Katrina Fanning Shield: Round One Preview
The 2025 Blumers Lawyers Katrina Fanning Shield kicks off this weekend with three thrilling matchups to launch Canberra's premier women's tackle competition.
Woden Valley Rams vs West Belconnen Warriors
9:30am, Saturday at Boomanulla Oval
The Woden Valley Rams and West Belconnen Warriors are shaping up as top contenders in this year’s Katrina Fanning Shield.
The Rams finished third in the 2024 regular season but bowed out in the first week of finals with a narrow four-point loss to the Gungahlin Bulls, who went on to reach the grand final. Woden will be eager to go deeper in 2025.
West Belconnen had competition points deducted last season, costing them a top-four spot. As champions in 2023, the Warriors will be determined to reclaim their title.
Last year, West Belconnen dominated this matchup, defeating Woden 26-0 in round 10 and backing it up with a 16-8 victory later in the season. With both teams expected to be in the finals mix again, expect a fierce contest as they look to start the season strong.
Goulburn City Bulldogs vs Yass Magpies
10:40am, Saturday at Workers Arena
The Goulburn City Bulldogs face a tough opening-round challenge against the defending premiers, the Yass Magpies, and will be eager to make a statement.
Goulburn finished sixth last year but gained momentum late in the season, securing key wins over top opposition. They’ll aim to build on that in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Magpies reinforced their status as a competition powerhouse by lifting last year’s Katrina Fanning Shield.
This Hume Highway rivalry always delivers fireworks, with the Bulldogs looking to see where they're at after a big preseason and the Magpies keen to pick up where they left off.
Gungahlin Bulls vs Tuggeranong Bushrangers
12:00pm, Saturday at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval
The Tuggeranong Bushrangers face a tough round one task against last year’s grand finalists, the Gungahlin Bulls.
Gungahlin emerged as dark horses in 2024, sneaking into the top four before causing upsets in the semis to reach the grand final. However, their title hopes were dashed in a 28-10 defeat. They’ll be out to settle unfinished business this season.
Tuggeranong endured a challenging 2024 campaign, finishing second-last, but with strong player numbers in the preseason, the Bushies are expected to significantly improve.
With Gungahlin motivated by last year’s grand final heartbreak and Tuggeranong hungry for improvement, this clash promises to be an exciting battle at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval.
