The Brisbane Tigers women remain undefeated in the BMD Premiership after holding off a spirited Norths Devils to claim a 30–16 victory on Friday night. The result makes it eight wins from eight starts for the Tigers, further underlining their status as competition heavyweights.
Brisbane wasted no time asserting dominance, running in four unanswered tries in the opening 20 minutes. Leilani Taofinuu opened the scoring before Namoe Gesa, Evelyn Roberts and Porche John all crossed in quick succession, with Enah Desic adding two conversions for a commanding 20–0 lead.
The Devils finally broke through via Courtney Tyrell just before halftime, but the Tigers still took a comfortable 20–4 advantage into the sheds.
Norths then came out firing after the break, with Rowena Koonwaiyou crossing twice in a five-minute burst before Shauna Barnham added another to cut the margin to just four points. At 20–16, the Devils looked set to mount a boilover.
But once again it was Namoe Gesa who turned the game on its head. The dynamic outside back produced two explosive linebreaks, bagging a second-half double that pushed the Tigers clear. With Desic adding another conversion, Brisbane steadied to secure a hard-fought 30–16 win.
The victory not only showcased the Tigers’ attacking strike but also their resilience under pressure, proving they can grind out results when tested. With finals on the horizon, their perfect record strengthens their case as the team to beat in 2025.
Final Score
Brisbane Tigers 30 (Taofinuu, Gesa 3, Roberts, John tries; Desic 3 goals)
def.
Norths Devils 16 (Tyrell, Koonwaiyou 2, Barnham tries)
