Saxbii Shaw may not know the ins and outs of rugby union, but you couldn't tell while watching her play.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The teenager played a pivotal role in the Dubbo Kangaroos' Westfund Ferguson grand final win on Saturday with the first-year player lost for words after the match.
"I was just happy. I don't really know, I don't really know," she said when asked to describe how she felt following the 24-19 victory.
The Roos came into the decider as red-hot favourites having beaten the Bathurst Bulldogs two weeks prior as part of an undefeated campaign up until this point.
And although it was the underdogs who applied the early pressure, two tries against the run of play from Shaw had the minor premiers up 14-0 early on.
"On game day I'm still a bit nervous," Shaw added.
"I still don't know what I'm doing but these girls are quite good girls and they talk to me and I just do it."
But much to Bathurst captain Mel Waterford's delight, the Bulldogs came storming back with two tries of their own as they went into the half-time break down 14-12.
"All week we've spoken about the want and the fight and we knew we had to fight when it was 14-0," she said.
"I'm so proud of those girls."
The sides exchanged tries in the second 30 and with scores locked at 19-apiece, the crowd was set for a thrilling finish.
With less than a minute to go and just centimetres from the try-line, it looked as though the Dogs might even things up through Haylee Lepaoi.
But a penalty against the attacking side and a subsequent scrum win sealed the game and an undefeated premiership campaign for the Roos.
Waterford, who suffered her second heartbreaking grand final loss in two years, was nothing but praise for both teams after the match.
"We're gutted, but I know those girls left nothing out there today," she said.
"The winner was female rugby because the game itself was an exceptional game of football.
"The skill level was unbelievable and as much as it hurts to lose a grand final, at least we know we gave it everything that we possibly could have today."
Dubbo's Jean Littlewood was named player of the match.
