Sport
30 July, 2025
No bull! Flamin’ Galahs into major semi-final
The Flamin’ Galahs have booked themselves a major semi-final berth against their archrivals, the Coonamble Ewes, on Saturday, August 9 in Walgett.
By The Pink Parrot
The Flamin’ Galahs had already sewn up the minor premiership.
Still, they made amends for a tardy performance the previous week against Walgett, when they put the Nyngan Bulls ladies’ outfit to the sword by defeating them 50-0 at McGrane Oval on Saturday.
With injury, illness, and family commitments, the Flamin’ Galahs were down to the meagre 13 players to take on the Nyngan Bulls ladies.
Coach King labelled the squad the lucky 13. It was Barney’s Old Boys Day on Saturday, and the Flamin’ Galahs wanted to make a point that they are still a force to be reckoned with coming into the finals.
If the Flamin’ Galahs were racehorses, you would have fair dinkum been asking the stewards for a swab test.
As the team that went out and played the tri-tag rugby that they did on Saturday was a completely different team from the dour performance put up the week before at Walgett
All the ladies clicked from the outset and, running again into a stiff breeze, the Flamin’ Galahs only took a minute to swing the ball to the left out along the backline and outside centre Lucy Irish was over to score in the corner.
This was a prelude to what would be Lucy’s best game of the year by far. The conversion was waved away, and the Flamin’ Galahs had a quick 5-0 lead.
The Flamin’ Galahs controlled all facets of the game. The attack was potent and kept the Nyngan Bulls ladies wondering what they would have to do to match it with the Flamin’ Galahs.
Wonderful balls and runs by the halves, Sarah Chandler and Caitlynn Mills, aka CK, were very impressive and kept the Nyngan ladies on the back foot. In defence, the Great Wall of China was a formidable line of defence, and tagging was also at its optimal best.
Dynamic fullback Paige Wilson put on the next two superb tries, which saw the Flamin’ Galahs extend their lead to 17-0 by the 14th minute.
The Flamin’ Galahs forwards, Makaila Gordon, Jess Fleming and Allana Clark were running hard and making breaks. Running hard was the key when Alanna ran a hard line about 20 metres out from the Nyngan tryline, and given the speed and determination she ran at, went through untagged and scored next to the uprights. The try was converted, and at half-time, the Flamin’ Galahs had a handy 24-0 over their opponents.
Grace Lummis was probing in the centres in the first half, throwing dummies left, right, and centre and just really enjoying herself. Heidi Ferguson was again running herself to a standstill, covering the ruck position. These two girls swapped spots for the second half and covered each other’s positions admirably.
The Flamin’ Galahs wingers Ella Wykes, Teagan Watt, Kelsey Hutchison and Abigail Dobson were all hungry for the ball and on the fringes made crucial tags when the ball was swung out along the Nyngan backline.
Paige, as she always does, kicked the second half into gear with her third try of the day and then duly converted it for a 31-0 lead. Shortly after this, it became the Sarah Chandler show with a great double-try effort.
The second effort was one of the most beautiful backing-up tries of the year when on fire centre Lucy Irish made another break and came to the Nyngan fullback and drew her with perfection to pick up a flying Sarah on her inside to run a further 40 metres to score what was the try of the game. It was rugby personified and brought a tear to coach King’s eye.
The tries were duly converted by Paige, who was having a great day with the boot, and the score had blown out to 45-0.
With the clock ticking away, it was left to a wonderful individual effort from winger Abigail Dobson to pierce her way through the Nyngan Bulls defence and run some 30 metres for Gailey’s first try of the year, which was a beauty.
Paige’s conversion hit the post, and this left the score at a neat 50-0 when the full-time whistle was blown by the official.
It has been a remarkable effort by the Flamin’ Galahs to date in the round games of the competition to go through undefeated and take the minor premiership. But as coach King reiterated to the ladies that this counts for nothing now that the finals are upon all teams in the coming weeks.
The hard work by the Flamin’ Galahs has given them the luxury of a week off and two bites at the cherry to the big dance. But it will count for nothing if they do not go on with what they want to achieve in this competition.
The Flamin’ Galahs firmly have their feet on the ground and are in no way getting ahead of themselves. They all know they will be in for the fight of their lives when they take on their old foes, the Coonamble Ewes, Saturday week.
Points for the week. Three points, Lucy Irish. Two points to Paige Wilson and Grace Lummis. One point each to Sarah Chandler and Abigail Dobson. Player’s player was shared between Lucy and Sarah.
