A double to Rosalie Prout during a frantic final few minutes saw the Dubbo Devils claim a second NSW Touch Football Country Championships Women’s Seniors title in three years.
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The Devils and the Jerrabomberra Storm produced one of the best grand finals of the Championships, a match which came alive late on after being a predominantly cagey affair.
But some stellar defence and Prout’s late touchdowns saw Dubbo claim a 4-3 win.
“We had to come from behind and it was a bit of a shock because all of our games coming up to this we had won fairly easily so to be 2-1 down and then come back was really gutsy,” player-coach Corrine Medlin said after the match.
“This is probably better (than the 2015 title) because there wasn’t as many teams in it then and we had to beat a few more so this means a bit more.”
After going through the group stage undefeated the Devils women downed the Newcastle City Knights 8-2 in the semi-final.
That set up a decider against the Storm and the hosts began perfectly, with Jackie O’Bray scoring out wide in Dubbo’s first possession.
Jerrabomberra shot to the lead with two touchdowns in the blink of an eye and then Dubbo got through a mountain of defence to ensure that lead didn’t grow.
Dubbo, playing a much more patient style of match than the Storm, couldn’t find a way through but inside the final 10 minutes former Australian rugby player Bec Smyth, a standout for the Devils all weekend, split the defence and raced away.
She was caught short of the line but Kobi Davis scored shortly after to level it all up and it wasn’t long before Prout had her first out in the corner after some outstanding play from Medlin and Krystal Laughton.
Dubbo wasn’t in front for long after another Storm touchdown but Prout was again over in the corner soon after.
The Devils defence then held firm in the final moments to help seal victory, and Medlin said there was a number of standouts in her side.
“One was Bec Smyth, just for her natural talents and ability to create something out of nothing and Bec Hill was great in defence but my player of the weekend would be Tracey Whillock. She was unreal in attack and defence and controlled the game,” she said.
Medlin was also thrilled for the Dubbo club’s success, with a win also being recorded in the Men’s Opens B decider.
“Being pretty new (Opens) teams they weren’t expected to do as well .. but they beat some really good teams so that was great to see,” she said.
“Dubbo has done really well considering we don’t get the strong competition week in, week out like some of the sides on the coast do.”
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
