2023 NRLWahine Grand Final Preview: Knights vs Titans
Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast Titans will play the 2023 NRLW Grand Final with five Kiwi Ferns involved, plus Niall Williams-Guthrie who could crack Kiwi Ferns months after changing codes. Knights defeated Broncos 30-24 to seal their sport in the GF with Shanice Parker, Abigail Roache, Laishon Albert-Jones and Nita Maynard in their line up. Titans ground down Roosters for a 12-0 win with Williams-Guthrie and Georgia Hale playing key roles.
Of all the NRLWahine involved in the GF, Hale has delivered the best performances and had the greatest influence in winning footy for Titans. Many viewed the win over Roosters as an upset and Hale rolled out another dominant display through the middle with 15 runs - 141m @ 9.4m/run and 57 tackles @ 96.6%.
Hale is one of the best passing forwards in NRLW and her 105m/game running the footy is a career-best mark. This is Hale's first season averaging over 70m/game and this extra dose of running oomph has come alongside Hale's best tackling season. This is evident in Hale's 98.9% tackle efficiency after tackling between 93-97% in her five seasons prior. This is especially funky when delivered in context of NRLW's best tacklers this season...
Titans have aggression and vigour throughout their roster. Shannon Mato is a top-notch prop, plus Titans have big boppers Jessika Eliston and Stephanie Hancock to compliment Hale. Need some niggle? Rilee Jorgenson offers that. Hale doesn't need to fire up those around her and she isn't required to step outside her role. Given that Hale's role is controlling the middle through her mobility, passing and tackling in one of the best NRLW teams, it's a pretty important role.
Williams-Guthrie leads Titans physicality in their outside backs and her match up against Roache offers the best battle of NRLWahine. Williams-Guthrie has at least three tackle breaks in five consecutive games, all of which were wins. Whether it's Roache or another Knights player on their left edge, they will be watching for Williams-Guthrie in the Titans defence as she usually dominates tackles after making a good read. This combination of physicality and footy-smarts has seen Williams-Guthrie elevate towards a likely Kiwi Ferns debut.
There is no shortage of centres available for Kiwi Ferns selection, as noted in these NRLWahine yarns and our Monday/Friday newsletter all season. Roache has also reinforced her Kiwi Ferns status after making her debut at the World Cup last year, then playing for Chiefs Manawa in Super Rugby Aupiki earlier this year. Roache has a similar style to Williams-Guthrie and the energy she runs with always stands out.
Roache scored two tries in the last game of the regular season, then she had five tackle breaks in the finals win over Broncos. Knights should benefit from having Roache line up against Williams-Guthrie and this is a fabulous opportunity for Roache to showcase her talent. While a centre spot is unlikely for Roache given the depth on offer, she is a classy player who can cover multiple positions and perhaps she could offer value to Kiwi Ferns as a bench utility.
Parker leads the Kiwi Ferns centre depth with Mele Hufanga also on the top-tier. Knights are trying to seal back to back NRLWahine championships and Parker played a consistent role at centre in that campaign, before opting to represent Kiwi Ferns. Parker came up through Australia rugby union and she has played at fullback for Kiwi Ferns, as well as wing in NRLW. As a certified top-17 Kiwi Ferns player, Parker has a chance to establish herself as the best centre available and she has class to cover another position at the international level.
Here are Parker's last two seasons with Knights...
2022: 6-1, 4 try assists, 80m/game, 88.3% tackling
2023: 9-1, 5 tries, 2 try assists, 105m/game, 78.3% tackling
Albert-Jones can also cover multiple positions but Kiwi Ferns lack depth at edge forward and a strong campaign has put Albert-Jones as a likely starter in the upcoming games. Initially Albert-Jones was a half and then she moved to Australia earlier this year where she played in the NSW Women's Premiership with Mounties. Mounties won that Grand Final 1-0 over Bulldogs and Albert-Jones started as a middle forward, which was where she started in the first game of NRLW this season.
Unfortunately an injury only saw Albert-Jones play 20mins and when she returned for round three, Albert-Jones came off the bench. After three games of coming off the bench Albert-Jones has started five games in a row at edge forward. Albert-Jones was one of the Knights best players against Broncos last week, with her 14 runs second only to fullback Tamika Upton and she didn't register a missed tackle. The only game Knights lost his season was the game Albert-Jones missed.
Nita Maynard will come off the bench for Knights to play dummy half. In 36mins vs Broncos, Maynard had 4 dummy half runs - 8m/run and her speed around the ruck will be crucial to break down the Titans defence. Maynard is also in her best season of tackling with extra games helping her make the most tackles of her six NRLW seasons, with the highest efficiency of her career (93.4%).
The recent retirement of Krystal Rota leaves a hole at hooker for Kiwi Ferns. Maynard is joined be Eels dummy half Capri Paekau as the NRLWahine covering this position, although there are many players like Roache who are good enough to play any role.
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