By PETER ROWE
The Joondalup Giants wrapped up their NRLWA Westpac Women’s Premiership season on Friday night with a win, but they were made to fight for the points by a North Beach team desperate for finals football themselves.
But the Giants, who eventually prevailed 24-18, thanks largely to the footwork and clever skills of Anneka Stephens and winger Mata Moeka’a, missed out on the minor premiership on for and against as the Ellenbrook Rabbitohs took out the Fremantle Roosters 26-0 to book their place in the Grand Final in two weeks time.
Stephens, who missed several weeks of the regular season through injury, must be the favourite for the player of the year award, her game management key to Joondalup’s performance, not just in this game, but in almost every game she has played.
The halfback was instrumental after just one minute, from the first set, setting up Moeka’a for the first of her three on the night.
Four minutes later Moeka’a grabbed her second, before North Beach had even touched the ball, and by the ten-minute mark Stephens had extended the margin further.
Gabby Canicosa pulled North Beach back into the game on 17 minutes, the winger finding space down the left edge to cross and the lively Brianna Young was on hand to blow through the Joondalup defence after a kick was dropped 15 metres out.
With North Beach starting to make metres, Joondalup had to fight to stay in the battle and fullback Taria Arere found the try line after two earlier attempts from the Giants were stopped short.
Stephens continued to weave her magic, after a series of Beach errors, crossing for her second of the night before the never-say-die attitude of North Beach earned them another chance with Young breaking down the right edge before stepping inside to score.
When April Alan stepped neatly through a tired Joondalup defence minutes later, it was game on. The kick would have levelled the score, but it was not to be and it was left to Stephens to once again show her class, with a kick to the corner, where Moeka’a was waiting to wrap the game up.
The Rabbitohs got off to a great start in the second game of the night as Taliana Mika dived over in the corner before centre Huia Swannell added a second after 12 minutes.
The Roosters found it hard to get their attack going and didn’t get into Ellenbrook’s half of the field until the 23rd minute and when skipper Kailey Thompson – another player of the season contender – crossed four minutes from halftime, the game looked won at 16-0.
The second half began as the first had ended as Juraea Turner spotted a big hole in the Fremantle defence to score under the posts.
And three minutes from time they sealed the minor premiership as Swannell scored her second.
“It was good to win and book a spot in the Grand Final at ‘The Mansion’,” Thompson jokingly said of the Rabbitohs’ Charlotte Vineyard home.
“Fatigue kicked in a little late in the second half but we hung in there and kept them scoreless.
“One more to go, so we are all looking forward to putting it right after losing in last year’s final.”
