Roosters hold off Broncos to top NRLW table
Both teams scored five tries but it was the second-half comeback by the Broncos that nearly stole the show, after they trailed 18-0 after just 13 minutes.
They clawed their way back to 24-22 before Dally M medallist Olivia Kernick scored her second to put the buffer back to 12 points.
A frantic finish had Jess Sergis in the sin-bin for holding down winger Kerri Johnson, who scored in the next play to give the home side a last chance.
The Broncos opted not to take the conversion with just 90 seconds left, but couldn't get far enough into Roosters territory to secure a winning try.
Kernick shoots through! 💪 pic.twitter.com/z5ES7o5BlL
— NRLW (@NRLWomens) July 20, 2025
Heading into round three the Roosters, Broncos and Bulldogs were undefeated, but with Canterbury's 18-14 loss to the Dragons on Saturday, John Strange's team now sits clear out in front.
"That feels good but it's only early days," Roosters fullback Brydie Parker told Channel Nine.
"It feels really good to get the win on the road and it was certainly a grind. Once we got ahead they came right back at us."
Integral to the Broncos' fightback was star No.1 Tamika Upton, who scored two tries in eight minutes – her second double in a week.
"It definitely hurts," Upton said. "It was because of our very poor first half. You can't do that against a team like that."
In the earlier game at the other end of the ladder, a breakthrough beckoned for either Wests Tigers or Gold Coast, after both clubs had started the 2025 season with two losses.
Despite the lead changing four times at Leichhardt Oval, the Titans prevailed with more energy and better defence for a 24-12 win.
Titans shift it out to Lolesio 🤝 pic.twitter.com/yswntCfw9w
— NRLW (@NRLWomens) July 20, 2025
Things didn't start well for the home team, who lost utility Chelsea Savill in the war-up through a quad strain.
But winger Caitlin Turnbull scoring a hat-trick helped the Tigers to a 12-6 lead early in the second half, only for all that good work to whittle away under a 9-4 penalty count against them.
"We spoke about discipline at half-time but we were still poor, especially on our try line, so we made it really really hard for ourselves," coach Brett Kimmorley said.
The Titans, who were minus their suspended captain Georgia Hale, put on three tries in 10 minutes through lock Sienna Lofipo, winger Georgia Grey and centre Ivana Lolesio.
"The coaching staff put a challenge to us this week and that was that attitude shift (in defence)," stand-in skipper Lauren Brown said.
"So my message was to just take that energy into this game because we know our defensive structures work."
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