The Brisbane Tigers and North Queensland Gold Stars were two teams at different stages of their season heading into the final round of the BMD Premiership.
Tigers entered the Round 7 game delicately balanced on the precipice of the finals, needing a win to be playing next week, and the Gold Stars started the game in third with one eye on next week.
Both teams needed to shut out what could be or what was coming up and focus on the last round.
The Tigers started with a complete set but it was the Gold Stars that started with points. A huge run from Hagiga Mosby then provided a platform for Romy Teitzel to score her third try this season.
Emily Bella got a vital two points and the Gold Stars were away to a perfect start.
On the back of a penalty the Gold Stars went down field and Sarah Field took advantage of some disruption in the defence and a juggling ball to run at 45 degrees and dive over as the Tigers tried desperately to close the gap.
Bella added another two points and 12-0 was just what the Gold Stars wanted after 18 minutes.
The Gold Stars were switching to four-wheel-drive and bringing it out of their own end in the mud, allowing them to be able to put in kicks that kept the pressure on the Tigers.
The Gold Stars continued their finals warm up with more points. Emma Manzelmann was probing away and the hooker took her chance, with Tigers laying in the ruck, Manzelmann took the chance and scored to give the Gold Stars a 18-0 lead at half-time.
Match: Tigers v Stars
Round 7 -
home Team
Tigers
7th Position
away Team
Stars
3rd Position
Venue: Leo Williams Oval, Brisbane
The second half was a slog fest with both teams scrambling; the Tigers defending their season and the Gold Stars trying to land the blow that would end the contest.
Try two for captain Teitzel came on the right side from a determined run; it looked like she wouldn’t get it down but she smashed it on the wet ground to give the Gold Stars another four points.
The captain then made sure of the six points by taking the kick at goal and moving the score along to 24-0 with 15 minutes left to play.
The Tigers' season was slipping away just like the players on the wet grass.
Mosby got her second try after the Tigers hesitated and she went over on the left side to take the Gold Stars' lead to 28-0.
The Gold Stars defence was stoic and determined until the end, keeping a clean sheet in defence and taking that forward next week to the finals.
