After five action-packed rounds of football, the Holcim Cup will draw to a close this weekend with rivals Burleigh Bears and Souths Logan Magpies facing off to see who will claim the honours in the competition.
West Brisbane Panthers and Tweed Seagulls will play off for the minor placing; with the Seagulls showing great tenacity to feature on grand final day after being forced to sit out Round 2.
“We didn’t start well in Round 1 and then had to sit out Round 2 due to COVID restrictions so to be playing finals footy now is testament to the hard work of the team and the coaching staff,” Seagulls interim CEO Matt Francis told the club’s website.
“At the start of the year, the girls committed to each other, and to the club, that they would give it their all, and we couldn’t be prouder of them for the commitment, passion and determination to get to the finals.
“They’ve fought hard all year and have shown glimpses of their true potential in the last few rounds so we’re looking forward to seeing them in action on Saturday.”
Top five: Holcim Cup Round 5
Last weekend, the two teams claimed one point each with Tweed claiming a 4-0 win in the first half, before the Panthers clicked into gear in the second to post what they will hope was a momentum-building 18-6 win.
Forwards Taimane Levu and Bri Clark both had fantastic games in Round 5 and helped lead the way to inspire their team with some strong defence and charging carries.
The Panthers and Seagulls will play off in their final at 12.30pm.
On demand: West Brisbane Panthers v Tweed Seagulls
Burleigh and the Magpies have played off in three games during the competition, with the Bears claiming two wins to Souths Logan’s one; and the home fans at Pizzey Park will be hoping to see them notch another victory on grand final day.
However, the Magpies have plenty of talent and determination and will be working hard to take out the title.
Both sides have shown some outstanding skill throughout the short competition, with their established stars leading from the front as expected.
It has also been fantastic to see emerging players make their mark as well and earn selection in the team of the week that is selected following each round.
The grand final match up presents a fantastic contest across the park, with both sides boasting an incredibly talented halves combination.
For Burleigh, the contrasting styles of five-eighth Lauren Brown and halfback Zahara Temara has paid dividends so far; while young Souths Logan halfback Nakia Sao has stood up to the challenge and had plenty of key involvements for her side.
The class of Ali Brigginshaw is also well known, and she has been playing well since her return from injury.
The battle of the forward packs however may overshadow them all, with the two teams being blessed with plenty of talent.
Attacking runs from Magpies duo Steph Hancock and Elsie Albert have featured on the highlights reels; but the unrelenting defence from Burleigh forwards like Tazmin Gray and Chante Temara have been a hallmark of the team’s strong results in the competition.
The Bears and Magpies match will kick off at 2.10pm.
On demand: Burleigh Bears v Souths Logan Magpies
Fans attending the matches are encouraged to arrive early to support the next generation of talent coming through, with Pizzey Park putting on a big day of female rugby league with a number of junior matches being played in the lead-up to the Holcim Cup finals.
Presentations celebrating the best performances of the Holcim Cup season will be held at the conclusion of the main match.
For those who are unable to attend, the two Holcim Cup finals matches will be broadcast via QRL.com.au and the QRL Facebook page.
Holcim Cup finals draw
Saturday, September 5 at Pizzey Park
| Time | Match |
|---|---|
| 12.30pm | 3 v 4 - West Brisbane Panthers v Tweed Seagulls |
| 2.10pm | 1 v 2 - Burleigh Bears v Souths Logan Magpies |
Holcim Cup finals squad lists
Burleigh Bears
1. Karina Brown 2. Jodeci Nicholson 3. Teaghan Hartigan 4. Tyler Birch 5. Tarnisha Lyons 6. Lauren Brown 7. Zahara Temara 8. Jasmin Kemp (c) 9. Brittany Breayley 10. Millie Boyle 11. Tazmin Gray 13. Tallisha Harden 12. Chante Temara 20. Chelsea Lenarduzzi 15. Laken Paitai 17. Jonel Lavender 14. Sara Fraser 18. Kelly Jury
Coach: Tahnee Norris
Souths Logan Magpies
1. Tamika Upton 2. Shae-Yvonne De La Cruz 3. Meg Ward 4. Amelia Kuk 5. Hayley Maddick 6. Ali Brigginshaw 7. Nakita Sao 8. Steph Hancock 9. Therese Aiton 10. Elsie Albert 11. Rona Peters 12. Lyllian Mikaio 13. Annette Brander 21. Frieda Seu 15. Kody House 16. Jamie-Lee Lewis 18. Stef Gallagher 17. Sulesa Siauane
Coach: Rob Brough
West Brisbane Panthers
1. Gemma Schnaubelt 2. Lilly Green 3. Julia Robinson 4. Makenzie Weale 5. Hayley Riccardi 6. Romy Teitzel 7. Lana Sheedy 13. Taimane Levu 9. Michaela Peck 10. Lauretta Leao-Seve 11. Charlotte Booth 12. Shaniah Power 17. Brianna Clark 14. Lavinia Gould 20. Shen'e Clemments 18. Takiyah Nagas 15. Keezjah Akana 24. Anne Dufficy 25. Bo De La Cruz
Coach: Craig Green
Tweed Seagulls
1. Chantelle Holloway-Samuels 2. Olivia Fien 3. Olivia Attenborough-Doyle 4. Abelee Stanley 5. Riley Hodgson 6. Chelsea Baker 7. Tarryn Aiken (c) 8. Kirra Stedman 9. Lailee Phillips 10. Kaitlyn Phillips 11. Zara Canfield 12. Jessika Elliston 13. Diaz Seumanutafa 14. Brittany Faulkner (c) 16. Serena Martin 17. Alani Sullivan 20. Amy-Leigh Crockett 18. Tawana Sullivan Togo
Coach: Mike Castle
