Friday,
20 September 2024
Red Bend JRL Under 14s girls are champions

Red Bend Junior Rugby League's Under 14s are red hot, taking out the league tag as well as the first girls' rugby league competition for Lachlan District this season.

Red Bend JRL hosted grand final day for the junior competition with the two girls' teams qualifying to contest the deciders.

It was a great day for the club, president Callum Hopkins said, welcoming the opportunity to host the big event.

The competition spans Parkes, Forbes' two clubs, West Wyalong, Condobolin, Grenfell, Canowindra, Molong and Manildra.

It's been a strong season for Red Bend JRL girls in this age group, with a squad of 35 players forming two league tag teams - team Sky the premiership winners - and the tackle team.

"There's some very promising young talent there, it's really exciting for us," Hopkins said.

A lot of the girls played both league tag and took the opportunity to play rugby league when offered this season.

"Some were playing in the Spring competition and when this opportunity came around they jumped at it," Hopkins said.

Sky went through the league tag season undefeated, their fellow club team Navy also having an excellent campaign.

"Navy was probably a little bit unlucky they didn't make the finals," Hopkins said.

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"The Sky girls had played together for that little bit longer.

"The Sky team went through the season undefeated, they had a massive points for and I think only 38 against them for the whole season."

They went on to produce a winning performance against Parkes in the grand final, the final score 16-6.

The rugby league season was shorter, conducted in the second half of the regular winter season.

Red Bend's 14s girls were again undefeated: their results including one draw with Parkes with an otherwise winning run.

On grand final day they too took on the Parkes Marist juniors.

Red Bend got away to an early lead, Parkes fought back but the hosts were strong enough to hold them out for a 28-22 final score.

"It's pretty exciting for them, some of those girls have had a pretty fantastic season and well deserved," Hopkins said.

"There's a great attitude around that squad, a really good vibe, they have a lot of fun.

"And it's driven really well by their coach Nick Jones and manager Hannah DeMamiel."

Rugby league - led 22-0 at one point and ended up winning 28-22