HUNTER regional rugby league representative coach Russell Grigg has achieved it all.

The experienced mentor – who guided Western Suburbs Rosellas to a women’s premiership and Newcastle-Maitland to a NSW Country Championship title last season – came within a whisker of duplicating those deeds in 2023.

His talented Raymond Terrace Magpies outfit were pipped 12-10 by Lakes United in the recent Newcastle-Maitland Regional Women’s trophy decider at Cessnock Sports Ground but gained plenty of admirers for their courage and skill in a gripping contest.

Leading 10-4 at the interval the Magpies displayed tons of spirit against the Seagulls, who capitalised on twelve successive penalties and 80 percent possession to storm home after the break.

“I am so proud of my girls and the tremendous courage they showed against a very strong Lakes United team,” a defiant Grigg told News Of The Area.

“We didn’t have enough ball to challenge the Seagulls and were virtually on the backfoot for much of the second half but remained resilient,” he said.

Despite the heartbreak, this Magpies lineup is shaping as a force to be reckoned with in 2024.

Grigg has a batch of exciting young prospects that stamped their mark in this year’s premiership series.

The squad comprised twelve Karuah Under 17 juniors and a mix of players from the Western Suburbs and Macquarie clubs and country recruits.

Dubbo find Majayda Darcy established herself as the best forward in the competition with her powerful running and ability to off load to support.

The athletic second rower turned in superb performances to finish the competition’s leading try scorer – grabbing four in the Magpies’ 48-4 trouncing of the Wyong Roos in a semi final and opening the try-scoring in the Grand Final after a 50 metre burst.

Cronulla signing Brandii Davis-Welsh was a stand out at fullback and gave the Magpies a 10-4 lead with a brilliant chip-and-chase try.

Former Jillaroo Talesha O’Neill – a Port Stephens local now playing with Parramatta in the NRLW – helped assemble the squad.

Talented centre Emily Kapernick will represent the Australian Defence Force team on a tour of Papua New Guinea while skipper

Lexi Beagan and fellow forwards Chloe Zdebski, Macey Elvidge and Olivia Hardie were chosen in the Newcastle-Maitland rep squad that finished runners up to Monaro in this year’s Country Championships.

Clever five eighth Taylah Gray and lock Terri-lee Van Wyk shone for the Newcastle Knights in the Harvey Norman Premiership with the dashing Davis-Welsh (Sharks) and gun centre Jorja Holden (Roosters) also showing their wares.

Gray formed a crack combination with emerging NSW Schoolgirls half back Lilly-Ann White – the Newcastle Knights’ Tarsha Gale Cup Player of the Year.

The mercurial White was one of four Magpies players that featured for the Knights in the NSWRL Under 18s womens series along with second rower Jalice Brown, hooker Kyana Patten, winger Lacey Mitchell and Parramatta’s Makaah Darcy.

A real find for the Magpies was the versatile Brown who joined the team from the Knights as a winger before cementing her spot in the pack after top displays at lock, prop and in the back row.

By Chris KARAS