Panorama Platypi coach Kevin Grimshaw thought he’d seen most things in his years of handling the Bathurst club’s first grade team in the Western Women’s Rugby League (WWRL) competition.
The Platypi, Minor Premiers this year, play third-placed Wiradjuri Goannas from Dubbo this Saturday (16 November) at Bathurst’s Jack Arrow Sporting Complex.
It was a game between these two clubs earlier in the season that Grimshaw remembers well.
“Both teams have a number of mothers playing, I have a couple of new mums in mine,” he said.
“We were playing Dubbo and things were going alright at half-time. My girls ran back onto the field and I did a quick head count to find out we were only 11 - two players down.
“I looked around and there was my lock and winger breast-feeding their babies.
“I asked the ref if he could delay the start and told him the reason – he looked at me wide-eyed but he did it.
“I’d never given that aspect (of women’s game) a thought and I’ve been coaching them for five years. I’m now much more aware it could happen.”
Goannas coach Tongia Fox also spoke about the benefits of having mothers in the squad.
“Majority of our team are mothers so we’ve got a ready-made cheer squad with all the kids,” he said.
Platypi have been quite successful since the WWRL began in 2018. This year they are going for their fourth premiership.
The Goannas have been in three Grand Finals – 2019, 2020 and then 2022 against Platypi – but have come away empty-handed. Their captain is halfback Kimberlee Gordon.
“A win … I can’t even put into words,” Fox said. “I was so proud of them last weekend (Semi-final win), I got very emotional.
“I can’t imagine what a win would mean …. something very, very special that’s for sure.”
The Goannas did inflict the only loss for the Platypi this season – 22-14 in Round Two. The Goannas also upset hot favourites Orange Vipers 30-20 in the Semi-final.
“We saw in that game what Dubbo can produce,” Grimshaw said. “They came out in the first half and blew Orange away.”
One player the Platypi are wary of is Goannas back-rower Rebecca Smyth (pictured above).
“She’s a really good player, former Wallaroo and played in the 2010 Rugby World Cup and also for Australia in touch footy,” Grimshaw said. “So she’s pretty experienced at big games.”
Smyth also played second-row for the Western Rams win over the North Coast Bulldogs in the NSWRL Westpac Women’s Country Championships Grand Final at Woy Woy in March this year.
She will be up against Western Rans teammates Tiana Anderson (pictured below) and Sarah Colman in the Platypi line-up – all three later making the NSW Country side.
“This game has all the hallmarks of being decided in the final minutes. We’ll go in confident but not over-confident as we have great respect for Dubbo after last weekend,” Grimshaw said.
“We’ve got some good speed out wide – that’s our strength. We’re pretty good in the middle as well, which completes each other.
“It’s one of the best in terms of a balanced team, that I’ve worked with.”
Fox’s side has had a few hurdles lately.
“We’ve been a bit unlucky the last four weeks with just 13 or 14 girls playing due to injuries. We had to get a couple of Under 18s players to be our bench,” he said.
“But those extra minutes have done us a favour. Our forwards have been putting everyone on their backsides and getting us over the line.”
The WWRL is played over 60 minutes – two 30-minute halves – and kick-off is 4.30pm (AEDT).
