Tarsha Gale 2025

tries
  • Brandy Simpson 19'
  • Summer Dowell 22'
  • Summer Dowell 26'
  • Molly Pittman 29'
  • Molly Pittman 37'
  • Summer Dowell 42'
  • Saxbii SHAW 53'
  • Saxbii SHAW 56'
 
Brandy Simpson is an interesting one.
I searched for her during the week and found she played second row for Wyong under 17s last year, so I expected she'd be big and fast since we named her on the wing. She actually looks like a real tall athlete and when she got in the clear she was very fast. She made a lot of errors in this game and I expect it's a huge step up in class for her, but she's got the size and pace to be something special I think.
 
We don't know if Souths will turn out to be weak in the forwards compared to other sides - but it was very clear in LF and TG that our forwards dominated yesterday.
The starting middles in TG were Ahsam, Montgomery and Norton and all three played big minutes and easily won the forward battle. Ahsam is in the NRLW squad, but I'd say she was outplayed by both Montgomery and Norton - not that Ahsam went badly, just the other two were fantastic - and we didn't lose much, if anything, when the bench forwards got short stints.
I didn't really get the names of the middles in LF apart from Wilenhaus who was outstanding last year, but the LF middles dominated even more than TG.
Anyway, it might turn out that Souths are in for a long year and have no decent forwards, or maybe we have a great crop of middle forwards coming through - or both could be true.
 
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www.nswrl.com.au

Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup Highlights - Round One

Catch up on the highlights from the opening round of action in the Westpac Tarsha Gale Cup. To watch every NSWRL game LIVE in 2025, subscribe to BarTV at https://www.bartvsports.com.au/nswrltv/
www.nswrl.com.au www.nswrl.com.au

Knights highlights start at 5.50

I see Summer Dowell had a try assist to Brandy Simpson as well as 3 tries. That left side of Fane Finau, Summer Dowell and Brandy Simpson is going to score a lot of tries. Not shown is when Fane Finau got over the line and the ref called a forward pass.
 
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Billy said:
We don't know if Souths will turn out to be weak in the forwards compared to other sides - but it was very clear in LF and TG that our forwards dominated yesterday.
The starting middles in TG were Ahsam, Montgomery and Norton and all three played big minutes and easily won the forward battle. Ahsam is in the NRLW squad, but I'd say she was outplayed by both Montgomery and Norton - not that Ahsam went badly, just the other two were fantastic - and we didn't lose much, if anything, when the bench forwards got short stints.
I didn't really get the names of the middles in LF apart from Wilenhaus who was outstanding last year, but the LF middles dominated even more than TG.
Anyway, it might turn out that Souths are in for a long year and have no decent forwards, or maybe we have a great crop of middle forwards coming through - or both could be true.
Click to expand...
Forwards were super Billy. Bench forwards in particular Wilenhaus as you mentioned and Stella Lewis was very dominant when she came on, super aggresive ball runner, Got foot written all over her. Aus school girls this year with Mercedez

Rabbits have a pretty poor pathways for the girls so not the greatest guide. Have Rooster Indigineous team next week who were underfeated last yr I think and have a quality squad this year. Got beat round 1 though by an impressive Tigers team
 

Tarsha Gale Cup v Indigenous Academy Roosters​

1. Macey Cox
2. Tayla-Jane Belcher
3. Saxbii Shaw
4. Summer Dowell
5. Stevie Botham
6. Aylah McCulloch
7. Maronay Smuts
8. Leilani Ahsam
9. Charley Lahmert
10. Elizabeth Montgomery
11. Fane Finau
12. Evah McEwan
13. Charlie Norton (C)

Interchange

14. Molly Pitman
15. Sarah Shankley
16. Stella Lewis
17. Jayda Maniapoto

Extended Bench

19. Georgie Pratley

Coach: Bec Young

Evah McEwen in for Georgie Pratley and Botham in for Brandy Simpson.

Brandy Simpson looked like a great athlete last week - tall, strong and fast - but she cost us possession 3 or 4 times at least through things like incorrect play the balls or poor passes. I think she'll be back by the end of the season, but needs to work on basics first.

Last week I didn't know how Norton and the two hookers would go, and Evah was a late drop out.

This week i'll say it's the best TG pack we have had. Norton and the two starting props are all great - and Evah and Fane might be as good as our second row combination in our first year of TG - Caitlan Johnson and Olivia Kernick. The two hookers are both clever ballplayers and hard workers.
 
NBN article on Stella Lewis

I thought she had a hell of a game as bench prop till taken off with HIA.
Not named this week - I assume because of HIA.

Article says she captained Australia schoolgirls v PNG.

Last week she was bending the line and making breaks or halfbreaks every time she ran.

www.nbnnews.com.au

Port Macquarie’s Stella Lewis begins Newcastle Knights NRLW training - NBN News

Stella Lewis is proving to be a local success story from Port Macquarie - who's signed a three year
www.nbnnews.com.au www.nbnnews.com.au
 
Grandfinal rematch this week.
Knights v Illawarra in Illawarra

Both sides only have 1 loss so far, but Illawarra has better form I think.
Having said that, we had our best game of the season last week and I think we can do better again this week.
 
half the side is out this week.

Bec Young or Jefferies might be trying to send a message about the poor effort last week.

Out;
  • Ava Glassie
  • Charley Lahmert
  • Charlie Norton
  • Emiah Stokes
  • Evah McEwen
  • Fane Finau
  • Maronay Smuts
  • Sarah Shankley
In;
  • Ashleigh Loft
  • Lauren Filip
  • Malaki Poa
  • Rihanna Quinn
  • Sophie Hedley
  • Stevie Botham
  • Taylah-Jane Belcher
 
We can make the top 6 if results go our way.
We will finish on 12 points - which only the top 2 are sure of beating, so there are 4 sides we can go past if results go our way to jump from 7th to 6th.
 
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