Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks will be looking to put their heartbreaking one-point loss to Central Coast Roosters behind them when they square off against the North Sydney bears for a spot in this year’s Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Grand Final.
Minor Premiers Central Coast Roosters booked their spot in this year’s decider after a Melanie Howard field goal proved to be the difference in their 13-12 win over the Sharks last round. The Bears have won their past two sudden death matches in convincing fashion and will be full of confidence against the Sharks.
Sharks captain Corban McGregor said her side are prepped and ready to take on the Bears for the right to play in the Grand Final.
"The squad have trained really well and done some video to prepare for tomorrow's game," McGregor told NSWRL.com.au
"The Bears have been very impressive.
"I watched their final against the Wests Tigers last week and I thought it was a great battle. Tigers held in there, but Norths proved that they were strong and they have some really great combinations.
"They have some huge threats across the board - Shanice Parker at the back is someone I love but hate coming up against because she's such a great player.
"I think they have really stepped it up each week."
The Sharks boast an impressive roster with NSW Women’s Origins players Corban McGregor and Maddie Studdon, and International representatives Keeley Davis and Kiana Takairangi, and will be banking on their experience in big arenas to take the team to the decider.
McGregor believes that the talent and quality of the competition has extended even further this year, and something she has enjoyed being apart of every week.
"With COVID hitting, some teams had to withdraw from the competition and their strong players joined other teams and made them even stronger which has just amplified the quality of the competition.
"Every team in their own right is really competitive and that showed in most of the matches with them being pretty tight and no blow-outs.
"That's what we're aiming towards - a strong competition where there's no weak links."
The teams in this decider last faced off in Round Two, when the Sharks delivered North Sydney their first loss of the season but the Bears have shown nothing but resolve throughout the finals series after surviving two do-or-die clashes.
Their determination and perseverance to reach the Grand Final has pushed them to nail every win, guided by the leadership of Simaima Taufa and coach Rob Capizzi.
They knocked the South Sydney Rabbitohs out of any final’s contention in week one, beating them 24-0 and showed no mercy to the Wests Tigers when they beat them 16-4 in last week’s semi-final.
