Heavyweights first into decider after big win
THE Burleigh Bears women’s rugby league team will compete for a fourth straight SEQW Division 1 premiership following a 18-6 semi-final win against Brothers Ipswich.
The Bears booked their place in the grand final, to be held at Cbus Super Stadium on August 11, on the back of an Amber Pilley hat-trick at Pizzey Park on Saturday.
It’s the first time the Bears have been able to avoid a preliminary final elimination, previously being forced to play in each week of the finals after losing the major semi-final.
Bears captain Tallisha Harden appreciated the importance of the win as the team looks to make the most of the added rest.
“It’s different but I’m sure we are going to be put through our paces at training and we will treat it like any other week,” Harden said.
“It will be good because a few of the girls are pretty sore (after the semi-final), so it will be nice to have a weekend off to rest and recuperate.
“It’s a reward for all the hard work the girls and coaching staff have put in over the year.
“We had a bit of a rough start to the season with a couple of losses and weren’t playing our best. We have worked hard to build a family culture at Burleigh, so to come through the last nine or 10 games pretty well together has been really good.
“To get this win is another highlight for us but we won’t rest on our laurels.”
Burleigh led 8-0 at halftime before improving the margin in the second.
“It was pretty physical,” Harden said. “The first 10 minutes was pretty intense.
“It was a really big effort from the forwards especially and then our backs finished off really well.
“Brothers Ipswich were pretty good and they threw a lot at us.
“They were unlucky not to score a couple of tries but we just defended really well.”