The Coal Australia IRL Girls and Ladies League Tag Grand Finals took place last Sunday at Collegians Sporting Complex, featuring six thrilling matches across the U14s, U16s, and Open Women’s divisions.
Under 14s Division 2
The day began with Corrimal Red facing Collegians Red in the Under 14s Division 2 grand final. Corrimal Red took a swift lead in momentum, including scoring in the very first set from the kick-off, and put themselves up at halftime 10-0. Despite a second-half comeback from Collegians, Corrimal held on for a 14-10 victory.
Under 14s Division 1
The Under 14s Division 1 grand final saw Corrimal and Thirroul face off in a tightly contested match, with Corrimal gaining the upper hand at halftime to lead 8-6. Thirroul responded swiftly after the break with a converted try to claim a 12-8 lead, which they held onto until the final siren to claim the title.
Under 16s Division 2
The Under 16s Division 2 grand final between Woonona and Thirroul Blue was a thrilling contest marked by momentum swings and rapid-fire tries.
The first half saw both teams trading scores, with Woonona edging ahead 10-4 at the break. The second half brought more drama as Woonona struck twice to extend their lead. Thirroul mounted a late comeback, but Woonona held on to secure the Division 2 title with a 20-14 victory.
Under 16s Division 1
The Division 1 grand final saw Wests assert their dominance early, scoring three tries to Collegians one and taking an early lead at halftime, 16-6. The points continued after the break for Wests, scoring another three tries while conceding just one to Collegians, to secure a convincing 32-12 victory.
Open Women’s Division 2
In the Open Women’s Division 2 grand final, Corrimal dominated the first half. Coral Scarra crossed for a try in the 10th minute, and Gabriella Giacometti added another in the 16th, giving Corrimal an 8-0 halftime lead.
The momentum shifted dramatically in the second half as Woonona stormed back with three unanswered tries, two conversions, and a crucial 50th-minute penalty goal, sealing an 18-8 comeback win. Abbey Byers was the star, scoring a double, including a game-defining, length-of-the-field run in the 45th minute, while Millie Harris added another try through the middle.
Open Women’s Division 1
The final showdown of the day featured Collegians taking on the Avondale Greyhounds in the Open Women’s Division 1 grand final.
The first half was tightly contested, with each side crossing for a try, and only a successful Collegians conversion separating them at 6-4.
After halftime, the floodgates opened. Collegians’ Emma Walsh broke the deadlock with two quick tries, her first coming just four tackles after the restart, and her second seven minutes later with a surging run down the left sideline.
Avondale responded through Georgia Galvin, but Collegians proved unstoppable, scoring two more tries courtesy of Macey Lee and Lily Riolo to seal an emphatic 28-8 victory and the Division 1 crown.
Words: Harrison Mellare
Photo Credit: Denis Ivaneza