaz are targeting an NRL NT premiership just a year after picking up a wooden spoon, but Palmerston in its first ever women’s grand final won’t make it easy for the minor premiers.

Sistaz have been the dominant outfit in 2020, benefiting from an influx of players from 2019 premiers Sharks, and they have only grown from there.

La-Toniya Norris has been a standout, scoring 18 tries through the season as of their semi-final win over Nightcliff, and will be hungry for more.

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Danielle Ponter, Tahlia Corrie and captain Bianca Scrymgour have also been standouts for the minor premiers in a year that has seen the side put memories of their 2019 placing in the distant past.

“There’s a lot of excitement with a bit of nerves as well from girls who haven’t played in a final before,” Scrymgour told the NT News.

“It’s been a massive team effort this year with our forwards working tremendously, while our backs have really stepped up as well.

“We’re expecting a physical game against Palmerston. The first 10 minutes are going to be particularly tough and despite our results this year we won’t be taking the Raiders any lighter.

“We will be looking for our support plays in running and beyond that communication will be important to ensure that we are backing each other and giving it 110 per cent”

But Palmerston, a side that has already made history, has been building week on week, toppling Litchfield and traditional women’s heavyweight Nightcliff in consecutive finals.

Its strong forwards, led by Ruti Faatoafe, have pushed the side to plenty of success and opened plenty of scoring opportunities.

Co-captain Simone Garner said the side was ready for action in what would be a first big final for many in the side.

“We’re all pumped and ready to go particularly as this is the first time the Raiders women have ever reached a grand final,” Garner said.

“It’s been a big season for us and that comes down to how we’ve come together as a team and manage to mould as an outfit through the season.

“Our forward pack has been fantastic this year and we will need them in this final which will be a hard fought game for both sides.”

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“We know Sistaz are going to play until the final siren and won’t stop coming to us so we need to maintain our discipline and stick to our game plan and hopefully we come away with the win from there.”