The Yass Magpies have booked their place in the Grand Final for the second consecutive year while the Queanbeyan Blues won a nail-biter.
Yass Magpies 42 (Tries: S Afele, G Davis, L Prosser, T Peace, J Cooke, G Suckling, E Winbank, E Banks; Goals: S Wright 4, H Massey) d Valley Dragons 6 (Tries: A Ingram; Goals: A Ingram)
The Yass Magpies secured their place in the Grand Final after a 42-6 win over the Valley Dragons at Walker Park.
After absorbing plenty of early pressure from the Yass Magpies, it was the Valley Dragons who took the lead when five-eighth Ahlivia Ingram shaped to pass before crashing over the line.
With a passionate local crowd cheering them on, the Magpies levelled proceedings as Sami Afele ran through and scored.
Moments later the Magpies took the lead for the first time as Gabbie Davis danced her way through tiring defenders to poke through a gap and run 30 metres to score.
Lucy Prosser extended Yass’ lead before the break as a Magpies set play was executed to perfection when Eilish Winbank sent the fullback through for a try.
There was still time for another Yass try before the break and Winbank was again the provider as she drew in the defence before sending Tessa Peace through. Massey missed the sideline conversion but the Magpies entered the break with a 20-6 lead.
Yass continued piling on the pressure after the break as they scored again, this time through Jenna Cooke after she gathered an Afele offload.
Gab Suckling and Hollie Massey combined for what was arguably the try of the evening as the to playmakers caused havoc for the Dragons. Suckling started the move with a line break before passing to Massey who in turn offloaded to the supporting Suckling who scored.
Eilish Winbank danced her way through the defence to score a dazzling solo try down the touchline.
Emily Banks wrapped up the game for Yass after she gathered a Logan Davis offload to score.
The Valley Dragons will now face the Queanbeyan Blues in next week’s Preliminary Final. The winner from the match will face the Yass Magpies in the Grand Final at GIO Stadium.
Queanbeyan Blues 12 (Tries: N Nowicki; P Condon, T Thorpe) d Boomanulla Buffaloes 10 (Tries: M Burton 2 Goals: A Kyburz)
The Queanbeyan Blues qualified for next week’s Preliminary Final after defeating the Boomanulla Buffaloes 12-10 in a nail-biting match at Walker Park.
The Blues claimed the lead after five minutes as a Jacinta Williams cut out pass found Natalie Nowicki who scored out wide.
The Buffaloes hit back shortly afterwards as Madeline Burton sliced her way through the Queanbeyan defence to run 50 meters and score.
Burton had her second shortly afterwards when Karen Lyons managed to offload close to line leaving the fullback little work to do.
Queanbeyan prop Danielle De Groot gave away a penalty right in front of the posts as halftime neared but Boomanulla playmaker Kyree Parsons missed from the tee. However, Boomanulla entered the break with a 10-4 lead.
Both sides had players sent off in the second half as Burton and Tracy Hunter were given their marching orders.
The Blues fought their way back into the match and were rewarded when Payge-Louise Condon gathered an offload to score.
Taylor Thorpe gave the Blues the lead not long afterwards when halfback Sade Rihari drew in the defence before passing to the lock. However, Condon missed her third conversion as the margin between the sides was only two points.
As time wound down on the clock, there was no twist in the tale as the Blues held on for the win. The Buffaloes, on the other hand, see their season come to an end.
