Women’s 1st Grade Match Report Away Ground, May 2025

The Waratahs Women delivered a commanding performance to secure an impressive 46-21 away victory in an entertaining 11-try encounter that showcased the squad’s attacking depth and excellent game management away from home.

Lonsdale’s Magnificent Four

Megan Lonsdale produced the performance of her career with an outstanding four-try haul that spearheaded the Waratahs’ dominant display. Her powerful running and clinical finishing proved unstoppable, demonstrating why she’s become such a crucial player in the team’s attacking structure.

Hayes’ Double Adds to Victory

Georgina Hayes contributed an important double to the six-try triumph, showcasing her pace and positioning to find gaps in the opposition defence. Her tries highlighted the multiple attacking threats the Waratahs can call upon across their backline.

Lucas and Fowler Complete Scoring

Milly Lucas and Amy Fowler also crossed the line to contribute to the comprehensive victory, with Fowler’s try demonstrating her consistent threat while Lucas showed her versatility by both scoring and handling the goal-kicking duties.

Goal-Kicking Battle Under Pressure

Milly Lucas managed three successful conversions from six attempts, providing crucial points despite the challenging away conditions. Her accuracy proved sufficient in a high-scoring contest where maximising scoring opportunities was essential.

Extensive Squad Rotation Excellence

The coaching staff made exceptional use of their squad depth with extensive tactical substitutions throughout the match. The rotation involving Amelia Harris, Olivia Mckenna, Rhani Meriton, Molly Browne, Ulamila Kuboutawa, Vanessa Harris, Logann Phelps, Rebekah Holmes, Suze Waia, Brianne Saxby, Ayla Ryan, Emily Harvey, Claire Foley, Georgina Hayes, and Raijieli Koto demonstrated the impressive depth available.

Opposition Shows Character

Despite the comprehensive defeat, the home team demonstrated fighting spirit with tries through Ivy Merlehan, April Sharp, and Molly Lenon. Tori Redman proved reliable with the boot, successfully converting three of their four attempts to keep the scoreboard respectable.

Professional Away Performance

The 25-point victory margin away from home while managing extensive squad rotations demonstrates the maturity and quality within this Waratahs outfit. The team’s ability to maintain attacking intensity throughout the contest showcased their professional approach.

Squad Depth a Major Asset

The extensive use of tactical substitutions without any significant drop in performance standards highlighted the exceptional depth available to the coaching staff. This squad rotation capability continues to prove invaluable as the season progresses.

Building Championship Momentum

This comprehensive away victory provides tremendous confidence as the Waratahs continue their championship campaign. The combination of individual brilliance from Lonsdale and Hayes, combined with effective squad management, suggests this side has the tools for sustained success.

Attacking Excellence on Display

The six-try display away from home demonstrated the Waratahs’ evolution into a genuine attacking force. The variety of scorers and the clinical nature of their finishing highlighted the quality available throughout the squad.

Game Management Under Control

Despite the high-scoring nature of the contest, the Waratahs maintained excellent game management throughout, never allowing the opposition to build sustained pressure or threaten their commanding position.

Final Score

Opposition 21 – Waratahs 46

Scoring Summary

Waratahs Tries: Megan Lonsdale (4), Georgina Hayes (2), Amelia Harris, Amy Fowler, Milly Lucas (playing) Waratahs Conversions: Milly Lucas (3/6)

Opposition Tries: Ivy Merlehan, April Sharp, Molly Lenon Opposition Conversions: Tori Redman (3/3)

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