MONDAY'S EXPERT - 2024 NRLW Semi Finals

A full wrap-up of the semi finals of the NRLW with reports from our contributors and stats from Rugby League Project.

Next week's Grand Final will feature the Sharks and Roosters, kickoff 3:55pm prior to the NRL men's.

All listed times are AEST (NSW/QLD/VIC/ACT).

RELATED: See the full list of 2024 NRL Telstra Women's Premiership Draw and Results.

Cronulla bounce Brisbane to make decider

with Beth Nicholls

The Sharks advance towards their first Grand Final since entering the NRLW competition in 2023.  

Cronulla came out and impressed against the Brisbane Broncos, 2024 Minor Premiers, to get their first win against the Broncos and play in Grand Final in their second year of the competition. Their stunning performance in both attack and defence saw the Broncos unable to come up with an answer, being held scoreless for the first time in the Brisbane club's history.

Coming off the back of four losses the Sharks came out a desperate side, and struggled at the start, blowing two try scoring opportunities within ten minutes, with Georgia Hannaway ruled to have knocked on as she was attempting to ground the ball.

They finally found their footing in the 13th

Momentum then turned with Broncos having the ball for most of the final 10 minutes of the match on Cronulla's line, but they were just unable to turn the possession into much needed points, with the Sharks defence too hard to crack.

Heading into halftime the Sharks were up by six points, but the Broncos have a well-known reputation for playing a strong second half, with the next 35 minutes a crucial period for the Cronulla side.

The opening few minutes of the half proved the strength of the Sharks, with Annessa Biddle crashing over in the 37###sup

The clock was slowly ticking down, and the Broncos were running out of time whilst the Sharks just hoped it was enough.

To seal the deal for Cronulla, Cassie Staples scored a try with 12 minutes to go, pushing their advantage out even further, making a comeback for the Brisbane side virtually impossible.

After a strong performance in the regular season the Broncos struggled in both defence and attack, unable to put a single point on the board, despite averaging 30 points per game during 2024. This is now the second time they have won the minor premiership and gone on to lose during week one of the finals and miss out on making the coveted Grand Final match, with it previously happening in 2021.

Taking a dip in the regular season and unable to string together a win, the Sharks made a comeback to win their first game in over a month, booking in their ticket to the Grand Final and finally having beaten the Broncos, having previously not been able to beat them in 2023 or 2024.

Brisbane Broncos (W) 0 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (W) 14
Venue: Totally Workwear Stadium, Coorparoo / Turrbal

Date: Sun, 29th September.   Kickoff: 2:05 PM.   Halftime: Cronulla (W) 6-0.   Penalties: Cronulla (W) 5-3.   Referee: Belinda Sharpe.   Crowd: 2,327.

Brisbane (W): Maddick, Robinson, Hufanga, Ciesiolka, Dam; Broughton, Brigginshaw (C); Clark, Ferguson, Nu'uausala, Denman, Gray, Joseph. Int: Brill, Lenarduzzi, Gould, Lafaele.
Cronulla (W): Tonegato, Staples, Penitani (C), Biddle, Ravics; Hannaway, Preston; Johnston, Dodd, Dymock, Holmes, Byers, Anderson. Int: Hanisi, Saunders, Foliaki, Takapautolo.

Brisbane Broncos (0)

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (14)
Tries: Tiana Penitani, Cassie Staples, Annessa Biddle
Goals: Tayla Preston 1/3

Roosters roll on, Knights defence over

with Josh Robertson

The Sydney Roosters booked their Grand Final spot ending the reign of the Newcastle Knights with a 25-16 win at Allianz Stadium.

Opening the scoring in the seventh minute, Brydie Parker put the Roosters ahead after scoring in the corner off a pass that could have been ruled forward.

The Knights hit back just under ten minutes later when Georgia Roache looked to spread the ball right but went at the line herself spinning out of a tackle to score. The scores remained level after the miss from Jesse Southwell.

The tricolours then put on three converted tries in the space of nine minutes when Keeley Davis went over from dummy half before a three minute double to Sam Bremner extended the lead for the Roosters out to 22-4 which the tricolours took into half time.

A penalty goal not long after the resumption of play pushed the lead for the Bondi based side out to 20 points.

The game turned into an arm-wrestle for the most part during the second half though a nervous final ten minutes came for the Roosters as the Knights scored on the hour mark when Evah McEwen went over.

Experience helped the Roosters when Tarryn Aiken put over a field goal inside the final five minutes before the Knights scored a late try through Olivia Higgins. Jesse Southwell converted and the Knights season ended with a 25-16 defeat.

Sydney Roosters (W) 25 Newcastle Knights (W) 16
Venue: Allianz Stadium, Moore Park / Gadigal

Date: Sun, 29th September.   Kickoff: 4:15 PM.   Halftime: Sydney (W) 22-4.   Penalties: Newcastle (W) 7-6.   Referee: Zbignew Przeklasa-Adamski.   Crowd: 2,271.

Sydney (W): Bremner, Fressard, Strange, Kelly (C), Parker; Kelleher, Aiken; Elliott, Davis, Pule, Hall, Kernick, Davison. Int: Papalii, Hopoate, Economos, Sergis.
Newcastle (W): Upton, Gallagher, Parker, Roache, Willison; Roche, Southwell; Predebon, Higgins, Karpani, Albert-Jones, Clydsdale, Southwell (C). Int: Maynard, Romaniuk, Tinao, McEwen.

Sydney Roosters (25)
Tries: Samantha Bremner 2, Keeley Davis, Brydie Parker
Goals: Jocelyn Kelleher 4/5
Field Goals: Tarryn Aiken 1

Newcastle Knights (16)
Tries: Olivia Higgins, Georgia Roche, Evah Mcewen
Goals: Jesse Southwell 2/3

Player of the year update

16 points - Tamika Upton (Knights)

13 points - Tiana Penitani (Sharks)

9 points - Kennedy Cherrington (Eels)

8 points - Teagan Berry (Dragons), Olivia Kernick (Roosters)

7 points - Isabelle Kelly (Roosters), Julia Robinson (Broncos), Elsie Albert (Eels), Simaima Taufa (Raiders), Evania Pelite (Titans), Hayley Maddick (Broncos), Rachael Pearson (Eels)

6 points - Jocelyn Kelleher (Roosters), Tarryn Aiken (Roosters), Alexis Tauaneai (Dragons), Sam Bremner (Roosters), Kirra Dibb (Cowboys), Zahara Temara (Raiders), Annessa Biddle (Sharks)

5 points - Jakiya Whitfeld (Cowboys), Jessica Sergis (Roosters), Chelsea Lenarduzzi (Broncos), Sheridan Gallagher (Knights), Lauren Brown (Titans), Ellie Johnston (Sharks), Georgia Hale (Titans), Quincy Dodd (Sharks)

4 points - Stacey Waaka (Broncos)

3 points - Brooke Talataina (Wests Tigers), Hannah Southwell (Knights), Jada Ferguson (Broncos), Talei Holmes (Sharks), Romy Teitzel (Broncos), Emma Tonegato (Sharks), Tiana Raftstrand-Smith (Cowboys), Rebecca Pollard (Wests Tigers), Lilly-Ann White (Knights), Mele Hufanga (Broncos), Grace Kemp (Raiders), Tahlulah Tillett (Cowboys), Ali Brigginshaw (Broncos), Millie Elliott (Roosters), Shenae Ciesiolka (Broncos)

2 points - Otesa Pule (Roosters), Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa (Dragons), Tafito Lafaele (Broncos), Lavinia Tauhalaliku (Cowboys), Brooke Anderson (Sharks), Rory Owen (Eels), Abigail Roache (Knights), Yasmin Clydsdale (Knights), Madison Bartlett (Raiders), Amber Hall (Roosters), Abbi Church (Eels), Keilee Joseph (Broncos), Christian Pio (Wests Tigers)

1 point - Apii Nicholls (Raiders), Tayla Predebon (Knights), Sarina Masaga (Titans), Sarah Togatuki (Wests Tigers), Olivia Higgins (Knights), Lily Peacock (Cowboys), Mahalia Murphy (Eels), Shanice Parker (Knights), Laishon Albert-Jones (Knights), Tess Staines (Wests Tigers), Shannon Mato (Titans), Kezie Apps (Wests Tigers), Rosemarie Beckett (Eels), Jesse Southwell (Knights), Jasmine Peters (Cowboys), Emily Bass (Titans), Sophie Holyman (Raiders), Rikeya Horne (Wests Tigers), Tazmin Rapana (Broncos), Mackenzie Wiki (Raiders), Raecene Mcgregor (Dragons), Ash Quinlan (Raiders)