Tallon Smith
Griffith Black and Whites claimed an upset win and prevented Leeton from completing a perfect season with a 24-16 victory in a thrilling Group 20 league tag grand final at EW Moore Oval on Sunday.
Led by two tries from player of the match Tahlia Holborow, including a 75 metre effort in the second half, the Black and Whites powered past the minor premiers to claim their first league tag title since 2018.
Griffith coach Shailyn Williams said the win meant a lot to her team and to the Black and Whites club, with the fact that the premiership side featured two mothers playing alongside their daughters making the victory all the more incredible.
“We’ve been in plenty of grand finals, [so] today’s win was very special,” she said.
“We’ve got a lot of young girls, myself and Ash [Penrith] playing alongside our daughters, so it’s really special.
“We’re the only [side in the club] in the finals, we’ve got a really good culture here with our girls, it’s a safe place for our girls.
“A lot of these young girls have been here for a long time and to get the win it’s awesome.”
The grand final was the fourth meeting between the Black and Whites and Greenies this season, and the second in the space of a fortnight after Leeton’s 12-8 win in the major semi final two weeks earlier.
Williams said it meant a lot to defeat the powerhouse Leeton team, which had won three titles in the past four years, a run that started against Griffith in 2022.
“It means a lot, they were top of the ladder all year for a reason,” Williams said.
“They turned up today, but our girls just turned up a bit extra today, and we got the win.”
The victory is the Black and Whites’ third league tag title after previous wins in 2007 and 2018.
GRIFFITH BLACK & WHITES 24 (Tahlia Holborow 2, Ashleigh Penrith, Kaya Favero tries; Shailyn Williams 3, Hollie Penrith goals) DEFEATED LEETON 16 (Jessica Curran, Zarly Pike, Anna McClure tries; McClure 2 goals) at EW Moore Oval, Sunday September 20.
