If you weren’t a Cronulla Sharks fan before, here’s a tip: you are now. (At least for the NRLW.)
Pally’s own Rhiannon Byers will be in the starting line up this Sunday when the Sharks take on the Roosters in the NRLW Grand Final. Tamworth’s Jada Taylor will be there too, on the bench.
The two local women have both been an impactful inclusion in the Cronulla women’s team, who have stunned many by making the finals in only their second year in the competition. Byers made a code switch from the Aussie Seven’s to join Cronulla in their debut season last year, while Taylor came across from the Roosters.
Rhiannon’s mum, Katreana Byers, said a number of the family were heading to be at the game and had been invited to a special jersey presentation the Sharks were putting on for the girls.
“Rhianna’s got her godfather coming, he’s flying in from the Tanami – he works on the gold mine, so he’s actually taking time off to come.
“And my father and uncle from the South Coast are coming too.”
“So there’s a few of us travelling, which is good,” Katreana said.
Mum doesn’t think Rhiannon will be nervous though, having played all over the world in front of big crowds with the Sevens.
“I think it’ll probably be more nerves in making sure that she can do a job and and do it well, which we know she will.”
Katreana says Pallamallawa is definitely behind their girl, particularly some of the local kids.
“Whenever she comes home she always goes to the school and brings something to them, same with Warialda High where she went to high school.
“Just to show the young kids that doesn’t matter where you come from, being a such a small community that if you put the put the time and the effort into it, you can achieve your dreams.
“I know all the all the kids are cheering her on. I’ve had a couple of the parents send me some videos of their kids to send to Rhi,” she said.
Another local fully backing our girls is fellow Pally resident and recently re-elected Moree Plains councillor Susannah Pearse, who was busy today making sure all the pubs in the area show the women’s grand final as well as the mens. The Pally Pub have of course obliged, and will be kicking off the celebrations and $5 schooners from 3pm, rather than the originally advertised 5pm.
Katreana, like the pundits, thinks it will be a good game and a close one, but thinks revenge might spur the team on, as pay back for the absolute thrashing they received from the Roosters in Round Six.
“They’ve got something to prove now, seeing Roosters beat them at 40 nil, I think you know they’re going to hit back hard, prove they are worthy of being there at that grand final, and are worthy of giving everyone an entertaining game.”
Rhiannon has overcome a series of injuries just to be on the park, including two back surgeries from her rugby days and breaking her wrist at the start of last season. This weekend the number 12 is not only running on to the ground for a grand final, she’s converting locals to Sharks fans at speed too, just by being there.
“It’s amazing how many shark fans come out of the woodwork,” Katreana said.
“My husband was talking to someone the other day and and he was dropping his trailers off, and he just mentioned that we were going to watch her game. And they asked who she plays for and he told them Cronulla, and they said ‘Oh, we’re big Cronulla fans’.”
“And even my husband said, ‘I don’t know if they are or not’!”
The NRLW Grand Final is on this Sunday, October 6, at Accor Stadium in Sydney, with kick off at 3.55pm. You can watch the game live on NBN or 9HD television.
The game will be followed by entertainment featuring another Gomeroi star, Kid Laroi, from around 6.30 and the NRL Grand Final between the Panthers and the Storm kicks off 7.30pm. Pubs and clubs showing the games are allowed to trade until midnight under the Special Event Extended Trading rules.
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