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Newcastle NRLW recruit safe big last berth with upset win over Dragons – astonishing 12 month turn from wooden spoonbills to potential champions
- Newcastle are in their first NRLW grand final after finishing with wooden spoonbills last year
- Recruits Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton both scored in the dominant win
- Boyle has followed up her 2021 Dally M season, leading the Knights to a final
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Newcastle star recruits Millie Boyle and Tamika Upton have once again brought the Knights to NRLW success – leading the former wooden spoonbills to a first major final with a dominant win over the Dragons.
Fullback Tamika Upton scored twice as skipper Millie Boyle produced a spectacular solo attempt in the 30-6 defeat to be the first side in the NRLW premiership game.
Tamika Upton put on beautiful footwork to score under the posts during the Knights over the Dragons victory
The former Brisbane pair shone on their old turf at Suncorp Stadium in Sunday’s first of Sunday’s double header, when the three-time champions Brisbane were absent from the semi-finals in a competition shake-up.
Newcastle, which was 0-5 last season, will play against the winner of the Sydney Roosters and Parramatta in next Sunday’s decider.
Millie Boyle showed strength in a great solo attempt to score her first attempt of the 2022 NRLW season
The Dragons, who had lost 30-8 to the Knights a week ago, had plunged back into the game when star fullback Emma Tonegato appeared in the right corner.
But a knock-on was noted in the assessment and a 12-10 deficit was suddenly 18-6 at halftime, when Knight’s five-eighth skipped Kirra Dibb from the dummy half.
The Dragons dominated the area in the second half, but the Knights defense held out.
Boyle catches the ball during the Knights semi-final victory over the Dragons
Upton quickly went through it for a second attempt to seal the result before Kiana Takairangi’s effort was the icing on the cake.
Dragons winger Teagan Berry kept her side close early on, picking an intercept from Upton’s kick return to score against the course of the game.
Tonegato’s no-try followed, her side unable to score another run as the Knights made an early grand final statement in Brisbane.
Boyle played in the 2021 NRLW season and received the Dally M gong, where she averaged 198 running meters per game.
Boyle won the 2021 Dally M Medal – where she tied with Dragons fullback Emma Tonegato
The 24-year-old brushed down Dragons pistol Keeley Davis in her stunning effort, where she showed footwork and strength to score.
In 2021, the Knights lost all of their regular season games and fell back to a 40-4 defeat to the Dragons in round four.