Statewide score wrap: Roos rejoice at FNQ women's grand final glory

Winning a grand final was simply "the best" for Cairns Kangaroos but there's one aspect that's even better for captain and player of the match Genavie Tabuai.

Roos beat Yarrabah Seahawks 26-8 in a quality, engaging encounter at Barlow Park on Saturday in front of a loud crowd befitting a decider.

Tabuai said her goal going into the game was just to play with heart, and her team followed suit, which she said helped take care of the one-percenters required to secure the win.

"I think everyone just played with heart on Saturday," she said.

"I think as a collective our engine room did their job. We played direct. We played what we prepped for if that makes sense."

The lock made her mark in the opening half when she bounced off a couple of defenders, spun around and scored a try, leading to a commanding halftime lead.

Unable to crack them in the first half, Yarrabah mounted a reply on the back of a few errors from Kangaroos, who ultimately held off the challenge.

Tabuai said it was satisfying on the back of a grand final loss in 2022, getting back to winning ways after victory in the previous season.

"It was the best feeling that we got a second one in the bank despite, you know, losing last year and then coming back this year, all the girls coming back this year harder and stronger and winning the premiership," she said.

"No one can ever take that away from me and the girls."

The 32-year-old said the only thing better than winning was seeing young players come into the team and rip in, inspiring her to lift her own game.

"I'll be honest with you, my biggest highlight this year was the young ones coming through because seeing them come through, still developing but eager to win and play with women," she said.

"When I was 16 and I was playing with women, I wasn't as confident as I see them.

"Seeing the young ones come through and just kill it in open women's rugby league... it was inspiring to see because they made me a better player and a better person."

Kangaroos coach Michael White said Tabuai had stepped up this year taking on the new role at lock - and the results speak for themselves.

"This is her first year that she played at lock in and I think she's certainly got the fitness and just the work rate that she does and that, that showed on the weekend again," he said.

"She made some half breaks down the middle and did a lot of the tackling, the tidy up stuff in around the middle there. She just produced that again and she's done that a few times this year."

White said it was fantastic to see Tabuai lead Roos to such a strong start in the decider, having come out of the blocks slowly at times this season.

"We were fairly dominant in the first 20-25 minutes, but obviously Yarrabah, they're passionate about their rugby league, so we knew it was always going to be a tough game and they certainly did show some emotions and they certainly did play well too," he said.

White echoed Tabuai's emotions about the young players who stepped up during the season, especially those who had come out of Harvey Norman Under 19s such as Lilly-Jay Licence and Tomiko Hirakawa, who both scored tries in the grand final.

FNQ Rugby League operations manager Dee Harris said the grand final was a "cracking game" that kept the crowd engaged throughout, with both Kangaroos and Yarrabah bringing plenty of supporters.

"It was a great game and a really good atmosphere. Both teams played really hard and it was a really good game of footy. I really enjoyed it," she said.

"It was just a good, clean, hard game."

Harris said the competition had a bright future, with better pathways emerging  through the dawn of junior girls competitions in under 13s, under 15s and under 17s this year.

QRL North region

Far North Queensland Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 13 results

Innisfail Leprechauns 44 def Atherton Roosters 18

Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks 34 def Tully Tigers 20

Cairns Brothers 38 def Mareeba Gladiators 32

Yarrabah Seahawks 38 def Southern Suburbs 30

Cairns Kangaroos 22 def Edmonton Storm 20

Ladder

Mt Isa Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 9 results

Townies 22 def Brothers 16

Ladder

NQBE Mackay & District Men's A grade

Round 11 results

Sarina Crocodiles 50 def Carltons Devils 10

Whitsunday Brahmans 26 def Carltons Devils 0

Mackay Magpies 32 def Souths Sharks 18

Moranbah Miners 26 def Wests Tigers 10

Ladder

Mackay Airport A Grade Women

Round 7 results

Mackay Brothers 48 def Sarina Crocodiles 0

Carltons Devils v Moranbah Miners - match postponed

Mackay Magpies def Souths Sharks (forfeit)

Ladder

Rugby League Townsville District Men's A grade

Round 12

Brothers Townsville 19 def Souths Bulls 18

Centrals Tigers 32 def Western Lions 14

Charters Towers Miners 48 def Burdekin Roosters 10

Herbert River Crushers 38 def Norths Devils 12

Ladder

Rugby League Townsville District Women's A grade

Round 12

Burdekin Roosters 22 def Charters Towers 14

Western Lions 44 def Centrals Tigers 12

Herbert River Crushers 38 def Norths Devils 4

Ladder

QRL Central region

Bundaberg Broadcasters Men's A grade

Round 13

Wests Panthers 30 def Easts Magpies 24

Wallaroos 32 def Hervey Bay Seagulls 18

Waves Tigers 24 def Past Brothers 16

Ladder

Central Burnett Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 11 results

Gayndah Gladiators 36 def Monto Roos 10

Mundubbera Tigers 52 def Eidsvold Eagles 10

Ladder

2023 Emerald Industrial Supplies Central Highlands Men's A grade 

Round 14 results

Clermont Bears 36 def Dysart Bulls 20

Middlemount Panthers 28 def Emerald Brothers 26

Springsure Mountain Men 30 def Peak Downs Pirates 16

Emerald Tigers 38 def Blackwater Crushers 20

Ladder

SRO Technology Central Highlands Women's A grade

Round 9 results

Blackwater Crushettes 30 def Emerald Tigers 18

Ladder

Northern Districts Men's A grade

Round 13 results

Avondale Tigers 32 def South Kolan Sharks 30

Isis Devils 58 def Gin Gin Hawks 6

Ladder

Rockhampton Men's A grade

Round 13 results

Fitzroy/Gracemere Sharks 4 drew with Norths Chargers 4

Brothers Rockhampton 22 def Yeppoon Seagulls 18

Ladder

2023 Intersport Yeppoon Rockhampton Women's A grade

Round 13 results

Emu Park 30 def Tannum Sands Seagulls 12

Fitzroy/Gracemere Sharks 36 def Norths Chargers 4

Brothers Rockhampton 42 def Yeppoon Seagulls 14

Ladder

Roma District Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 11 results

Roma Cities 40 def Taroom-Wandoan Battlers 20

Mitchell Magpies 46 def Miles Devils 22

St George def Wallumbilla/Surat Red Bulls

Ladder

Wide Bay Open Women

Round 7 (postponed game)

Wondai Proston Wolves 26 def Cherbourg Hornets 0

Ladder

Rugby League Gladstone Men's A grade

Round 9 results

Brothers Gladstone 26 def Tannum Sands Seagulls 12

Valleys Diehards 92 def Wallaby RLFC 0

Ladder

Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 12 results

Nambour Crushers 36 def Coolum Colts 22

Beerwah Bulldogs 20 def Caboolture Snakes 12

Maroochydore Swans 28 def Caloundra Sharks 22

Kawana Dolphins 24 def Noosa Pirates 14

Ladder

Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League Women's A grade

Round 12 results

Nambour Crushers 34 def Gympie Devils 20

Caboolture Snakes 44 def Beerwah Bulldogs 8

Kawana Dolphins 22 def Noosa Pirates 8

Ladder

South Burnett Ken Mills Isuzu Men's A grade

Round 9 results

Wondai Proston Wolves 40 def Kingaroy Red Ants 18

Cherbourg Hornets 48 def Murgon Mustangs 32

Ladder

Hutchison Builders Toowoomba Rugby League Men's A grade

Round 12 results

Toowoomba Brothers 44 def Newtown Lions 42

Highfields Eagles 40 def Warwick Cowboys 36

Dalby Diehards 36 def Wattles Warriors 12

Gatton Hawks 34 def Goondiwindi Boars 10

Toowoomba Valleys 52 def Pittsworth Danes 20

Oakey Bears 22 def Southern Suburbs 10

Ladder

Toowoomba Sports Club Women's A grade

Round 12 results

Newtown Lions 16 def Gatton Hawks 12

Toowoomba Valleys 18 def Dalby Diehards 4

Oakey Bears 62 def Southern Suburbs 0

Ladder

Border Rugby League Men's

Round 11 results

Inglewood Roosters 32 def Texas Terriers 20

Eastern Suburbs Hornets 30 def Tenterfield Tigers 18

Stanthorpe Gremlins 22 def McIntyre Warriors 0

Ladder

QRL South East region

Brisbane Rugby League Premier A grade

Round 14 results

Valleys Diehards 34 def Carina Juniors 26

Bulimba Bulldogs 46 def Beenleigh Pride 26

Brighton Roosters 26 def Wynnum Manly Juniors 16

West Brisbane Panthers 26 def Normanby Hounds 24

Ladder

South East Women's Holcim Cup

Round 11 results

Currumbin Eagles 26 def Runaway Bay Seagulls 10

Goodna Eagles def Nerang Roosters (forfeit)

Valleys Diehards 22 def Beenleigh Pride 12

Ladder

*Wynnum Manly Juniors have left the competition

Rugby League Gold Coast Men's A grade

Round 11 results

Tugun Seahawks 24 def Runaway Bay Seagulls 20

Currumbin Eagles 30 def Helensvale Hornets 24

Southport Tigers 58 def Burleigh Bears 22

Ladder

Ipswich Jets A Grade Cup

Round 13 results

Fassifern Bombers 28 def Redbank Plains Bears 14

Swifts Bluebirds 32 def Norths Tigers 20

Ladder