NRLW Tackle: Stacey Waaka suffers suspected broken leg, Gold Coast Titans record loss paints ugly picture, Eliza Lopamaua hit with grade three hip drop
A second grade-three hip drop charge has been dished out from the weekend’s games, effectively ending the season of Rooster Eliza Lopamaua. Plus, the Broncos have been hit with a major injury blow and more in The NRLW Tackle.
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Sydney Roosters teen Eliza Lopamaua won’t play again this season unless they make the NRLW grand final after being hit with the second grade-three hip drop charge of the weekend.
The rising 19-year-old forward will miss two weeks with an early guilty plea but risks three games on the sidelines at the NRL judiciary for a tackle on Cowboys forward Lillian Yarrow on Sunday.
She was sin-binned for the hit in a 24-12 win over the Cowboys in Gosford.
Significantly, she’s the second player charged with grade three dangerous contact across round 8, with Titans forward Ngatokotoru Arakua also set to miss two weeks.
It comes amid a spate of hip drop tackles in the women’s game which is causing the NRL concern with one round left to play before finals.
Pamela Whaley reveals her likes and dislikes from round eight of the NRLW season.
DISLIKES
BRONCOS BLOW
The Broncos have copped a huge blow with Stacey Waaka suffering a suspected broken leg in Saturday’s win over Cronulla.
The star winger played just 34 minutes of a thrilling 20-16 win over the Sharks, and scans are expected to confirm a fracture in her left leg.
It’s devastating timing with the NRLW finals a fortnight away.
The Olympic gold medallist has been one of the best additions to the NRLW in recent years, scoring six tries in as many games.
But it’s her positive attitude and professionalism that has helped take the Broncos to a new level this season.
COWBOYS ON THE MOVE
The Cowboys have announced their plans to shift the NRLW team to Cairns by building a high performance centre four hours north of the club’s home base in Townsville by 2027.
It’s a strange move that will need further explanation.
Firstly, how do you ensure the women’s team isn’t totally isolated from the club and home fans in Townsville?
Secondly, how do you sell that to players who are not yet professional and have jobs and families to consider?
It’s already created plenty of questions among the playing group, particularly for those who either live at home in Townsville, work in town or have recently moved interstate to play for the Cowboys.
Cowboys chairman Lewis Ramsay told the Townsville Bulletin it was about increasing the club’s footprint in the state and creating a hub of women’s sport in Cairns.
But it will come at a huge cost to players.
At the moment it’s just a proposal with many more hoops to jump through to become a reality. Watch this space.
TITANIC DISASTER
It’s been a disastrous season for the Gold Coast, summed up by the historic 46-10 loss to Newcastle in Saturday’s grand final rematch.
It was a record win for the Knights, but showed just how far the Titans have fallen since last year’s 24-18 loss in the grand final.
Granted, they have been absolutely smashed with injuries this season, and had just nine players from the 2023 decider on the field on Saturday.
Star halfback Lauren Brown has been added to the growing casualty ward with a broken hand, while centre Jaime Chapman played just 55 minutes and came off with a hamstring injury she’s been managing this season.
The NSW and Australia star is no guarantee of playing next week.
However, Karyn Murphy refuses to use injuries as an excuse for a poor showing at home with everything to play for.
Aside from the score, a look at the stats paints an ugly picture for the Titans who were an outside chance of playing finals this season.
They were down 34-0 at halftime, which was bumped out to 42-0 at the 51 minute mark.
Compare that to the grand final, where they led 12-8 at the break.
It’s a world of difference and a huge lesson for some of the game’s brightest young stars.
A 62 per cent completion rate compared to the Knights’ 86 was to blame, as well as 13 errors and just 840 run metres for the game. That’s just two thirds of Newcastle’s who also have their own injury problems.
Compare that to the grand final, where they had an 81 per cent completion rate, just six errors and 1223 running metres.
It’s a dramatic drop off.
And keep in mind, the Knights aren’t having their best season either.
Coming into Saturday they were also in danger of dropping out of the finals race, and still could by the end of next week.
Although, the points differential they scored against the Titans could keep them safe, but nothing is certain just yet.
For the Titans it’s a big wakeup call.
For all their injuries they still have some of the biggest and best talent in the game and should have won more than three games this season.
But to bring a premiership to the Gold Coast for the first time, as is their goal, it’s going to take a more ruthless mindset than anything they have showed this season.
Adding insult to injury, Titans forward Ngatokotoru Arakua is facing three weeks on the sidelines for a horror hip drop tackle against the Knights.
The 27-year-old has been hit with a grade three dangerous contact charge for her tackle on Nita Maynard for which she was sin-binned during Saturday’s loss on the Gold Coast.
She will miss two weeks with an early guilty plea, but if she fights the charge at the judiciary she risks another week.
Meanwhile, teammates Sienna Lofipo and Zara Canfield both escaped with warnings for grade one dangerous contact charges.
Lofipo was charged twice for separate incidents but will be free to play Canberra on Sunday.
LIKES
EELS RESURGENCE
The NRLW season will go down to the final round after Parramatta saved their top four chances with a courageous 18-16 win on Sunday.
Rookie centre Rory Owen scored one of the best individual tries you will see in the 65th minute to put the Eels in front 16-10, while NSW halfback Racheal Pearson proved clutch with a penalty goal, two 40/30s and defensive bravery in the win.
The Raiders, though, missed a crucial moment to snatch the win.
RORY. OWEN. IS. HER.
— Parramatta Eels (@TheParraEels) September 15, 2024
#NRL#NRLW#NRLWRaidersEels There’s absolutely no contest for the NRLW Rookie of the Year in 2024. It’s @TheParraEels centre Rory Owen.
— NRL News (@NRLNEWS) September 15, 2024
She has been switched on from game 1 in attack and defence.
Down by eight points, they scored in the 70th minute and instead of waiving the conversion to go for the win in the dying seconds with a try, they opted to take the kick, winding down precious time on the clock.
The Eels are now on equal points with Newcastle with one round to play but with a difference of 84 points separating the two.
To be assured a top four spot they need to beat the Roosters and have the Knights lose to the Cowboys.
ON THE BOARD
It was heartwarming to see the Tigers claim their first win of the season with a 16-14 victory over St George Illawarra on Thursday night.
It’s been a long time coming. It was their first win since July 30 last year.
They’ve lost two games this season by two points, including a 24-22 loss to North Queensland in round 7 where they scored more tries than the Cowboys but only nailed one conversion.
However, it won’t help them avoid the wooden spoon now unless they pull off a miracle to close a points differential of -112.
They would need to beat the Sharks on Thursday night and still need the Dragons to lose to the Broncos by more than 86 points in Townsville on Saturday.
Anything can happen, but realistically they are set for the first men’s and women’s wooden spoons in NRL and NRLW history.
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Originally published as NRLW Tackle: Stacey Waaka suffers suspected broken leg, Gold Coast Titans record loss paints ugly picture, Eliza Lopamaua hit with grade three hip drop
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