A new Harmony Nines champion was crowned today, while a familiar name on the honour roll of the annual multicultural event made it two titles in a row as the senior women’s competitions were completed at the Croom Regional Sports Complex, Shellharbour.
Mediterranean (pictured above) held their nerve to turn a 10-8 halftime lead over Syria into a 20-18 fulltime result in the Open Women’s Emerging division, which was making its debut at the 2024 Harmony Nines.
Player of the Match was hooker Katrina Phippen whose double for Mediterranean could not have been better timed. Her first try, when scores were locked 4-4, took her side out to a six-point lead and her second – at 14-14 in the second half – gave them breathing space again.
In the Open Women’s division, NSW Tonga proved their win over Fiji in 2023 was no fluke with a 20-8 victory over Ozzy Cook Islands today.
The Tongans were ahead by just four points as the game drew to a close but up stepped fullback Elizabeth Lomu-Stewart scoring twice in the final two minutes by injecting her sheer speed down the left edge.
“Liz has been awesome. She’s been in the Cronulla-Sutherland Harvey Norman (Women’s Premiership) squad and that’s sharpened her skills even more. She was enormous for us today,” said coach Shenelle Haumono.
“Every time she touched the ball on the edge, no-one could catch her.”
Keeping a controlling eye on everything in the middle was halfback Norlynn Tu’ifua, who picked up the Player of the Match award, presented by Sharks NRLW star and NSW Women’s State of Origin fullback Emma Tonegato.
Haumono couldn’t hold back his emotions running onto the field as the fulltime whistle sounded.
“I’m so proud. It was a proud moment last year but to come back and do it again, it just reinforces 100 per cent how much we love this tournament,” he said.
“We had a few of our players out for various reasons but the other girls just stood up today and were able to get the win.
“And it’s a whole different thing when they are representing their culture and their family. That can sometimes bring a lot of pressure.”
Mediterranean captain Jaimee-Lee Cotter said she and teammates kept sneaking a look at the scoreboard as they traded tries with Syria throughout the two eight-minute halves.
“That was a very hard game – definitely our toughest competition of the day,” Cotter said.
“It was back-to-back tries for each team, some real thrills, but we got the result we wanted and that comes off the hard work we’ve put in the last couple of weeks.
“Seeing everyone here represent where they come from means a lot to us as individuals and as a team. I can’t speak highly enough of this jersey.”
Coach Trish Bell added: “Words can’t even explain. It’s an amazing group of girls we’ve brought together here.
“They’ve trained hard and it paid off today. I’m so incredibly proud of them and really happy for them.”
