NRL WA Westpac Women's Premiership Round 16: Ellenbrook Rabbitohs v Fremantle Roosters

[Music] he [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] good evening welcome to game two of the westpack women's Premiership the final round Game of the Year Ellen Brook rabido taking on the freem man or roosters top spot on the line here Freo well they're playing for fun here as we get producer Harley out of the box uh Ellenbrook Rabbid o well any win for them here this evening even a draw gives them that top spot no sorry draw doesn't must win to get the minor Premiership and book themselves Donnie a spot straight in the Grand Final absolutely it's it's a preliminary final basically for the elbrook rabbos if they they win they're in the Grand Final uh that's that's the simple equation uh like you said a draw is not good enough and uh the Freeman roosters it's an interesting one for them though isn't it because well they're going to finish third Win Lose or Draw I mean of course if they if they lose by uh 130 then then they could drop down but I don't think that's going to happen uh so really there's not what's the motivation for the roosters nck It's Tricky I mean it's one of those awkward days where they G themselves up all week all Friday you're at work you're getting ready to this big fixture then they then they see the 8 n in the first 5 minutes of the first fixture of the night and they go fuel we're all right here then all of a sudden it's a four-point margin it's a level ball game you're in the middle of you warm up you got to G yourselves up again I would say this would be a mentally fatigued outfit now knowing that they don't have to win this game for anything to be achieved well I I'll tell you what who who do they play next week if they win oh that's who do they play next if they win if they win this game they play the same team they they get a they get a psychological advantage over the ook rabbit o they win here tonight they get the psychological advantage heading into the preliminary the actual preliminary final next week well do you actually fancy yourself two weeks in a row against the rabbito or would you rather leave it to the Last Dance a lot of questions Ru hanaki and we nothing set to start us off and then we Kickstart things off the first possession of the game for the elen brook rabitos very good return of the footy Ru anari has done it all year watched April Allen in the game previous and followed on suit with a 70 M return of well the first two runs here for the elbrook rabbos it looks like the freem manal roosters are quite happy to play a little bit of touch football the elbrook side just rumbling straight through the middle now T tal plays the ball work out Mahi CLA just takes them on spinning towards the line rolls over did she get to the line just short Miker a dummy half goes for for a D and Dives over right in the corner talana Mika scores the first try of this game and it's 4-0 kick to come Ellen Brook great start didn't disguise this too well always was going to be looking to the left and just need a little more communication there Jenkins was left with a one-on-one with two meters to cover tricky one to hold out Rabbid o That's the start they want and you weren't wrong Donny rolling back in defense to start that one off Freeman put themselves in a vulnerable position took full advantage of the Ellen book rabitos at home tonight at Charlotte Vineyard reserve and they look the goods Kaye Thompson from the sideline we saw what one of one out of six in the game previous converted a lot of them were from the sideline Kaye Thompson with a decent nudge could get a good record underway tonight yeah one of the one of the best in the business in terms of uh in terms of goal kickers but uh it's a it's a difficult one to start but uh one of I want to pick up on one of the things you said there that she was always going to run from dummy half there m she didn't disguise it very well and yet still there were no Defenders on that side she had no choice but to run it was it was an easy decision as you say one-on-one with with Jenkins and she was always going to win that battle as that one out to the left and waved away so it will be Ellen Brook to lead Four Points to nil on the field to go and play scoreboard just where you need comms to be at its best first couple minutes of the game You' think you got enough energy to spit one out of just well to be on the outside shoulder here so can I get one of you markers to come across with me and there was no one really to pull across they were well set out to the right hand side just got to communicate make sure those numbers are matched up all around the park early especially against a class outfit like Kellen Brook Rabbid nowhere for the roosters to go unless as you said Donny what was the number about about 130 somewhere somewhere if it gets close to there then then we'll start to do the math I think two points a minute that's a bit of math if we if we get close to that then uh we might have time to do the math cuz I don't know whether we'll be still paying too much attention to the game to touch football through the middle of the Park good little run and a off the right foot offload was good enough Rush defense now is a little bit splintered ends up being last tackle from Analise Henry Turner inside for [Music] Aram up on the 40 inside ball nice little run on with a little bit of pace L Ona Bush eventually got up to play they kick it out a little bit wider scrubby ball not too much interest from the fullback forces Tina Jenkins to come in and do some more early work good net set defensively one just laying around Ina Turner at the bottom of that rock nice drag backwards Tackle by tumaru has had a good start to this game involved in attack and defense line spe tremendous roosters are going absolutely nowhere early here somehow are already 5 minutes into this quarter I mean this Turner lucky to get away with a little leg pull at the end of that just a little bit of extras getting paid under Claudia [Music] Foster Kaya Turner Wallace just commanding the troops around the pass it looks like Karina herner in in 15 adjust your notes not uh not Claudia Foster as it was originally named I haven't seen Claudia out there yet but uh if we see an error there from the roosters just getting towards the back end of their set unable to come up with a a completion would have been an important one for them to complete unable to do so now tmara taking that one forward and then Ruru haki she's chopped down in a good attacking position now sarra Assam out on the field and they back away and they part like the Red Sea no one wanted to tackle eventually it is made by Turner Wallace the dummy and go is now the Rabbid o through Turner Jah Turner put down pointing over to the the right hand side Kaylee Thompson double pumped tmara she's got the black number on which uh makes it uh well difficult to pick up but she's the only one in a different Jersey so we'll be able to work it out Jah turn turn again charging out of the line puts a kick in behind it sits up nicely for Marshall and the roosters Come Away With It good pick up by Marshall as well ball coming at PACE took it on the half volley pretty clearly and wanted to get on with the job checkins under some pressure early little bit of a noie headlock on the way down not a high tackle just on the slip through toy wo slips off the tackle ass arm cleans it up a little unorganized out to the left here going to make an awkward one-on-one wide Isabelle Bailey just gets dragged across and all the way over into touch yeah was isolated and they identified it really early and dragged her 15 M into touch this looks like a switched on rabido team right now uh they look dialed in and and ready for finals this is a a tuneup game for them little run around the park won five premier ships in a row they had every Premiership in the League's history until last year where junop tipped them [Music] off just going to get these tackles down didn't seem to bother haly hermiah too much goldsworthy Taps and gives it on now to Aram and again reluctant Defenders get in on saham so now with CLA holded out the back r looking to stand up Marshall goes back infield does that little thing where she teleports ends up in one position where you can't even work at how she got there now they come back towards the middle Assam again going the only Direction she knows how to she's on a oneway track now jera Turner they go out and laning not Bush Coming Back Against the Grain well coming over the top I don't know who was that was flying in Smash is known a bush prevents her from getting into the in goal now Thompson kicks tips it on quickly juggled there by raki he will play it back to talara who again goes to Thompson Thompson's going to put the ball in the air juggle there from The freem manal Roosters but claimed in the in goal by Jenkins oh no said the first attempt to catch it was in the field of play and then went back into the in goal on the juggle and goal line Dropout putting a lot of pressure on Tina Jenkins early here she might even there to spell at some point in this game it's going to be a lot of effort if they keep targeting left wing drop out sits up pretty friendly for tuim Malu head a steam right back into the [Music] line flat ball toi [Music] waho pretty mundane start to the set exactly what Ellen Brook wants so they can put the pedal on later straight one for daa [Music] Turner right hand side Thompson Rush defense was good so just step back on the inside a little bit now the coms come from CA on the outside although we might have walked all the way over they used this a couple of weeks ago where they really wanted to play these ones quickly and now getting held up by the referee Assam good work early here he's got involved four runs already only 11 minutes in now they got to go deep miscommunication ball lands between both players saw running in the entire way there Turner was saying not me not me not me ball still went only about a meter behind her back 6 m in front of CLA who was running into some good space yeah was a tough one when you're that close to the tri line on last play you really need your halves to to get a little deeper as well Demi goldsworthy didn't seem to really know where that that pass was supposed to be going and uh it's got to be crisp in that situation and it simply wasn't about the only thing Ellen Brook has done so far tonight that hasn't been crisp though as the Freeman of roosters come up with a another error there's no real scoreboard pressure yet Don he but you can see very soon where this could start converting dangerously need to get out of their own half and quickly probably the quickest way at the moment is through conceding but we're not hoping for that we saw in the uh the first game tonight it was was 8 n after 5 minutes and uh we were worried about it blowing out this one still only 4-0 and we're we're almost 12 minutes in so and uh if Freeman will haven't played well uh but they're only 4-0 down that's the that's the positive for them it goes across to CLA CLA out the back it goes again there with Ruan Ari comes back in field didn't like what she had to the outside goldsworthy goes to Aram goes over the top of one leaves Turner Wallace in awake unable to put it to the ground she'll play the ball again back to goldsworthy goes to turn a short ball to Nona Bush Nona Bush will be put down onto a back so good work there defensively from The Roosters they work to the right hand side Kaylee Thompson short ball and they crash over well they go through huya swanel goes across to score the try she is a powerful ball runner on that right hand Edge we haven't seen a lot of her this year but she is a hell of a player and uh that's the kind of weapon and the weapon that she possesses close to the line very hard to stop yeah just saw both Defenders came out of the line pretty strongly Kaye Thompson just held the ball up for long enough it was no real mystery pass knew she was going to do it just had that outside Defender shoulder just committed a little bit too early believe it was Isabelle Bailey then just got turned around on the outside easy way to score through eight points to nil with a kick to come if she's uh having having a player like OU swanel on on out out on the edge there is is such a weapon for them you don't even need to isolate her one-on-one you can isolate her two onone and she'll be strong enough to to get the better of a two-on-one situation and score so uh close to the line as we saw there very difficult to stop 8 nil kick to come a very interesting atmosphere building down here lot of home fans have turned out for this alen Brook rabido final home game of the year get to watch a good nudge by Kaylee Thompson looked really good off the boot had no idea on the angle you can just tell by the strike that that was always going to be close and was more than close straight through the middle 10 nil on the FI to go on play scoreboard the rabbito in front and well freem manal they've had they've had no ball no territory but they've done it to themselves they've got no one to blame but themselves it's uh it's not the the referee that's gifting it to Ellen brook or anything of that that nature it's uh it's been errors from The Roosters so far that have well they just haven't allowed themselves into this contest yet [Music] Norton ready to kick off didn't quite like the placement of the ball on the te but she's ready to go now we're back underway that one off the legs there of Jean Alli eventually gets all of it that's stripped out is it lost that should be play O should be play like call it back back my instinct watching it live was it was ripped out but uh we've got three other people in there I think it was a good pickup I think it was a good leg drive and then I think it was a genuine drop we'll see first attacking piece really for the roosters here now goes a deep one first stop no real way through the hole what was the Jersey change again again there Donnie that's Karina horina forgot to actually change it on the old notes still work their way up through the line Ren going backwards at the moment still though need to come on with a little bit of conviction didn't know we had a 24 tonight it's always difficult with a Freeman roosters isn't it I I saw the 24 that came up with the ball from that uh that knock on from Alli me trying to work out who it was is [Music] Marshall set to go Cas Jetta from the half King out of that seven jersey tonight don't know where she's ended up ball comes loose at the bottom got to be played through this time goldsworthy nowhere really to go hurts the knee a little bit on the way down maybe no just a Grimace on the face raki early in the set deep in the half just really accelerates them out of that danger zone nicely I've love the the work rate from raki tonight as Kaye Thompson splits him through the middle looking for support trying to position anyone no one was supporting just has to take the tackle there in the end now it goes to Turner Jah Turner well she's always loved the contact I think 13 to spot now they come across to this left-and side Going Back Against the Grain pen grenell will play the ball back now they come across to CLA CLA fires it across they go wide and a great shot oneon-one there well she's been targeted Tina Jenkins she comes up with a good tackle there I think that was just a slip actually and an error as well so there should be some pats on the back for Tina Jenkins that's a good hit a good play thought for a second there might have been a little bit wobbly but on second consideration it's a slip look at the contact chest on chest good to see well it's been a good battle out there talana m got the better of it with the first try of the game did not get the bit off it that time then forced an awkward play of the ball rolled it down off The Shins another defensive player after two rounds it's uh it's one round a piece we're 19 all on the 10-point mar system heaps of footy [Music] left the roosters working out of their Enda Bush coming up with that tackle little run from dummy half this time from Higgins nowhere for her to go though not sure where she was trying to go but uh and comes up with the eror she comes up but and basically gives the uh the referee for either signal I've just dropped it I don't have the ball anymore there some bit of chat after as well they're looking to impact on this game rabbit o well the home crowd is uh is having an impact you can can hear them making a a little bit of noise in the effects Mars their impact has been noted it's always nice when you get an opportunity to play at home now cope can't miss twoy cope with the throwback the flash of blond here Jah Turner dummies to the outside declare but didn't even look at her I don't know whether a dummy is effective when you don't look at where you're trying to dummy to CLA now gets the pass comes out and again ruer and Ary involved Karin Horner comes up with the tackle clearing out a dummy half they go the pass a couple of wide and there's been a whistle which I'm it's against here and it's almost vicious well as soon as the whistle came it had to be against against Ellen Brook cuz there was no playing of the advantage you'll have a look on the replay just slapped down maybe just thought there was more in that first one than there was yeah she was trying to slap the arm away and missed there was nothing in that at all on the replay I think he's gone off Vibes though there was clear intent there was an angry R Anarchy that's for sure he's a big Vibe man James magio loves the castle just waiting for Norton to come across kick this one for some meters n minutes to go in the first [Music] half float has flown past this first half we've got a vocal supporter near the effects [Music] Mike giving plenty of advice maybe we'll just let uh let her commentate the the rest of this half neck there's enough there to be warranted just get her to send in her invoice on time that's all we ask across the back roosters defense looks really good from the AL kbos going to have to talk about it at some point tonight as well looking like a unit that's worked on their communication it's been slow starts to the year defensively they've let through one or two at the start of each half probably the last four or five weeks now as well it's been a worry Norton's going to kick right through the center of the ground to relieve some pressure not much pressure they're going to be starting inside the roosters half that was a fabulous defensive set their Lin speed is exceptional everything they are doing is at PACE and Freeman will just don't look like they they have time they can't get into the contest they can't get into the grind they they are struggling to compete with the Rabbid o right now it's only 10- n but it it it feels much worse than that was just a different side we spoke about it in fact last week Donnie where oh we get half a little break from rangar ranga in the middle maybe we'll wait two tackles left in the set [Music] set ready to fire the Rabbid o again Thompson pumping faking again surrenders nicely keeps the ankle for the finals last Turner really high testing out wide again still holding her own after those first couple of testers Tina Jenkins half a meter out from the line and they're going to start their set from Deep again get a penalty as well a little bit of pressure Lea but uh oh no actually I forgot the point I was going to come back to about alen Brook dony give me a second well that that that'll that penalty will certainly help uh again Tina jenin put under all sorts of pressure she stood up to most of it here tonight she's having a fine game uh yeah under under plenty of pressure I think you've got it back Nick yeah I've got that one back it's a a really different outfit and we touched on it a lot last week where I said Freeman AR roosters are probably the best at home side they play so well at Tre Community Center and they do get to play a lot of good games there some good Friday night fixtures they got good home crowd they get good support and it's just it looks like a totally different outfit once we go 50 50 minutes north it just is a bit of a drive might affect them the home crowd is certainly good obviously playing on the Rabbid O's home turf doesn't help either now Norton well looked to throw the long pass out to the Winger who was about 3 m in front of her by the time she wanted to throw it and uh wisely held on to it and decided to just take the tackle like they've actually got into the rabbit O's half there I I think that's the first time in the game is that the first tackle in the rabbit O's half in the game we'll get the statman on it he's looking R hanaki looking at the defense oh big seat belt she wants to go again here as well well didn't bother her she was was ready to go get up and keep going they have already been warned for high tackles Freeman this is going to hurt if he's going to reach for the pocket all the 10 fingers probably just good refereeing there he's noted down the number so that's a big warning there right against anise Henry but I would dare say the next one's probably going one of the bin regardless Donnie yeah they they won't they won't get a third warning you wouldn't think Kaye Thompson look to find touch oh she struck that quite quite as well as she would have liked as we're used to seeing it wasn't the uh the crisp sound of the Kaye Thompson boot that uh I'm used to hearing through the through the winter time but it finds the sideline all the same and they go on the attack now through Lona bush play the ball as they come back towards the middle and Jah Turner had the arm free couldn't pop that one out the back to tukki waho was who was in support she gets a run now Tuk waho chop down low plays it back to goldsworthy they work towards the right hand side with Thompson Thompson dummy go slices through fending the fullback chest and she has a bit of chirp as well as she brings it around to score side the post well a bit of kayy Thompson Brilliance if you don't mind just all class around the park at the moment gave him a favorable fer position off the back of a good high tackle and oh yeah Kaye Thompson say no more love that show on the outside the half pass he kept it in one hand and never really had to transition off the right foot just kept the angle strong I'd love to know what she had to say as she she gave the F there to keani Atwell and then sort of turned around and had something to something to say uh I'm not sure exactly who it was direct directed to whether it was Atwell or whoever it might have been involved in that uh that last tackle a moment ago 14 points to NE kick to come a chance now for Kylie Thompson make it 16 blot just before half time they've been uh pretty professional in the way that they've they've gone about it so far the rabbit o three tries to nothing they haven't they haven't blown The Roosters off the park they've they've looked in complete control of this game from kickoff but they haven't they haven't completely gotten rid of the roosters uh which might be somewhat concerning I think as well you got to start looking at what are the rabido start to look to achieve now through the second half I mean we're about to go into the halftime break a comfortable is lead you'd say they can turn it on at any moment but you really now start to instead of just trying to score and run and win one-on ones work through the next couple of weeks work through cuz this could be the last 30 minutes they play until the grand final which could be a big hindrance in some aspects you know you might want to actually start to run through a bit of your systems for that Grand Final Daye yeah you absolutely right I mean this I sort of said it in passing earlier on in this half that this is a this is a tuneup for them this is a tuneup game for them to to work on things that you they're going to have to have to get right on Grand final day and theoretically they could be playing this team in the Grand Final I mean freem could definitely beat Jun up next week it's more the question to me of do you move do you practice with Kaye in expecting her to be there or do you now shift her one pass out two passes out that one's going to go straight out uh and maybe just you know obviously Dre Turner's always good with the ball cla's always good with the ball but just getting a bit more ball into their hands through the second half maybe beneficial or do you want Thompson really just getting in the flow of things yeah I I think you want you want to keep doing what you you plan to do on Grand final day uh they they really haven't had a lot of time this season with their best team this is the strongest looking team I've seen from the rabbito so far this year and uh I think they're all in the right spots and you want to try and make sure those combinations are as crisp as they can be probably the one worry out there I'm just trying to see if she's back out now but Freda Aram had the first one of the first hit-ups of the game and then haven't seen a return just of yet to the park at all which is probably a concern if we haven't seen her come off the bench she did start the game and off the kickoff already looked a little bit awkward good shovel out the right hand side in the meantime Thompson with an arm free using it to swat away all opponents Turner straightens up in the line ignores the run on the outside CLA set left Thompson right instead jabby little kick to the corner disrupted by and and there'll be six again to The Allenbrook rabido over on the far side they know there's not long left here until the break so they they're going to have to it's a touch play the ball and then there's the saen sound so they're not going to get to B bring the ball into play so that should be the halftime saen we got a double as well there got a little bit Keen gave it two presses 160 the halftime score here Ellen Brook rabbito is looking like they're halfway well EX L halfway to getting one hand on to a grand final spot if they can go on to win this one they'll be booking themselves a ticket all the way to the end in only two weeks time we'll take a short break and we'll be right back with the second half right after this [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] welcome back second half of the final game of the year in this West Pack women's Premiership just about to get underway 16 points to Neil the rabido one hand on the minor Premier ship and that spot in the Grand Final roosters well you got to be nervous there got to be a decent team chat at halim Donnie and whether it was let's get ready for the Giants next week or let's at least show up and front up for this second half I'm sure that story is going to get told in the next half an hour they they weren't in that first half at all they I think there was one tackle in the rabido half in in that entire 30 minutes they they didn't have any territory they had barely any possession The only positive for for the freem man of roosters is that it's only 16 n correct because it feels like it should be 30 n like it has been all Ellenbrook they have dominated that first 30 uh Freeman they've got to find some way of getting in this game because as we said they next week they play Ellen Brook again in a grand final exactly they don't want to be going in with with this in mind with this game in mind where they've been completely dominated uh so they want to be better in this second 30 Norton gets us back underway straight to Ru hanaki wants to Dish off on the outside that's the player that you were looking for before three to back up back on oh so yeah there we go has completed another set thank you you pointed at me and you freak me out of my own mission goes to the other Assam for tackle too thought you were pointing out something with r hanakan I thought it was pretty regulation to be honest it's just an offload T forward was just just before half time you were concerned that something may have happened to FR to R arm but I can't see any strapping or anything either so we'll take a close look as the half progresses hopefully nothing too major Thompson for the second time tonight surrendering under her own volition coach's orders Maybe speculation can run R there I think it was on that occasion H swell sort of ran in front of her so didn't want to get penalized for an obstruction she was surrendered in the tackle as rabitos get through their first set and just a little dab down into the corner it's not going to go dead it's a perfectly weighted kick Thompson chases her own kick as a true professional that she is and a goal line Dropout he probably had to take the risk there that that was was going to take another bounce or two and just body block left it a long long time there tan Higgins had had time had time I think to be able to wait and hope that it took a a friendly role but uh probably on this bounce here had to grab it if she was going to go one bounce later and adds up to a lot of time in the chasing defense shorsh Dropout it's going to gift a really nice set towards the line here for Ellen book rabbit o and Donny will try keep alive on the stat from this position will they get a tackle in the opposition half we'll see hanaki was Dr down Assam Sarah variety works up into the line little carry for CLA off to the other Aram fre to this time to ground brought it in nicely Dr Turner wants this one a little bit quicker out to the right runs into a short hole half wi herself take it out to the wait for the [Music] whistle clear instruction to slow these held UPS down this week finally sitting ready now ass arm again doing a better job of tackling her this half been told they have to commit around miscommunication on the back door again it's been selling it to Weller freder Aram just carries it into the line change over that's twice tonight that she's been screaming for the ball on an obvious fake and they've tried to pass it to her thinking the original moves off it that was that was almost comical that one she was screaming for the ball while pointing back to Kaylee Thompson at the same time and yet the ball went to free Ram like it went behind Jah to completely the wrong player so that's that's something that Ellen Brook will want to sharpen up in the next four not it's twice as well yep it makes a big difference two very important goal line sets going to stray still puts the hard Mission made even harder by an errant pass for freemer to get into the opposition half Henry showed on the [Music] outside Turner Wallace picked up and put down onto a back and again just controlling things slowing things down we get to the kick for Beth Norton again from deep inside her own territory gets plenty of it it's a nice uh nice nudge there from Beth Norton they get some oh and and a penalty well saw it real time didn't want to comment it FL around I was like a Just Let It Go but no you've got you've got to call it when you see it I think they've just got a little bit of a blessing of the halftime cool down there from the referee as well remember there was a message that went out in the other other rugby code a few years ago of we're letting too many boys on Final warnings get away with it when the next half starts and luckily he's met the moment of the game and said no that one that's okay that high tackle yeah that one was there was wasn't too much uh ferocity in that one uh although there was two warnings in the the first half for Freeman or for high shots as Tu cope takes the tap and go it's a player that's got a hell of a lot of skill like just a a real bag of trick tricks to he cope and I don't know that we've quite seen the best of her in 2024 rabito another opportunity to attack after the penalty as Jah Turner holds the ball out in front gets it underneath to toaru toaru will play the ball and again Jah Turner white goes to the line and just opens up well you could have driven a truck through that Gap and Jah turn is too good a player not to take that opportunity I think a lot of players might have kicked off the right foot maybe you know 5 or 6 M earlier than Turner did there but I think she identified the Gap and kept growing it by running on the outside there was no reason to step until you met the defensive line and that's that little bit of footy knowledge that you got to have we got a 2 m Gap let's make it six and guarantee this try really suck the defense across and yeah eventually you just go off the right foot score it underneath and easy job for the kicker and Kaye Thompson 20 potentially about to be 22 points to nil yeah it's concerning that that that's a concerning try there for for jiah Turner because that that Gap opens up because of fatigue but we're only a few minutes into this second half fatigue shouldn't be a big issue but there was clearly a player on the inside that just did not slide at all and that opened up a massive gap for jiah Turner to slide through um some big question marks right now for the roosters and some serious chat there in that huddle it looks composed though which is also the scary part of it you know when you're getting the condensed version of an angry chat that there is some steaming anger behind some of the words 22 to n conversion successful it's going to be a big fact finding week through the vision I think for the roosters just a completely different side than we've seen competing at triy community center for the last month and it' be interesting I haven't been able to spot too many around in the crowd but a few would have stayed to watch this game from the junle up Giants important Intel coming out of this game knowing who's running where it is a late Friday night but at least it's semilocal to the Giants themselves yeah so I think it's you a bit of a positive being in in Ellen Brook for for the Giants you'd expect that uh a lot of them would have would have stuck around uh they might be over on the the camera side so we can't can't see them but there'll certainly be uh a n Stevens wouldn't have gone too far I wouldn't have thought tonight she'll be there trying to get any in she can is an error there for the rabitos oh we've got an opportunity now for Freeman forward half possession Donnie your favorite maybe even a tackle inside the 20 here might be coming up points on offer none of those latter ones we don't care about them anymore well let's hope that they don't knock on at the base of the scrum here already seen one tonight was for Ellen Brook though or was it in the previous all together Donnie I've lost track on a Friday night Norton shows up into the line maning Daniel was wrapped up pretty smartly by swanel in the end very narrow in towards the rack nowhere really to go [Music] fora now the shape sets out left hand side Norton's just trying to part between two forwards gets the ball now back door released it well there was no one really left on the outside though for Higgins one more to play with slow rock Nona Bush just holds it down doesn't get blown can get a good set up split the park in two here option coming on last all the fingers are pointing to the right Norton early release through the hands jeda couldn't hold on for long enough and we're going to turn this one over about 10 m out from the the elen brook rabbit o line no real finish to the set no real much of anything in the set to be quite honest Nick the I mean the the Ellenbrook defense need needs a lot of credit uh that they certainly shut down anything that looked like developing and they're up in the face there of of the freem metal roosters and uh and controlled that that set defensively they they never looked in any any danger any trouble and they've uh they've done it well because one aspect I guess we haven't spoken about that the Rabbid o might want to want to explore is to test their their their goal line defense you just intentionally make a few few errors and put the themselves under under pressure and see how they hold up to that uh you know do a fair bit of Defense on your own line but they look on they look in a bit of a mood to me yeah they look like they just want to carry on with the job here they're not going to take any silly risks that's for sure from this position here on in but certainly just converting and getting that confidence of getting over the line is something that's going to be held towards them even like this with Lona Bush era which will be handy for freem manal L on Bush probably has had the least amount of carries in a game she's ever had tonight so Shar had the ball around where we know that she wants to do at least a hit up a set every other week and really spends any time on the bench but has been able to un inject herself from the game tonight which is good and I would think maybe with 10 minutes to go she might re inject herself just to get that last bit of lactic through push yourself make sure you got a bit of Fitness under the belt defensively though to come back on your original point though don't I don't think they're going to be interested in purposely marching themselves down the field I tell you what if you're if you're the the El grabos coach this might be the most nervous 20 minutes of your season yeah the only thing you you want to avoid you don't want anybody getting injured uh you've got uh got this game sewn up you've got on a Premiership sewn up youve got a place in the Grand Final sewn up but you still got 20 minutes to get through where uh you don't want anyone getting hurt it's such a tricky conundrum that I still can't quite work out in my head one game of finals for finishing on top you've got just one one big game it's true we off the week off with not that you know there's a lot a game of foot is a game of footy but you raise your heart rate a lot when you get to that first week of finals the first 15 minutes of your first game of fin is the tightest you'll ever be then you settle into the fixture but to not have that little go at the line before we get to the big dance it is risky is that actually over the line maybe pushed over into touch it was just weird celebrations it must have all being Ellen Brook fans yeah it's the Ellen Brook fans uh celebrating the getting tackled into touch and some good defense up against the sideline just knocking Tiana Jenkins into touch but uh yeah you're you're right and and I'm I'm sure uh you know nlwa would have loved the the westpack women's Premiership to have a you know top four finals team and be going into finals this weekend rather than uh the next weekend but again if you've got a four team competition like it it's you got to kick someone out well exactly it's never good when every team from round one is in finals no matter what they do you could win win zero games and make finals which isn't fair and if you ask the question Nick would you like a fifth team not this year I think we've had a good competition there is no knock on the competition at all nlwa have put on a good West back Women's Premier ship for another year I just get concerned give me eight teams mate that's we'll get more don't worry this is growing nice little pick back through the middle loose footy here for swanel and the rabbit o they're quickly shifting back deep out left hand side look for a couple of releases of hands they might want to get into some good work here back door double shift Turner ball was not the greatest and then Ru hanaki taken high again just swinging arms over the top yeah halted wanted to get back in defense now shefford salt this might be it is it yeah I think it has to be it well the rare fourth warning I I respect it because there is no volition Behind These tackles at 22 to nil but you're very lucky Freeman or roosters outfit and that's just ugly footy underneath I'm not sure exactly what occurred there it looked like she almost intentionally kicked it but I think she dropped it and then kicked it and then Freeman will knock it on as well so knock on both ways worst tap in history there it um we've seen some bad we've we've seen two bad ones tonight we saw one in the first game a a tap from the 20 M restart that was a knock on under no pressure and uh that one from a tap restart was no better as freder Assam getting phys Le there like she was trying to wrestle a steer but uh in the end the roosters allowed to play the ball trying to set some sort of platform again held up driven backwards and some not so pretty play comes out to Kesha Marshall who tries to change the point of attack and do what she does but handled well by the rabbit O's now the roosters again just with a hit up the ball comes free there was definitely two in the tackle and a penalty to The Roosters that's a fair enough penalty as well cautiously waiting to take the tap here just giving Ellen Brook plenty of time to be set up in defense great little tackle underneath by orangi Clair short side little dip for the roosters just crossing over the halfway line they still got good intent and the way they're looking to attack here it's just having no real effect what has been a very switched on defensive unit now the roosters look to work through a couple sets of hand well it hasn't been the best of performances by by freem manal but I mean you look at a few players that haven't appeared tonight uh so no caia Foster uh no Mah no no Alex King so there's there's a few few players that they they'll have to come back into the team that will certainly make a a difference uh but uh yeah it's it's their their physicality they've been physically dominated here by El Brook that's been probably the most concerning to me yeah the outs are outs uh don't get me wrong but it's it hasn't looked like a team that's missing players it looks like a team that's down in confidence it's the biggest worry in the last week before finals good inside B Ru hanaki still with 13 minutes to go here the score line is honestly the most impressive part of this evening uh and we could finally lengthen it back out again MAA through the line and they'll want to play this one quickly Nona Bush on the right hand side half wants this to go through Thompson get honed Thompson grubber through early in the set no one really on the same wavelength though surrender tackle one meter out from the line and maybe by desire threw the kick of Thomson herself that she wanted to defend up here absolutely just jammed down into a corner now let's turn up the heat with our defense they've uh their line speed's been pretty good all night I think Ellenbrook they'll be starting to Tire as well cuz they've played played at a pretty high intensity and you've got to got to think that's going to take it out of you towards the back end of a game so there'll be there'll be a few players for for the Rabbid o they lungs will be burning and this will be an important little period for them to get through as well it comes out trying to go through and the penalty earned there by herner just fighting to get up she's at a quiet night as well Karina Horner quite regularly one of the The Roosters best but uh earns a penalty for a side there there's that little turtle over the top there from uh taliana Mika just spent a little bit too too long in the rock [Music] and well there a there's a couple of little gifts here from from the referee I don't know whether there was much uh Laing that one just wants the general speed of the rock to be brought up a little bit but the first one was there first one was there one was there second one I think it was more the player with the ball that was uh was pushing than the than the tackler but uh referee sees what he sees and a penalty to the roosters and they'll uh they'll have a chance to to give themselves something to take into next week got to get consolation points if you think you're going to be any chance of going the double after this 10 minutes to go go comes up on our clock aam just wrangling second player into the tackle didn't quite hold on the whole way down they're all very flat out here the Roosters on the left hand side they're pulling jersey numbers from everywhere maybe a couple change at halime as well Norton always in the six at least out wider for Bailey managed to get that one in was a strong way to hold on to the footy and Bush just tries to disrupt the carry all the way through nice straighten run by believe jeda maybe in the middle no so it was Horner trying to get involved again or I'm wrong in both ways Henry Third Time Lucky getting there eventually Norton with a decent jab into the corner lost forward by the Freeman or roosters dotted down anyway and he's found a penalty for obstruction anyway yeah he's got so it's knock on by kha Marshall he's also got her in front of the kicker so penalty to the rabbit o so wrong in uh in many ways and uh what's been been the tiil of the tape particularly in this second half there's been have been a few plays that there's there been a lot of things that that haven't gone quite right Nick who's impressed you more tonight Donny the rabitos or the Giants two different oppositions yeah well I think that the Giants were certainly challenged I don't know I don't know that the rabbit o have been challenged all that much here tonight they've they've come out they've been on top from from the get-go I'll rephrase give me your rankings fourth to First tonight then let's uh if you want a pencil in the roosters at four I want you 321 above that well I think it's you got to go El Brook junal up and then uh North Beach so it stays pretty it stays pretty in it order pretty pretty much in terms of the lad although I think North Beach were more impressive than Freeman so far tonight but North Beach their season is done and you know you can understand that in a way I mean freem metal came into the this game after the results of uh that that first game they didn't have anything to play for really they were going to finish in third playing a preliminary final next week going to be a tuneup it just hasn't been a successful tuneup worrying times Turner flat good Mark up tackling across the face Fifth and last Dre Turner points high and right out to the right hand side Thompson will kick it for her nice one-on-one bubbles out backwards going to be lost forward in the end it should be freem man roosters ball across the back I think you're you're kind of right in in what you said would happen in this uh in this second half nick uh the rabbit o that does feel like they put a few different players in different positions key players that are you know Kaye Thompson maybe playing the the 58 roll or going into a a wider wider role and and letting you Jah Turner CLA is has uh just come back onto the field it looks like she's going into nine so they they're trying a few different things to think you never know what's going to happen in the Grand Final you want those players to be ver you have to be very versatile because I mean Kaylie Thompson all power to her but she's going to get targeted in a grand final that's for sure a knee could get very quickly popped out the side we do get to see throughout the season Turner and CLA play a lot of first receiving rle so they're actually they're not short of first receivers that's that's all through and through I think it's around the park exactly as you said let's all practice going in at half it's all practice maybe playing second pass out to a cope being a to get a couple more balls I mean Sarah Aram still out in the middle there but Freda probably is the worry is back off the field again only done the two stints tonight which whether it's a fitness whether it's a niggle whether it was yeah hit and now they're being cautious I'm not sure you just do want to test people and move them around L and Ona Bush still really not injected into the game tonight as well no you're you're right on that and toy cope is is an interesting one for me I'd love to see her get into the middle of the field playing in the that sort of Center role forward pass from dummy half a Long Way Forward from Demi goldsworthy she puts a hand up and apologizes uh but uh when your player overruns it like that you just could to have the discipline not to throw that pass um she she's one that that'll have a bit of work to do I think over the next two weeks Demi goldsworthy is has worked into into that nine roll she's done a lot of good things uh tonight hasn't been her best night uh she's she's thrown a couple of passes that haven't hit the mark and uh you know forward pass there um but very very good player definitely a real competitor um but will have an important role to play in in the coming weeks and she's going to need to get those plays right it's probably one of the most intimidating I think we spoke about it maybe six weeks ago Donnie it's probably the most intimidating Jersey just roll into in this competition is the number nine at Ellenbrook I mean we've seen how many players roll into that Jersey and become super super stars throughout this competition's last couple of years and yeah a lot of a lot of pressure gets put on Demi goldsworthy now stepping into that role but you just have to step up and suck it up because there's some key receivers on the outside that are demanding good pill absolutely I mean I mean the the loss of p pamar uh was was always going to be a difficult it was going to be a difficult void to fill uh and at the start of the year they they tried to transition uh minori CLA into that role uh didn't really work she never really looked comfortable in the nine roll and it was very regulation nothing wrong no no nothing wrong I never F fell in love with it yeah yeah she just she couldn't quite work out when to run when to pass what she was uh you it wasn't natural for her and uh they brought Demi goldsworthy in as the season has progressed and uh it seems to have allowed uh you know mahina to to sort of move into positions where she's a little bit more comfortable uh and a lot more effective for for the Rabbid o so I think it's been a good move uh but uh yeah she's uh definitely got a a massive job to do in the in the next couple of weeks as uh we see frer Assam bumps off one bumps off two gets to the fullback says get out of my way gets towards the line and she's about a meter short yeah it would have shut me up if she got that extra meet up now the pass goes out to Jah Turner tips it on to Kaye to son says have another try here are they're not going to stop her they come across desperate to try and stop her but never going to be able to do it who gets a double and the elen rabido celebrate as they stretch this to a 26 nil lead just look at that last little duck of the shoulder turns in so strongly and called it right even before it happened there Don you're not going to stop it because she just knows how to position that body when it Full Tilt and another good try to the elen rabid o a very good setup to a team that's going to be playing in 2 weeks time in a grand final 26 points to nil on the field to go and play scoreboard just the question is who are they going to verse roosters or Junel up right now Sports better taking any dollars you'll throw at them if you go the roosters they'll take all money well as I say I mean the roosters have had a really good season they've been been I mean last week we talked about how they were sitting in third and had the best four and against in the entire comp so they they are a team that on their day uh can can beat anyone uh today is not their day next week the week after they can have two good days and that's all it takes there's there's enough class and quality that we have seen throughout this season uh to suggest that that freem manal you know they can they can bounce back from this this is uh this is this game is not indicative of what the roosters are capable of as that kick is waved away did we know where we're playing next week Don that's a great question uh next week we'll be at uh freem metal treeby we at trebe which is a big help for the roosters it's on a Saturday though don't be tuning in on the Friday night we played before the men's and if there's anything that's going to help the roosters get into that spot it's their favorite thing playing at home well it's always an interesting one cuz uh the preliminary final is held with whoever finished second in the men's competition the Freeman roosters they they could win that 1 V2 Clash against North Beach next week and they might not even be playing in the game and it'll still be a Trey which will help the women but their men's team may not be playing depending on uh you know if they can win tomorrow then uh then they'll go straight through to the Grand Final and it'll be uh North Beach basically uh in the a game at hosting a game at treey as you do final 30 seconds here one more roll of the dice and we'll sign off nice and late here 10 n local time for the westpack Women's Premier ship the fans have stayed around Giants are still hunting around the ground getting that last piece of tell though I'm sure the windscreen wipers are starting to get the Jew off the car nice another final run for ouram must have been listening really has done some good work in the last minute and a half show you ner just how do you tell them they you're a fan and you want to see them do well and I wanted to see more footy this one's kicked dead in goal we're going to have a fulltime whistle blown in the center of the park your minor Premier for the year the alen brook r booked themselves a spot in the Grand Final dony B they're going to be hard to beat they certainly are I mean on that performance they go in you know they they finish on top of the ladder they go into the Grand Final and they'll go into the Grand Final as favorites regardless of who they play next week we're going to have Freeman or roosters taking on the junle up Giants and it's going to probably be as Donny said a freem man or roosters home game even though it's technically part of the men's fixtures we'll take a little break now for what is going to be a six day break or no sorry 8-day break till next Saturday if you can do the math correctly our final score once again the Ellenbrook rabbit owes 26 points to nil a dominant booking into the Grand Final we'll catch you all next week [Music] [Music] [Music]