NRLW finals: Newcastle Knights defeat Brisbane Broncos, Gold ...

24 Sep 2023

Newcastle has seen off Brisbane in the first semifinal, and the Titans have toppled the Roosters to set up an historic NRLW grand final next Sunday.

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Titans shock Roosters with stoic win

The Gold Coast has stunned the Sydney Roosters 12-0 to reach the NRLW decider against Newcastle and lock in the city's first major grand final appearance in any code.

After defending premiers Newcastle beat Brisbane 30-24 in the first semi-final, the Titans held on to win a low-scoring affair against a bruised and battered Roosters in the second.

Brittany Breayley-Nati scored the Titans' sole try of the first half when she dated out of dummy-half, before Rilee Jorgensen, sent over a crucial penalty goal after the break.

Gold Coast dominated ball and territory in the second half, putting the game beyond doubt when Evania Pelite sent winger Destiny Mino-Sinapati over late.

The defeat leaves the Roosters out in the semi-final stage in back-to-back years, after topping the ladder in 2022 and finishing second this season.

The Tricolours have been hurt by injuries this year, with Jessica Sergis missing the semi-final with a finger issue and fullback Corban Baxter spending time off the field with an ankle problem on Sunday before moving to centre.

But with close to the league's best roster, they will feel they have underachieved not to make the decider.

The Titans' win gives them the chance to end the city' sporting curse, with no team from the glamour strip having previously reached a national top-grade final of any major sporting code.

To claim the club's first men's or women's premiership, the Titans must find a way to shut down Knights fullback Tamika Upton at Accor Stadium next Sunday.

The superstar number one scored one try and set up two others in the Knights' win over Brisbane on Sunday, running 202 metres and busting 12 tackles in the process.

She had a hand in two early tries as the minor premiers sprinted out to an 18-0 lead after 18 minutes, before they were forced to withstand a second-half Brisbane comeback.

In front of a record crowd of 12,689 people in Newcastle, Brisbane worked their way back into the match at 18-10 after tries to Shenae Ciesiolka and Chelsea Lenarduzzi either side of the halftime.

Upton briefly halted the comeback with a try of her own, but Brisbane then got the score back to 24-18 with nine minutes to play.

Newcastle bench forward Tiana Davison gave the Knights breathing room with a 12-point lead late, before they held on for the last three minutes after Brisbane winger Lauren Dam scored to make it 30-24 late.

Teenage half Jesse Southwell also nailed five-from-five with the boot for the Knights, with kicking proving the difference as both sides finished with five tries.

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Caitlan Johnston of the Knights celebrates a try as Newcastle downed the Broncos for a place in the grand final.(Getty Images: Scott Gardiner)

Newcastle's title defence on track

Newcastle's NRLW title defence remains on track after they wrapped up a grand final spot with a thrilling 30-24 win over Brisbane at home.

In a brutally one-sided opening, the Knights shot to an 18-0 lead within 18 minutes before withstanding a second-half fightback from the Broncos.

Tamika Upton was again the star for the home side, with the Dally M favourite scoring one try and setting up two.

In a dominant display, Upton ended with 202m, 12 tackle busts and three linebreaks.

Hannah Southwell scored from an Upton offload for her first NRLW try in her sixth season, while fellow forward Caitlan Johnston also ran onto a grubber kick from the number one.

Teenage half Jesse Southwell also nailed five-from-five with the boot, with kicking proving the difference as both sides finished with five tries.

The Knights will play the winner of Sunday afternoon's other semi-final between the Sydney Roosters and Gold Coast.

Newcastle have been the runaway best team this season, with their only loss coming against the lowly-ranked Cowboys in the second round.

But they were forced to fight hard to hold on for victory on Sunday.

After Upton dominated the first half, Brisbane was by far the better team in the second.

The Broncos worked their way back into the match at 18-10 after tries to Shenae Ciesiolka and Chelsea Lenarduzzi either side of the break.

But they were left to rue a Gayle Broughton error from within their own half, opening the door for Upton to score and make it 24-10.

Brisbane fought back back to 24-18 with nine minutes to play, before bench forward Tiana Davison again gave the Knights breathing room with a 12-point lead.

Lauren Dam scored a late try for the Broncos to give them a chance in their final set, but the Knights were able to survive and keep their title defence alive.

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Posted 8 hours agoSun 24 Sep 2023 at 4:15am, updated 4 hours agoSun 24 Sep 2023 at 8:46am

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