The Cobar Roosterettes have won a grand final berth in the 2016 Barwon Darling Women’s League Tag grand final following their 10-0 win over the Lightning Ridge Redbacks in Saturday’s major semi final.
In addition to leading her team in attack, Lisa Travis, who was named the Roosterettes Players’ Player, also headed up their rock solid defence, putting her body on the line several times to make tags in Saturday’s match at Tom Knight Memorial Oval.
A crucial early second half converted try by Zoë Harland broke the half time nil-all deadlock and set the Roosterettes on target for their win.
Her try and subsequent conversion was an outstanding feature of Cobar’s victory.
A late starter in Saturday’s game due to a prior commitment playing in the A Grade netball major semi final, Harland arrived just before the end of the first half but made an impact not long after she got on the field.
Linking up with her fellow Western Rams representative player in Travis, the pair started to create more opportunities on the field for their pacey players, Jenna Fullagar, Brianna Watson, Lesley Tiffen and Taylah Good.
Good then sealed the Cobar side’s victory with a length of the field run to score the Roosterettes second try.
Another late 80m run to the try line right on the full time siren was declared a no try by referee Mel Driscoll, who’d called a penalty just before Good had made her break.
The team credits their tough defence as the key to their win with Rachael Garland working relentlessly in the centres to make tag after tag.
Naomi Whitehurst was also responsible for a number of last ditch tags that prevented certain tries.
It’s been a great season for the Roosterettes who only made their debut into the sport last year in the Group 11 competition where they finished at the bottom of the ladder.
The Cobar side however improved a lot over the year and played some very close games at the end of the 2015 season.
The Roosterettes were looking a good chance to take this year’s Group 11 League Tag title however were forced to move to the Barwon Darling competition after the Cobar club was dropped from the Group 11 competition as they were unable to field the four teams required.
The Roosterettes entered the Barwon Darling competition as the most experienced team and to date are undefeated in the competition.
Their closest match this season was a 10-all draw with Walgett.
The Lightning Ridge Redbacks will this week play Brewarrina with the winner to meet the Roosterettes next week in the grand final.
