Forwards turnaround key to blossoming Maynard-Dodd combination

Sydney Roosters hooker Nita Maynard believes a more mobile forward pack is behind the side's turnaround ahead of Saturday's dress rehearsal to the NRLW grand final.

Maynard, who has been part of the club's three campaigns alongside utility Quincy Dodd, is relishing the opportunity to play behind a forward pack who is making yardage.

That new-found success in the middle third of the field will be tested by the Broncos at ANZ Stadium in the final round of the regular season.

The Tricolours lead the competition in key areas they failed in last year during a winless campaign – run metres and post-contact metres – in a clear turnaround for the engine room.

Maynard and Dodd have scored three tries out of dummy half over the first two games and offered a one-two punch in attack under a simple game plan from Roosters coach Jamie Feeney.

"I think the approach Feens came in with to have a fit and mobile pack has really worked for us," Maynard told NRL.com.

"We're not the biggest forward pack but have still got experience there despite the fact we've had a few debutantes this year.

"Girls like Hannah Southwell, Simaima Taufa and Vanessa Foliaki bring that experience that can take us forward.

"And then someone like Kennedy Cherrington is making the most of her opportunities and killing it.

"It's been great for us as dummy halves. I've been going with the flow and Quincy has been taking her opportunities when she comes on."

Feeney will rest Southwell and Taufa for the first hit-out against the Broncos this weekend in preparation for the big dance eight days later.

Maynard, part of the grand final defeat during the club's inaugural season in 2018, believes the core group of inaugural players are better for the experiences they have endured.

Add in the game-breaking ability of Charlotte Caslick in an ever-improving backline and the Roosters will go into the grand final full of confidence regardless of the result on Saturday.

"In the last 12 months we haven't performed and that's left a sour taste in our mouth considering the amount of work and the amount of support the club puts into us," she said.

"We want to do the jersey proud and prove to everyone else. We've been the underdogs this season, everyone wrote us off.

"But for most of us we've been involved in a few big games since [the 2018 grand final] and I think the more you're involved in games on the big stage the less overwhelming it gets.

"You get more excited than nervous. We're really looking to build some connection and with that extra week we're at a point where we're trying to maximise it leading into the grand final."