Panthers produce an impressive performance to earn their first win of the 2025 league tag campaign

Wee Waa Panthers’ ladies’ league tag team coach Kimberley Laurie could not have been prouder of her side on Sunday as they scored their first win of the 2025 campaign on home soil.

The Panthers welcomed Boggabri Kangaroos to town for the round one clash, which was their second game each after they were both beaten in their respective round three matches to kick off the campaign earlier in the month.

Boggabri put up a brave fight but the Wee Waa ladies were dominant from start to finish as they outscored their opponents 32-0 after leading 14-0 at the half-time break.

The Panthers ran in seven tries and kicked two conversions, while also defending with class to hold the Roos to zero points.

Lavinia Bolton and Tenika Cochrane both crossed for two tries each, and the other three were scored by Lidia McCauley, Ashley Hanslow and Briana Anderson. Hanslow kicked the two conversions to finish the match with eight points.

Laurie told The Courier that she was impressed by her players’ efforts in the pre-season and each week at training since, which showed out on the field on Sunday.

“They played brilliantly,” she said.

“I couldn’t be more proud of the girls. They all put in the effort in pre-season and training, and to see it come out on the weekend really showed how well as a team we’re coming together.

“The first game (a 34-4 loss at home against Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters), I think everyone just got their nerves out. Kooti are a great side and they always have been.

“I think the Boggi game was a big difference for us. From the first game to the second, you could see the improvement there, especially in communication. Everyone is starting to gel together.

“The defence was great. At training, we worked on marking players and communicating with the person next to you, and obviously it goes to show they have done that.

“The Boggi girls have a lot of talent too, so it was great to see the defence we showed.”

The 2024 campaign was a tough one for the Wee Waa ladies, who only won one game to go with two draws and 12 losses in the club’s first season back in the competition following a multi-year hiatus.

Laurie took over as the coach late in that season, and she declared that the improvement the team has shown between then and now is impressive. She also said that she believed her players had the talent and the attitude to make a finals push in 2025.

“There’s actually been heaps of improvement,” Laurie said.

“We’ve kept a lot of the same players but we’ve got some new players too this year.

“The girls have improved so much.

“I would love to make the finals this year. I think we have the team to do it, and we just have to keep improving on all skills.

“We need to keep showing up to training and on game days, which we’ve been doing already.”

Laurie also added that her girls were proud to play in memory of the late Jeremey Toomey and kick off the JT Memorial Cup battle against Boggabri with a victory.

“JT is a well-known man and he is obviously family to a lot of our girls and to lots of the Boggi girls too, so to go out there and come home with a win made us girls feel really good about ourselves, knowing that we just won for such a great man,” she said.

“To get that point was a great feeling for us.”

Next up for Wee Waa is an away trip against Werris Creek this Sunday. The Magpies are yet to play following a bye and a forfeit win.