Big win has Roverettes with one eye on finals
Despite sitting one position outside the Blumers Lawyers George Tooke Shield (GTS) league tag top five, the Boorowa Roverettes are a team to watch.
Led by coach Imogen Pye, Boorowa ended a three-game losing streak in Round Six by defeating the UC Stars 34-nil at Raiders Belconnen.
Following a tough 16-6 loss to the strong Cootamundra Bullettes outfit in Round Seven, Boorowa came out and put the sword to North Canberra in Round Eight, winning 36-4 at Boorowa Showground.
Eliza Taylor shone in the six tries to one victory, scoring four of her own as Boorowa moved to within one competition point of the fifth-placed Bears.
Pye was thrilled to see her Roverettes put their best feet forward.
“I spoke to the girls last week and told them we pretty much need to win every game from here on out; otherwise, we’ll kiss finals goodbye,” Pye said.
“It was a huge game against North Canberra on Saturday, and I was really proud of all the girl's efforts because it was a team effort.
“Everyone stepped up and played well; hopefully, we can bring that to every game for the rest of the season.”
With three wins and five losses to their name, Boorowa can be considered unlucky not to be further up the ladder.
A spirited squad has been on the wrong end of close losses in 2024. They fell to Crookwell 12-10 in Round Three before a 20-10 loss to Binalong in Round Four.
They even tested Harden at times before losing to the Hawkettes 30-10 in Round Five. As the back half of the season rolls on, they will be a headache for teams, especially if they qualify for the finals.
“We’ve had a few close games, where there was only 6-10 points in it, so we’ve been working on that at training,” Pye said.
“In those games where we’ve only lost by small margins, we’re trying to fix those errors, push up the ladder, and make finals; we want to be a top contender for the Grand Final.”
While Boorowa has yet to beat a top-four team, Pye believes the Roverettes have what it takes.
“I think we can beat every team in the comp if we play to our best,” Pye said.
“We’ve got a lot of new, fresh, and young players, and we’re using their potential across the field.
“We want to be strong from the left wing to the right wing, and having some new faces has helped us this year, so we’re not relying on certain players, and if we keep doing that and keep improving, we’ll give it a good go.”
In other GTS league tag Round Eight games played on Saturday, Binalong won a thriller at Binalong Recreation Oval, defeating Crookwell 12-6.
Cootamundra unleashed on the winless UC Stars at Les Boyd Oval, winning 40-14 as Maddison Gillies scored three and Andie McTavish crossed for two more.
The Hawkettes reaffirmed their status as competition favourites at McLean Oval, with Harden defeating Bungendore 26-4.
Click here for the Blumers Lawyers George Tooke Shield league tag ladder, draw, and results.
Hawks turn tables on Bungendore
On Saturday, the Harden Hawks turned the tables on the high-flying Bungendore Tiger at McLean Oval.
After their shock 50-nil loss to the Tigers in Round One, the Hawks dished out some of their own medicine, belting Bungendore 40-nil in their Round Eight GTS fixture.
With strategic play, William Hills and Jayden Cutting guided the Hawks to victory, with the home side scoring seven unanswered tries and moving within one win of the now top-of-the-table Cootamundra Bulldogs.
Cootamundra slipped into outright first after the University of Canberra Stars forfeited for the second time this season.
In the game of the round, Binalong bounced back to find winning form, defeating Crookwell 18-10 at Binalong Recreation Oval.
Boorowa were also good winners, defeating North Canberra 30-16 at Boorowa Showground on Saturday.
The Rovers have given themselves some breathing room in the top five, while they aren’t far off the pace. They sit in fifth position and are only two wins off Bungendore, Binalong, and Harden.
Click here for the Blumers Lawyers George Tooke Shield ladder, draw, and results.
