2021 NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final

Last updated

2021 (2021) NRL Women's Premiership
Grand Final
12Total
St. George Illawarra colours.svg SGI404
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg SYD01616
Date10 April 2021
Stadium Moreton Daily Stadium
Location Redcliffe, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Karyn Murphy Medal Sarah Togatuki
Referee Belinda Sharpe
Attendance7,855
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
  2020
2022  

The 2021 NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the postponed 2021 National Rugby League Women's season in Australia. It was contested between the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters on 10 April 2022 at Moreton Daily Stadium in Redcliffe a seaside suburb of Brisbane, Queensland.

Contents

The match was preceded by an Under 19 women’s match. The match was broadcast live throughout Australia by the Nine Network.

Background

The 2021 NRL Women's season was the 4th season of semi-professional women's rugby league in Australia. The season was planned to start in August 2021, postponed to October 2021 and further postponed to 2022 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. [1] The season commenced in late February 2022 and consisted of five competition rounds, followed by semi-finals contested by the top four teams on the competition ladder.

The two semi-finals were scheduled as a double-header at Leichhardt Oval in Sydney.

The St. George Illawarra Dragons finished second on the 2021 ladder with a record of four wins and one loss. This matched the record of the Brisbane Broncos but the Dragons’ point difference of 55 was inferior to the Broncos’ 70. [2] The Dragons played the Gold Coast Titans, who had finished third in their inaugural season with a record of three wins and two losses.

Route to the Grand Final
TeamRegular SeasonSemi-Finals
12345
St. George Illawarra Dragons Gold Coast Titans colours.svg 2012 Parramatta colours.svg 100 Brisbane colours.svg 1822 Newcastle colours.svg 404 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg 1610 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg 2418
NHNAHN
Sydney Roosters Brisbane colours.svg 420 Gold Coast Titans colours.svg 1626 Newcastle colours.svg 2812 Parramatta colours.svg 1918 St. George Illawarra colours.svg 1016 Brisbane colours.svg 2216
NNHNAN
Key: H = Home venue; A = Away venue; N = Neutral venue

Pre-match

Broadcasting

The match was broadcast live on the Nine Network in Australia and 9Now and on Sky Sport in New Zealand. Radio broadcasters included ABC, Triple M, 2GB, 4BC and NRL Nation.

Officiating

Belinda Sharpe was appointed as the referee for the NRLW Grand Final for the second time. Sharpe had refereed the previous, 2020 NRLW Grand Final. Matt Noyen was appointed as the video referee in the NRL Bunker. Kasey Badger and Karra-Lee Nolan were appointed as the touch judges. [3]

Squads

Initial team lists of 24 players were announced on the Tuesday afternoon prior to match, 5 April 2022. [4] [5]

Notes:

Match summary

The Roosters won their first premiership in their third Grand Final and fifth season. [6] [7]

2021 NRL Women's Premiership Grand Final
Sunday, 10 April
1:30pm AEST (UTC+10)
St. George Illawarra Dragons St. George Illawarra colours.svg 4—16 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Tries:1
Madison Bartlett (1')
Goals:nil
Rachael Pearson 0/1
Sin bin:
Taliah Fuimaono (19')
1st: 4–0
2nd: 0–16
Tries:3
Yasmin Meakes (44')
Isabelle Kelly (54')
Olivia Higgins (66')
Goals:2
Zahara Temara 2/2
(56', 67')
Moreton Daily Stadium, Redcliffe, Brisbane
Attendance: 7,855
Referee: Belinda Sharpe
Video referee: Matt Noyen
Touch judges: Kasey Badger, Karra-Lee Nolan
Karyn Murphy Medal: Sarah Togatuki
Official NRL Website: Match Centre
Highlights: YouTube by NRL on Nine

Post-match

The following 2021 Grand Finalists were selected to play in the 2022 Women's State of Origin match on 24 June 2022 or the New Zealand versus Tonga international match on 25 June 2022.

References

  1. "NRLW season postponed until early 2022 due to pandemic". 2 September 2021. Archived from the original on 2 September 2021.
  2. "Ladder - Telstra Women's Premiership - 2021". NRL. 27 March 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2025.
  3. "NRL Telstra Women's Premiership Grand Finals Match Officials". NRL. 5 April 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  4. Mee, Cameron (6 April 2022). "Illawarra talent leading Dragons NRLW grand final charge". Illawarra Mercury. p. 40.
  5. Phillips, Sam (9 April 2022). "Kelly gang: Team goal the driving force for Roosters star who shines above all". Sydney Morning Herald. p. 47.
  6. Lenehan, Martin (10 April 2022). "Third time lucky as Roosters down Dragons in epic NRLW decider". NRL. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  7. Lucantonio, AJ (10 April 2022). "Roosters queens of the Coop with their first NRLW Premiership". League Unlimited. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  8. Newton, Alicia (20 June 2022). "Dibb recalled as Hilder finalises NSW team". NRL. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
  9. "Pelite, Hancock, Breayley-Nati named in strong Maroons squad". NRL. 6 June 2022. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. "Kiwi Ferns Name Wider Squad for June Clash Against Tonga". New Zealand Rugby League. 15 June 2022. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  11. Newton, Alicia (17 June 2022). "NRLW young guns named for Mate Ma'a Tonga". NRL. Retrieved 17 June 2022.