By PETER ROWE
“We stuck to our processes” was how Joondalup coach Kurt Lahtz described his side’s 26-18 victory over arch rivals Ellenbrook to claim the 2024 NRLWA Westpac Women’s premiership at Dorrien Gardens on Saturday afternoon.
The Giants fought back from a two-try deficit with a stunning second-half showing to claim the prize on the back of a player of the match performance from halfback Anneka Stephens.
Photo – Dave Van Heek
“Yeah, she was pretty special,” Lahtz said. “But it was a team effort out there. Chanelle Edwards our prop played the full 60 minutes and our hooker Tyrah (Parekura-Schimack) and lock Elle Warren tackled their hearts out up the middle.
“They kept backing up to keep us in the game.”
But it was Ellenbrook who struck first, with two tries from Raukura “Honey” Tukiwaho and skipper Kailey Thompson to give the Rabbitohs a 12-0 lead after 11 minutes before the Giants were in the game.
Photo – Dave Van Heek
“It was a bit of a shock to concede that early,” Lahtz admitted. “But I told our trainer to tell them to stick to the processes we’d talked about all week.
“Hold on to the ball and play out our sets and it would come.”
It certainly did once Stephens dived over for their first score eight minutes before halftime and when Tyrah Parekura-Schirnack grabbed a second barely a minute into the second half it was one-way traffic as the Giants found space largely down the left edge to create havoc in the Ellenbrook defence.
Photo – Dave Van Heek
Stephens was involved in every set, weaving and looking for gaps to exploit. She scored her second on the right edge after 35 minutes, capitalising on loose defence to find a gap to cross and then kicked the extras from out wide as the Giants took the lead for the first time.
The Rabbitohs struggled to get out of their own half and when they did they were met with a solid wall of maroon and amber.
“The big difference was when they teamed Anneka up with Zion (Taurima),” Ellenbrook captain Kailey Thompson said.
Photo – Dave Van Heek
“We just couldn’t stop that combination.”
On the other bench “stick to the process,” was the consistent call from Lahtz and it worked as a clever kick from Stephens wrong-footed Ellenbrook fullback Ariana Ruru-Hinaki and Stephens was on hand to pick up the pieces to score.
She then kicked the conversion from in front of the posts as the Giants took an eight-point lead into the final ten minutes of play.
And deep from her own half with seven minutes left on the clock, Stephens broke through again – up the middle – before passing to Zion Taurima to run the 40 metres to score and seal the game.
Photo – Dave Van Heek
Ellenbrook never gave up but with time running out they could only manage one further score, Huia Swannell crossing three minutes from time as the Giants managed what was left of the game for a repeat grand final victory.
It was the longer route to the big dance for Lahtz, but he saw benefit in that.
“The extra finals game helped us as we had a few players out with injuries through the season, so to play consecutive games was what we needed,” he said afterwards.
“It helped us prepare, get our structures right and gain momentum.”
The process, as Lahtz had called for all afternoon, clearly worked.
“A disappointing day and I know it’s hard to explain, but they were the better side,” Thompson said.
Photo – Dave Van Heek
“We couldn’t get out of our own half in the second period. Zion and Anneka were a lethal combination.
“But we have had a great season. We have come a long way in 12 months. I know we fell short at the end but we will learn a lot from this.”
Player Of The Match – Anneka Stephens (Joondalup Giants)
Joondalup Giants 26
Tries – Anneka Stephens (2), Tyrah Parekura-Schirnack, Mata Moeka’a, Zion Taurima
Conversions – Anneka Stephens 3/5
Ellenbrook Rabbitohs 18
Tries – Raukura Tukiwaho, Kailey Thompson, Huia Swannell
Conversions – Kailey Thompson 3/3