NELSON Bay Bandits women’s rugby league team are celebrating a fairytale premiership in their first season in the Newcastle Maitland Rugby League competition.
The newly formed Bandits were crowned Women’s Community Plate champions for 2025 after toppling the more fancied Mallabula Pantherettes 16-4 in last Saturday’s Grand Final at Lakeside Sporting Complex.
It is a meteoric rise for the fledgling sports club that was only formed earlier this year after being accepted into the senior women’s tackle ranks.
Foundation coach Blaine O’Flaherty assembled a host of talented local players led by mercurial halfback and inspirational skipper Tash Harris, and masterminded one of the finest sporting achievements in the Port Stephens region.
The Nelson Bay team produced one of the greatest transformations on record to eventually lift the Community Plate premiership trophy and create history with a resounding victory in the “Battle of the Peninsula.”
O’Flaherty’s mighty warriors were at long odds in the title race after chalking up five victories and five losses during the regular rounds to scrape into fourth spot.
The Bandits were ravaged by injuries, washouts and the unavailability of players at the start of their campaign and were languishing near the bottom of the ladder at the halfway mark of the competition.
They forfeited their opening round fixture against runaway minor premiers Cardiff Cobras on 26 April and suffered losses to the Hinton Hornets (22-10) and Mallabula (16-10) before registering their first points of the season with a 28-4 victory over the Thornton-Beresfield Bears on June 14.
When the Bandits lost their final round clash to Mallabula 18-4 on the eve of the finals, the team was written off as a genuine title contender.
But in an incredible show of courage, team spirit, tenacity and skill, the Nelson Bay women rose to the occasion.
In a memorable four week period during the finals series, they defeated the Bears 18-0, Hornets 24-4 and minor premiers Cardiff 18-8 in elimination clashes, before capturing the trophy in style on Grand Final day.
Nelson Bay’s premiership blueprint centered on their skilful halves Harris and five-eighth Brie Napoli providing slick service to a talented back division in fullback Aimee Zerbes, flying wingers Leila Kelly and Jen Finefeuiaki, and the sharp centre pairing of Sally Baker and Imogen O’Flaherty.
A huge factor was the Bandits’ powerhouse forward pack led by props Victoria Hawthorn and Maddi Herman, hooker Courtney Whitehead, second rowers Kim Northey and Lucy Walden, and tough-tackling lock Skye Barrett.
They were supported by capable interchange players Claire Benn, Chantelle Doran, Claudia Ivankovic, Holly Bigeni, Kris Finefeuiaki and Natalie Daniel that complemented the top 13 with sterling efforts.
Nelson Bay jumped to an early 10-0 lead in the premiership decider with tries by Kelly and Harris before the Pantherettes responded with a four pointer to smart five-eighth Angel Hodson.
When the elusive Kelly nabbed her second try, it placed the Bandits in a dominant position.
Trump card Harris proved the difference on field with her vision, pace and organisational skills and capped a top display with a neat try and two conversions in the Bandits’ history making moment.
Greg Hodson’s Mallabula team can hold their heads high after producing spirited victories in the finals series to give the title a mighty shake.
By Chris KARAS
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