It was supposed to be just a bit of a fun end of season trip, but the Red Devils women returned from the Bryon Bay Sevens with some unexpected silverware.
The Red Devils ended up winning Division 2, Alex Long scoring on the bell to seal a 24-14 victory.
“I had first seen the Bryon Sevens five years ago when I was up there for a wedding and always thought it looked like a bit of fun. I always wanted to go but could never get a rugby team together so that made it hard,” captain Sarah Stewart said.
“As soon as we got a team together I said ‘right Bryon that’s our end of season trip’.”
They even had special jerseys made up for the tournament, Troy Dries Electrical and Pirtek helping them out with sponsorship for those.
“We lost our first game but it was a very close game,” Stewart said.
They went on to beat Brisbane Irish in their next game before falling to Sunnyback to finish third in their pool.
That put them into Division 2 for the knockout stages on Sunday.
“We won our first game and won our second game against a very big Polynesian team and then ended up in the final,” she said.
“Dad (coach John Hickey) gave us a speech before the game and said at this stage it’s not who’s better skilled, but who’s tougher.”
She said it was try for try for a while. They had one disallowed on half-time which would have put them ahead but were eventually able to get themselves in front.
Bec Smythe, who was the joint players player for the season with Torika Nadruku, personified that toughness Hickey spoke about playing the grand final with a broken rib.
“She hurt it in the second last game of the day,” Stewart said.
They had a few new faces for the tournament.
Long is a Gunnedah girl but is working in Tamworth and played for the Magpies this season.
“We also had Daisy Robinson and Zoe Tomlinson from Narrabri come and join us,” she said.
Next up is the Scone 7s on November 3 and 4.
“It will be another mixed group of girls,” Stewart said.
“We’ve got a couple of girls that are going to have their first game with us.”
She added that they are still looking for players if anyone is interested in having a run with them.
