Meg Ward’s team has created Norths’ history but the rookie coach says the Devils’ toughest work is ahead in the BMD Premiership semi-finals.
The Devils ended the regular season yesterday in second place despite a 26-22 loss to top team Mackay Cutters at Bishop Park.
This is the first semi-final berth for the Devils in a women’s statewide competition, coming in the club’s second season in the BMD Premiership.
Rookie coach Ward and her unheralded team were not expected to figure in the finals after an off-season competition revamp introduced two new teams and a bunch of player changes.
The Devils lost some of their most experienced players but Ward brought together a squad that has fought from the first game, winning five of their nine matches and never losing by more than 10 points.
Ward’s fighters now face a home semi-final on Saturday against reigning champions Burleigh Bears – the team that beat the Devils by 10 points in the opening round of the season.
The Devils have developed cohesion since that match, showcasing their resilience in the loss to the Cutters yesterday.
Ward took the chance to rest multiple players from the game with second place locked up and Mackay too far ahead to peg back first place.
Despite those changes, the Devils matched the Cutters with five tries each including two in the last 10 minutes as the home team made a late charge.
The Cutters will return home to face Western Clydesdales in the other semi-final with the winners to meet the following weekend to decide the BMD Premiership.
“I’m really proud of the team for finishing second but this is really the start of the hard work,” Ward said.
“We have a home final against Burleigh and we know that they’re such a seasoned team. They have very good players across the park and they just finished in front of us in Round 1.
“We’ve improved a lot since then but so have Burleigh so we will have to be very good this weekend.
“You play football to be in finals so I’m really excited for the team.”
The Devils fell behind the Cutters 10-0 after 14 minutes before beginning their fightback.
Five-eighth Georgia Hannaway continues to rack up points, posting the Devils’ first try in the 25th minute again off the work of hooker and co-captain Jada Ferguson.
The first of Becky Davidson’s tries came in the 34th minute when the centre was simply too strong from close to the line.
That left scores level at 10-all at halftime before the Cutters regained the lead only to be matched by a sweeping move to the left that ended with winger Denyce Perham scoring in the corner.
Burleigh jumped to a 26-14 lead with nine minutes remaining before the Devils’ late rush included another left-hand raid for Perham’s second try.
The Devils hit the replay button four minutes later when they built field position and again went left deep in Cutters’ territory only this time Davidson didn’t need to pass as she crashed over for her second try.
MACKAY CUTTERS 26 (Alisha Ford 2, Jasmine Peter, Sareka Mooka, Lyrech Mara tries, Kalya Shepherd 3 goals) bt NORTHS DEVILS 22 (Becky Davidson 2, Denyce Perham 2, Georgia Hannaway tries, Emily Veivers goal) at Bishop Park.
