Women’s GF: will Breakers or Blues claim first title?
Image courtesy Brad Greenshields, Green Shoots Marketing
The Women’s Grand Final sees foundation club Coffs Harbour Breakers up against newcomers Northern Beaches Blues.
The Breakers are looking for atonement after the heart break of last season. The Coffs outfit was the best team of 2019 by some margin, but lost both Finals to bow out in straight sets without qualifying for the Grand Final.
This year they’ve taken their game to another level, going through the season undefeated and heading into the big show as raging hot favourites. In Katika Adams and Amy Johanson the team has two potent avenues to goal who are fed by a midfield that is led by Cass Ronalds and Tarryn Arnold. The Breakers also have a miserly backline that can shut down any opposition and which is well marshalled by key figures such as Bella Crawley and Amanda Guthrie.
Whatever Saturday’s result, the Northern Beaches Blues Women’s team has been a resounding success. After coming into the competition as one half of a joint venture entity last season, the Blues struck out on their own in 2020 and have made a Grand Final at the first attempt. Alana Hanson leads the way, especially in both ruck and marking contests, whilst she gets great support across the park from the team’s two other most experienced players in Britt Hargreaves and Ash Miller. Newcomers Jess Midavaine and Jazlen Hooke have made huge contributions, with Hooke being the team’s leading goal kicker for the season.
The best contest of the season between these two teams came in round 9 when the Blues were within a goal at three quarter time. Breakers accelerated away in the last quarter to claim the win, but if the Blues can maintain the same level of intensity for the full match they could just spring a huge surprise.
The Women’s Grand Final is at 12:10pm on Saturday 10 October at C.ex Coffs International Stadium. Tickets must be pre-purchased through the Eventbrite website.
A preview of the Seniors Grand Final will appear online this afternoon.
