THE SECOND of a series of end-of-season home games saw the Tea Gardens Hawks Women’s Tackle rugby league team take on the Dudley Magpies at Myall Park on Saturday, 21 July.

This was the teams’ first actual encounter, since heavy rains had washed out their originally scheduled first-round match.

They came to the field quite close on the ladder, with Dudley at sixth on three wins, and the Hawks at eighth on two victories so far.

The Hawks were thrown onto the defensive from the beginning by the physical size and determination of the Dudley women.

The first Dudley try came within five minutes.

Dudley’s persistent push repeatedly exploited gaps on the Hawks’ right-side, with the next few tries scored in virtually the same spot along the home side’s backline.

The Hawks responded with some strong running, earning two sets of six within ten metres of the Dudley tryline.

Both attacking sets were withstood by Dudley’s rock-solid defence, which no amount of accurate passing nor direct runs could penetrate.

Gale-force winds certainly didn’t help, especially as both teams were often hit with ever-changing gusts and headwinds throughout the game.

Play got progressively rougher, and first-aid personnel found themselves spending more and more time on the field, as at least three players were carried off with debilitating injuries.

The match ended 40-0 in favour of the visitors from Dudley.

By Thomas O’KEEFE