A jubilant Ivania Wong seized a fifth premiership with Sunnybank’s thrilling comeback win over Bond University in today’s Sumo Energy Founders Cup grand final.
The Dragons roared home 27-25, after trailing 25-12 at half-time, in one of the best grand finals since the women’s game launched in Queensland in 1994.
The decider at Ballymore Stadium had everything. There were five lead changes, standout individual displays, two teams wrestling to play it their way and a cliffhanger finish.
“I’m overwhelmed. Crying, happy, screaming…I don’t know what to do,” Sunnybank centre Iron Talia said just after full-time.
Bond went wide inside the opening minute with a big Eva Doblo run and had scored inside 70 seconds when flanker Michelle Curry dived over.
That pace and width to the game was the Bull Sharks’ trump yet the Dragons did a huge job to shut them down in a second half dominated by the Dragons forwards.
Bond’s bid for a fifth straight premiership was shut down.
Winger Wong was just 18 in 2016 when she played for Sunnybank during their record streak of five premierships.
She won four in that run but has waited since 2019 to add a fifth.
“We had belief all season and we did at half-time when we were behind. This is such a strong group of young girls coming through and older heads. I’m so proud of the girls,” Wong said.
"The Right Kind of Wong" was one of the best placards on a day of six grand finals which drew more than 3000 enthusiastic fans to women's, lower grade and Colts deciders.
On the opposite wing, Sunnybank 17-year-old Peyton Lefau-Fakaosilea made a huge tackle to smash Curry over the sideline.
So soon after Talia had opened the second half by busting the line for a try, it meant Sunnybank finally had momentum.
“That tackle gave us all a really lift (at 25-19),” Sunnybank skipper Shannon Symon said.
“This win means so much. It’s eight months of work and our coach (Tui Nofoaiga) knowing our strengths and building our game on those. Bond are faster but we were able to pin them in the middle in that second half."
Flyhalf Harmony Vatau is having some year. So soon after winning the Shannon Parry Medal as Reds’ Player of the Year, she won the Cheyenne Campbell Medal as Player of the Grand Final.
She is quietly spoken. That is in complete contrast to her booming boot which was so important to gain field position and a monster tackle that knocked Bond flanker Grace Baker into touch with nine minutes to play.
The Bull Sharks were courageous. Twice, Sunnybank knocked back kickable penalty goals to go for a try in the final 20 minutes. On both occasions, the Bull Sharks held them up over the tryline.
The Bull Sharks had standouts. Reds No.8 Zoe Hanna made metres every time she carried the ball. Schoolgirl centre TJ Murray is a Reds star in the making with a running game, ball-handling skills and the smarts to set up her outside runners.
Finally, with 12 minutes to play, Sunnybank did take the points on offer. Fullback Vitalina Naikore slotted the penalty goal for 27-25.
She had already done her part with two first half tries. The first came from an Ana Afuie kick from the ruckbase. The ball bounced awkwardly but not for the Fijian fullback who swooped and scored.
The final minutes were pulsating and there was a final penalty to the Dragons. Naikore’s shot missed and didn’t go dead in goal.
Bond took the ball 90m upfield and looked set to score. That game-changer Vatau got her hands on the ball and forced a turnover.
Game over. Let the celebrations begin and they did for the Dragons.
SUNNYBANK 27
Tries: Vitalina Naikore 2, Iron Talia, Laina Cooper Finau
Conversions: Vitalina Naikore 2
Penalty goals: Vitalina Naikore
Defeated
BOND UNVERSITY 25
Tries: Michelle Curry, Eva Doblo, TJ Murray, Mahlia Snowden
Conversions: Cobie-Jane Morgan
Penalty goal: Cobie-Jane Morgan
Half-time: Bond University 12-Sunnybank 12
At Ballymore Stadium
Third Grade: Brothers 33 d Bond University 31
Fourth grade: Sunnybank 29 d University of Queensland 14
Fifth grade: Wests 31 d Brothers 21
Colts 2: Brothers 41 d Bond University 21
Colts 3: Easts 30 d University of Queensland 22
