Halves Tilly Power and Tori Canham led the NSW charge against Queensland to win the inaugural Women’s Outback Interstate Challenge 18-14 at Centenary Oval in Miles, on Queensland’s Western Downs.
Power (Cobar Roosters) also scored a try, set up another and had a clean slate with three-from-three conversions.
Canham (Coonamble Bears) did her part as well setting up NSW’s third try for Hayley Andrews (Coonabarabran Unicorns) and using her long kicking-game to great effect.
The historic first women’s match was part of a double-header with the fifth Arthur Beetson-Ron Gibbs Outback Shield between players from rural NSW and Queensland.
“It's something different for the girls because there isn't a lot of rugby league out in the outback, but there's a lot of league tag and league (tackle) is growing,” Power said on the eve of the match.
Power has already reached the heights in NSWRL women’s metropolitan competition kicking the winning field goal for Mounties to beat Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the 2023 Harvey Norman NSW Premiership in April.
Today in Miles she and Canham gave NSW the majority of possession in the first half, which the visitors used wisely.
They continually put the ball high and deep into Queensland’s territory on last-tackle plays, often forcing a handling error from the home side.
This allowed NSW to set up camp in Queensland’s red-zone and keep applying the pressure.
Power took advantage on one occasion with a fine individual try, stepping and dummying through defenders and around the Queensland fullback to score under the posts.
She converted her own try and NSW was up 6-0 after 15 minutes.
Their second came seven minutes later, again off a long kick by Canham, which forced a scrum.
Power sent a cut-out ball to her winger Nickita Mackenzie (Western Rams) to cross in the left corner (12-0).
Queensland reduced the margin in the shadow of halftime with No.14 Giaan Green darting over the line from dummy-half as the NSW defenders shifted in the opposite direction.
Despite the successful conversion, NSW took a 12-6 lead into the break.
Momentum stayed with Queensland early in the second half with halfback Reeghyn Beardmore (St George) accelerating through the line to put centre Chelsea Page (Black Stars Mt Isa) in the clear (12-10).
NSW’s reply was swift through Andrews try (18-10) but Queensland made a grandstand finish when prop Candice Page (Black Stars Mt Isa) barged over with six minutes left (18-14).
A penalty with 15 seconds on the clock had Beardmore’s kick for touch give Queensland one last attacking play.
But the NSW defence swarmed around the ball carriers not allowing them to get a clean pass away.
