The Sydney Roosters are into their third consecutive NRLW grand final after halfback Tarryn Aiken’s late try helped subdue the Raiders 20-10 at Sydney Football Stadium.
The final eight minutes of Saturday night’s game were fairly frantic, with only a converted try between the sides after a four-pointer by Canberra’s England international Hollie-Mae Dodd.
But Aiken might have wanted to ensure her team got to the decider after she missed out last year with an ACL tear.
The Roosters, who led 10-4 at half-time, have made it a celebratory weekend for the Tricolours after the NRL side’s preliminary final win over the Dolphins in Brisbane on Friday night.
The Roosters’ NRLW team are still nursing the hurt from losing the 2025 decider to the Broncos and would dearly love to add to their 2021 and 2024 premierships in the October 4 grand final.
It only took two minutes for the Roosters to start asserting their dominance.
Winger Jayme Fressard, after missing three matches with a hand injury, accepted a pass from her skipper Isabelle Kelly to score in the left corner.
The Roosters’ second came off the back of a penalty against Raiders fullback Sheridan Gallagher for pulling Kelly’s hair in stopping her 50-metre line break.
The ensuing set allowed prop Rima Butler through the front door.
After a Jocelyn Kelleher conversion, the Roosters had sprung to a 10-0 lead.
The Raiders’ first points came in the shadow of half-time from a battered and bruised Krystal Blackwell, who had been off the field for a minute to treat a bloody nose and grab a clean jersey.
The five-eighth returned in jersey No.25 and accelerated through a gap set up by her halves partner Zahara Temara to score in the 32nd minute.
In the second half, Blackwell needed the trainer to bring a towel to stem the blood flow.
The Roosters kept the pressure on, with Brydie Parker’s boot denying Lili Boyle a try, before a swirling kick by Kelleher was allowed to bounce by Raiders winger Isabella Waterman.
Centre Jessica Sergis swooped to score her 17th try of the season and put the Roosters up 16-4.
Sergis then had a one-on-one steal on Blackwell with the Raiders on the attack as the Green Machine desperately tried to narrow the gap.
They did it with a Chante Temara short pass close to the line for Dodd to bust through to make it 16-10.
But Aiken made sure the Roosters were heading back to the premiership decider with an angled run to the line.
AAP
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