Sport
7 January, 2026
BEST OF 2025: Wake up call For Flamin’ Galahs
First published June 21, 2025. The Gulargambone Flamin’ Galahs just kept their undefeated start to the season intact on Saturday, June 14, when they travelled to Nyngan to take on the Nyngan ladies in the Ahrens Western Plains Ladies Tri Tag competition
By The Pink Parrot
In four outings against Nyngan last year in Nyngan’s first year in the women’s competition, the Flamin’ Galahs came away with four defeats, including the 2024 grand final loss to the Nyngan ladies.
On Saturday, the Flamin’ Galahs rewrote the history books when they had their first victory over the Nyngan ladies, beating them 26-14. Unfortunately, this was by far the Flamin’ Galahs most indifferent performance in this 2025 competition.
Passing was sub-standard. Defence lines were staggered, allowing the Nyngan ladies to repeatedly waltz their way through.
At times, the Nyngan attack made the Flamin’ Galahs look like turn styles and grabbing at thin air in some very ordinary tagging attempts. Drifting defence was found wanting again, and fitness appeared to be an issue for some of the ladies.
Nyngan could have walked away with this victory if it had not been for the efforts of our always reliable fullback Paige Wilson in stopping several tries after they made their way through some ordinary defence lines.The game started brilliantly by the Flamin’ Galahs, and in the third minute, a wonderful show of hands by the backline and a depth touch by French import Canelle Coppin passing to winger Kelsey Hutchison to send Kelsey on her way to the tryline to open the scoring 5-0.
Paige Wilson converted the try, and the Flamin’ Galahs were leading 7-0. It was only seven minutes later in the tenth minute that Paige sliced through the Nyngan line and scored for the Flamin’ Galahs to take a 12-0 lead. This was converted by Paige, and the Flamin’ Galahs were racing the clock, leading 14-0.
It was not long after this that the wheels began falling off the Flamin’ Galahs defence and attack. Passes began to become erratic as some of the appearances lately of players at training during the past few weeks.
There was plenty of talk going on but not much action as the Flamin’ Galahs began to capitulate and implode. Their toughest enemy out on the field was not the opposition but themselves.
The ladies defended well, but in the 24th minute, the Nyngan ladies were able to cross the tryline by diving over for a try when a Flamin’ Galah player was well within three metres off them. This is not allowed in the laws of the tri tag game, but the official then gave the try. The official then admitted and realised after they had given the try that it should not have been awarded. Go figure!
The conversion was made by Nyngan, and the score at half-time was 14-7. The second half commenced, and there were some nice runs and breaks by the Flamin’ Galahs wingers. To the credit of the Nyngan ladies, they were up quick in defence and continually in the faces of the Flamin’ Galahs that began to rattle the playing group. Fly half Caitlynn Mills was continually trying to make plays happen and was producing good clearing kicks to the vacant ground area. In the fourth minute of the second half, Paige crossed for her second try to make the scoreline 19-7. The conversion was unsuccessful.
It was here that Nyngan began to take control and dominated the game, finding hole after hole in a staggered defensive line that a tiring Flamin’ Galahs were offering. In the 18th minute, Nyngan crossed for their second try and converted the try to make the scoreline a nail-biting 19-13.
It was left to none other than Paige to find the gap on the outside. This was achieved by good team passing and beating the defence by the Flamin’ Galahs backline, in particular ‘dual international’ Rani Diggs. Rani, who again had a wow of a game, gave a pass to Paige to go and score what would be the match winner. Rani converted the try, and the Flamin’ Galahs came away with a handy but by no means pretty victory by 26-14.
Coach King reiterated to the playing group at full-time that it was for the ladies to hold their heads up, learn from these mistakes during the game and look at the scoreboard. If they could still win playing ugly, the Flamin’ Galahs were still doing something right.
‘Newcastle University import’ Heidi Ferguson was outstanding when thrown into centre, fly half, and scrum half during the game. Clementine McIntosh was a standout in her organisation of the ruck areas, as well as her communication and tagging skills. As mentioned before, Rani Diggs had a great game, and as always, Paige Wilson was reliable in attack and defence.
The Flamin’ Galahs will move on from that performance, and all sporting teams, no matter at what sporting level, have off days. And when you have an off day and can still come away with a win, well, it’s not that bad.
The Flamin’ Galahs need to ready themselves for the start of the second round of the competition, commencing this week with the long trip away to Bourke. Being the only remaining undefeated team in the competition at this point puts a big target on the Flamin’ Galahs back that each other team will aspire to knock them off their perch.
The Flamin’ Galahs relish the challenge and will be working hard this week at training to make amends for an average performance against Nyngan.
Points for the weekend were as follows. Three points to Clementine. Two points to Caitlynn Mills, aka CK. One point each to Paige and Heidi. Players’ Player was a popular choice and went to Rani.
