Star duo shines in historic girls grand final
A HISTORIC day for Norths Devils came with it a stunning realisation: there are a pair of future NRLW stars in their midst.
Young halves Macey Lahrs and Kara Rains inspired the club’s first girls team to the under-13s Townsville title, defeating the Burdekin Roosters 20-12.
The pair were emphatic from the opening whistle, with Rains scoring a hat-trick and Lahrs the Devils’ other try to clinch the milestone.
Norths coach Doug Pitt said both could go as far in rugby league as they wanted, such was the skill level and knowledge they brought to the fore.
He said it got to a point with Lahrs, whose father Tom Learoyd-lahrs played 120 NRL games, where he had to appoint her to his coaching staff.
“If there’s something I will say about young Macey, I used her during the year as a bit of an assistant coach in being able to help with the other team members,” Pitt said.
“She’s a book of knowledge about the game. We had our presentations and she got our most consistent, which she has been for the whole season.
“Kara got the player of the match and our best and fairest for the year. She played halfback for us during the year and her attention to detail and knowledge of the game and the skills she’s brought are second to none.
“When the game was in the balance there, Kara is very fleet-footed off the mark and she went through and scored a try to seal the game for us.”
Pitt praised the way in which the club promoted this new venture at the start of the season, and now a clear pathway to the top is available for young female talent in Devils’ colours.
Five of the squad members were also Cowboys House students, and Pitt said they had “certainly found a home” at Norths.
But for all the sacrifices of the club members, and all the diligence in making the team a reality, the coach said it would have all been in vain if not for the parents involved.
“I think the driving force is the parents, and I’d like to be able to give the parents a wrap,” Pitt said.
“Not only the parents who are supportive, but my coaching staff were made up of mums from manager to first aid. Having mums actually speak to the girls where I can’t relay something, that’s the added bonus.
“Some of these girls had never put a football boot on before this year … they really enjoyed it and obviously the result speaks for itself.”