Panorama Platypi beat Goannas to defend their Western Women's Rugby League crown

When Kevin Grimshaw first signed on as coach of the Panorama Platypi opens he "never, never, never" imagined they would win two Western Women's Rugby League premierships in one year, but on Saturday that's what they made happen.

Grimshaw's Platypi posted a 20-10 win over Wiradjuri Goannas at Wellington's Kennard Park and in doing so became back-to-back premiers.

Saturday's win came after eight months - and in the same calendar year - after the Platypi beat Woodbridge to claim their first premiership.

"Never, never, never did I think about this and it will probably never happen again," Grimshaw, who has never lost a league grand final as coach, said.

"Winning back-to-back premierships, it's hard enough to do it in two years but to do it in the one season, that's pretty special.

"Both feel good. The first one we beat Woodbridge but didn't play Dubbo [Goannas] through the course of that season.

"I like this one because it was Dubbo, it's something special. The rugby union girls got beat by Dubbo in their grand final, so it was a bit of redemption for them."

The Goannas only lost one match on their way to claiming the minor premiership and a home ground grand final.

They were also the first to score in the decider via winger Kirby Maslin.

Camped on the Platypi's line, the Goannas opted for a last tackle bomb.

They won the ball back from the kick and while the Platypi thought they'd wrapped up their rival, she slipped out a pass to put Maslin over.

That put the Platypi down 4-0, but it did nothing to sway Grimshaw's belief that his side could win.

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"In reality I think it was against the run of play a little bit, I felt we'd been playing better, but they scored so we were behind the eight-ball," Grimshaw said.

"But it didn't make me nervous because I thought we were playing the better footy. We'd turned it over two or three times, Mez [Meredith Jones] threw a forward pass to Tiana [Anderson] that got called back.

"So we were creating opportunities, so I was pretty confident when we were down 4-0. I knew we could pick them up along the track somewhere."

The fight back that Grimshaw knew would come began with a try from Erin Naden. That was just one of many highlights for the fullback who went on to earn best on ground honours.

Naden's try locked it up at 4-all and six minutes out from half-time the Platypi were in again, this time via centre Meredith Jones.

Platypi skipper Zarlia Griffiths added the extras as her side pushed ahead 10-4.

Though a six-point lead at the break wasn't a big one, Grimshaw was confident it was an advantage his side wouldn't surrender.

It was the Platypi's staunch defence - something which had been a feature of their run to the finals - that gave him that belief. He let his players know it.

"I said to them at half-time 'We haven't got to score anymore, I know we will, but the main thing is to stop them scoring'," he revealed.

"That's what we did, they only scored with a minute to go, it was game over when they scored it. But credit to this team, they were filthy about letting that try in. That's the mentality of them now."

As has been the case in the opening half, after the break it was when the Platypi spread the ball to the edges and used the electric pace in its back line that they looked most dangerous.

Try scoring machine Tiana Anderson - who scored 15 for the season - crossed early in the second half and when replacement Menzi White exploited a gap in the Goannas' line, it made it 18-4 with 10 to go.

Griffiths then added a penalty goal before the Goannas picked up a late consolation thanks to Demi Wilson.

"We identified their strengths and came up with a plan and went bang, bang," Grimshaw said.

"In the games against Wiradjuri and Castlereagh we identified the need to go on the short-side out wide or long passes."

So will Grimshaw return next season to try and make it a three-peat?

He's not made his mind up yet, but you get the feeling he'll be back in 2023.

"It's a question mark - but it would be pretty hard to miss," he laughed.

"This crew, they're a good bunch. They listen to things, they react to it on the football field and that's what we train for, they're a really good bunch."

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