The Canberra Raiders secured their first NRLW finals win by defeating the Wests Tigers 6-0 at Campbelltown Stadium. The result ended Wests’ first appearance in the competition’s finals and brought their breakthrough season to a close.
ABC News Australia reported that Zahara Temara was central to Canberra’s victory. The halfback delivered a cut-out pass for Isabella Waterman’s first-half try, then later broke the line and won a penalty to extend the Raiders’ advantage to six points.
Temara also helped manage the game after Canberra took the lead. She forced two dropouts, kicked the Tigers into difficult positions and stopped a late kick-and-chase attempt by Caitlin Turnbull as Wests searched for a way back into the match.
Canberra controlled much of the contest, with prop Chloe Saunders making 173 metres, including 73 post-contact metres. The Raiders spent long periods near the Tigers’ line, while Wests were forced to make 85 more tackles. ABC also reported a 10-5 penalty count against the Tigers.
The defeat ended a notable turnaround for Wests, who had won only five games across their first three NRLW seasons and finished with the wooden spoon in the previous two campaigns. They had been in contention for a top-two position before losses to the Titans and Raiders halted their momentum.
Canberra will next face either the Sydney Roosters or Gold Coast in a grand-final qualifier, depending on the result of Brisbane’s match against Newcastle. The Raiders have also beaten Brisbane and pushed Gold Coast and the Roosters during the season, according to ABC News Australia.