Newcastle take back-to-back NRLW titles to eclipse Andrew Johns’ Knights after overcoming hair-pulling dramas
Newcastle have confirmed their status as NRLW heavyweights by beating Gold Coast 24-18 in the grand final to claim back-to-back premierships.
After a career-best season, newly minted Dally M medalist Tamika Upton was the hero for the Knights at Accor Stadium on Sunday.
In the second of two comebacks she orchestrated in the scorching Sydney heat, Upton scored two tries to turn a six-point deficit into a winning six-point lead in the final ten minutes.
The Knights, wooden spooners in 2021, are now on the cusp of an NRLW dynasty, losing just two of eighteen matches in their two premiership seasons.
Their latest title came despite significant roster turnover in the off-season, and cements the first back-to-back titles, men’s or women’s, in Newcastle’s club history.
Newcastle defeated Gold Coast 24-18 in the NRLW grand final on Sunday afternoon
Tamika Upton (pictured) was the hero for the Knights at Accor Stadium
Lauren Brown’s passing game saw Jaime Chapman score the Titans’ second hat-trick in NRLW history to help Gold Coast take an 18-12 lead in the second half.
Gold Coast dominated the area battle all day, with forwards Shannon Mato and Jessika Elliston taking the lead, looking resolute enough on the goal line to power their way to victory.
But that was before Upton clicked back into gear, just as she did to help the Knights score three tries in seven minutes before half-time.
With ten minutes to play, Upton stepped past her rival fullback Evania Pelite for a try that leveled the scores and unnerved the Titans.
Just as the Knights looked ready to line up for a game-winning field goal, Upton kicked down the right side on the final tackle.
She burst through the defensive line and passed Chapman to ground the ball for the winning try.
The pulsating match also saw two painful-looking hair-pulling incidents that resulted in penalties.
The attempt closes the book on Gold Coast’s final fairy tale.
There were two nasty hair-pulling incidents during the spirited showdown
The Gold Coast could not cope with the fairytale finish after finishing last in 2022
After finishing bottom of the ladder last season, they stormed into the grand final with an embarrassing defeat to the Sydney Roosters and had the chance to win the first premiership trophy in Gold Coast sporting history.