A two week break from football and down on troops it was little wonder the Woodbridge Opens ladies tackle side was slow out of the blocks in their first game since September 28 when they took on Lachlan in Forbes on Sunday.
Trailing early Woodbridge fought back with tries to the flying Taliah Williams, fullback Emilie Browne and Olivia Parrish to record a 18-10 win.
All three tries were converted by Charlotte Burling.
Lachlan’s points came from tries to Teagan Smeed and Hannah Demamiel, one of which was converted by Smede.
Already without NSW Country player of the year Alicia Earsman, Woodbridge are now without five-eighth Stacey Nobes for the remainder of the season.
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“We were down 6-0, we didn’t complete our sets, turned the ball over and gave away field position,” Woodbridge coach Jack Nobes said after the match.
“It was a disappointing start but with two weeks off you can’t expect miracles."
In other senior matches last week Panorama defeated Vipers 32-12 and Goannas got home in a close encounter 24-20 against Cougars.
The weekend results see a congested competition ladder with Panorama, Vipers and Woodbridge all on eight points, two ahead of Goannas with just two rounds of the regular competition remaining.
This Saturday at Lawson Oval Woodbridge will host the Orange Vipers in the penultimate round of the Western Women’s Rugby League competition.
There will be five games of full contact Rugby League starting with the Under 12s at 9.30am followed by the Under 14s (10.30am), 16s (11.40am), 18s (12.50pm) and then the day will conclude with the Opens clash starting at 2.00pm.
Gate entry is $5 Adults and $3 Pensioners, and the gate is owned and operated by the Woodbridge Cup Committee.
The final round of the competition prior to the commencement of the Semi-Finals sees the Woodies head out to Cale Oval Narromine on Saturday, November 2 to take on the Dubbo Goannas in all five grades.
The Woodbridge Under 12s can consolidate a Semi-Final spot on Saturday with a win over the Vipers.
The hosts should start slight favourites in this match having won one more match than the Vipers this season and also having the home ground advantage.
For the Under 14s to feature in this year’s Semi-Finals Saturday is a must win for them as the following week they face a tough away game against the Goannas.
Although the Woodies will be the underdogs in this match, they have the ability and incentive to cause an upset at home.
The Vipers Under 16s have been in good form this season with a narrow loss and three big wins so it will be tough for the Woodies to knock them off on Saturday.
To make the Semis the Woodies would need to win this match and defeat the Goannas the following weekend.
The Woodies Under 18s haven’t played since September 28 due to the long weekend general bye and then the Woodbridge club bye and then last week they came up against the Lachlan club who aren’t fielding a 18s team this year.
Again, the Woodies would need to win this match and next week to make the Semis and although their only points for the season have come from a draw their opponents have only chalked up the one victory for the season.
The Opens clash should be a ripper because there is plenty at stake with the winner not only consolidating a Semis spot but also giving themselves the chance of playing their first Semi at home.
Woodbridge will start as underdogs against the highly rated Vipers outfit on Saturday, but they have been the surprise packets this season and will be looking to cause the upset.
Get down to Lawson Park this Saturday to see some entertaining Rugby League and we wish the following Grenfell girls the best of luck, Harmony Schneider and Meadow Mooney (Under 14s), Hannah Kohnen, Rachel Tomlinson, and Amber Taylor (Under 16s), Dana Yerbury (Under 18s), and Caitlin Dixon (Opens).
