The Sydney Roosters have taken back the NRLW premiership with a 30-6 demolition of the Brisbane Broncos, finishing a perfect 13-0 season and sending retiring stars Millie Elliott and Corban Baxter out on top.
It was the fourth time in nine NRLW seasons that the two clubs have met on grand final day. The Broncos ended the Roosters’ undefeated run in last year’s decider, and Sydney made sure the rematch at Homebush on Sunday, 4 October felt like revenge. It is the club’s third NRLW title.
It was not a perfect start for the favourites. Jayme Fressard shinned the opening kick-off into touch, and the Broncos charged over through Lillian Yarrow within a minute, only for the Roosters’ defence to hold her up.
From there, the Roosters took control. Brydie Parker opened the scoring when she swooped on a bouncing kick from Jocelyn Kelleher. Tries followed from Isabelle Kelly, Tarryn Aiken, Fressard, and Amber Hall, a former Broncos prop, and Parker scored again before the break. The Roosters led 26-0 at half-time.
Aiken, the 2024 Karyn Murphy medallist, had missed last year’s grand final loss to Brisbane. Kelleher’s kicking game caused problems all afternoon, and a string of Broncos errors handed the Roosters repeat sets and good field position.
The half-time numbers showed how one-sided the contest was. The Roosters had 75 per cent of possession and an 87 per cent completion rate, compared with 30 per cent for Brisbane. They had run for 832 metres to the Broncos’ 259.
Brisbane fullback Tamika Upton kept the margin from blowing out further. She held up Jess Sergis in the corner after another Kelleher bomb, and later ripped the ball from Kelly’s grasp as she ran over the tryline. Olivia Kernick also stopped Lauren Dam short of the line in the second half.
Parker completed her hat-trick early in the second half. The Broncos finally got on the board late, when Jesse Southwell scored after a break from Upton.
Brisbane’s big off-season signing had a tough afternoon, with the Broncos handing the Roosters possession through errors and penalties. Broncos great Ali Brigginshaw also played her final game.