Blues Win Inaugural Katrina Fanning Shield 
A barrage of second-half tries has propelled the Queanbeyan Blues to a 36-16 victory over the Goulburn Stockmen to claim the inaugural Katrina Fanning Shield at Seiffert Oval on Sunday.
The Blues took a slim 16-6 lead into the break before running in four tries in the second stanza to the Stockmen’s two to complete an undefeated season.
The Blues’ Yasmin Meakes starred for the hosts with a try and a wealth of metres, while teammate Sammie Wood bagged a try of her own and kicked well from the tee all day.
Queanbeyan drew first blood when winger Keesha Kapea iced a sweeping passage of passes to cross on the left edge to hand the Blues a 4-0 lead 12 minutes in.
The Blues had a second when Sarah Carter put the finishing touches on a right-edge linebreak before Wood added the extras to hand her side a 10-0 buffer.
But the Blues then opened the door for a Stockmen rampage when they spilled their lollies off the kick-off.
Goulburn’s first points followed when captain Pearl Rakete crashed over in the ensuing set before Lauren Kelly made no mistake from the tee to make things 10-6.
But Queanbeyan would waste no time in striking back, storming up-field before Regan Hart sliced through under the posts.
Wood put the ball over the black dot to extend the Blues’ lead to 16-6 before her side took the 10-point cushion into the break.
Queanbeyan continued to pile on the pressure early in the second half when Irene Macarthur swooped from dummy-half from close range and bustled her way over to the left of the uprights in the 35
th minute.
Wood made no mistake from the tee as the Blues shot out to a 22-6 lead, before the star playmaker again found herself among the points just three minutes later.
Goulburn dropped the Steeden in Queanbeyan’s own 30-metre area and Wood cleaned up the crumbs with open pastures ahead and pace to burn before adding the extras again.
The Blues continued to surge when Meakes channelled the balance of a gymnast on the balance beams, hurtling down the right touchline from 60 metres out and exercising remarkable calm at full pelt to avoid the white line.
The try made things 32-6 eight minutes from full-time before the Blues crossed for another four-pointer in the first set off the kick-off.
The Stockmen pocketed two tries late in the game but the game had well and truly been put to bed.
Written by Zachary Gates
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Topic: CRRL: Blues Win Inaugural Katrina Fanning Shield
