Canley Vale "Kookas" News

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Kookas Take Shield

By: Mark O'Brien

The Canley Vale - Lansvale Kookaburras girl's rugby league team has staged a dramatic come back to win the inaugural Sandra Nori shield.
The Kookaburras defeated The Fairfield Patrician Brothers girls team 36-30 to win the first Sydney Based junior girls league competition.
Undefeated for the entire season, the Kookas were heavy favourites to win the final, but were slow out of the blocks and gave coach Charmaine Heta some nervous moments.
"I was a wreck before and during the game," Heta said.

Minister for Sport Sandra Nori presents shield bearing her name .

"We were pretty convinced that we were going to win because we were undefeated all season.
"But on the field the Pats girls gave us a real run for our money."
Trailing Pats by a couple of tries late in the match, the Kookaburras managed to score three times in the last seven minutes to keep their undefeated record intactand carve their names into the record books as the first team to win the premiership.
NSW Sport and Recreation Minister lent her name to the shield after being

approached by the Parramatta District Junior Rugby League.
Ms Nori also attended the game along with Parramatta Federal Member MP Julie Owens.
PDJRL executive officer Terry Rose said running a junior girl's competition was a new experience.
"I think it's the first time it has been done in Sydney," he said.
"The girls can play in the boys teams until they are 12, but up till now they have had to wait until they were old enough to play seniors to

get back into it."
And while some people were reluctant to accept the idea, Rose said the general reaction was positive. "That girl's team was one of the best I've seen" he said.
We'll run a girls' competition again next year and hopefully it will attract even more interest." With thanks to

Wednesday 7th September 2005