Triumphant captain Isabelle Kelly praised the team’s historic chemistry following a night of celebration at Accor Stadium. “I knew that this year we’re creating something special, and I think we’re building and made that our best game yet. I love you guys and I’m so glad that we get to do this together.” Honoring her departing teammates after the match, she added: “To Corban and Millie, you guys have been absolutely incredible for this NRLW competition, but mostly for the Roosters the impact that you guys have had on us, Millie, you being a mum, it’s just created such a special bond for us to look forward to for many years. And you’ll always be a Rooster.” Her words came after an overwhelming 30-6 victory over the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday secured the championship for the Sydney Roosters.
An explosive opening sequence established total dominance for the Sydney squad, who stormed over the line six times during a dominant first half. Brydie Parker notched two early four-pointers before completing her hat-trick prior to the 60-minute mark, while Tarryn Aiken, Isabelle Kelly, Jayme Fressard, and Amber Hall also posted tries. Pushing their buffer to 30-0, the eventual champions put the outcome completely out of reach long before the final siren. Jesse Southwell managed a lone reply for the Broncos at the 63-minute mark, but it did little to derail the triumphant celebrations already under way.
The decisive victory served as sweet redemption for the side, who had suffered defeat against the same opponents in the previous season’s final match. That single setback remains their sole loss across a remarkable stretch of 31 wins from 32 outings. After prevailing in all 11 regular-season fixtures, Sydney completed a completely flawless campaign to claim their third historic title, adding to previous grand final victories in 2021 and 2024.
Reflecting on the drive behind their unblemished year, retiring forward Millie Elliott credited past disappointment and rigorous preparation for the result. “Everyone knows what that felt like and we definitely used that as motivation all season, not just in this game, all season,” she said. “And we worked so hard, I take my hat off to [head coach John] Strangey and the coaching staff, they really left no stone unturned this year and we wanted to put in a performance like that.” While Elliott and fellow retiring icon Corban Baxter celebrated ideal career endings, the outcome dealt a heartbreak to Brisbane legend Ali Brigginshaw, whose illustrious playing days concluded in defeat.
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