A chance to become just the second club in history to be engraved on the prestigious NRL Telstra Women's Premiership trophy awaits for the Dragons and Roosters in Sunday's grand final in Redcliffe.
Both sides have remarkably defied the odds throughout the season to reach the decider at Moreton Daily Stadium with the Dragons not considered a finals side before a ball was kicked while the Roosters scraped their way into the top four.
The Tricolours rode their luck and relied on other results to go their way in the regular season before cashing in when it counted against the Broncos last week with a thrilling victory.
Their 2-3 record in the regular rounds didn't set the world on fire but they've begun to click at the right time of the campaign.
The Dragons have been relatively consistent throughout their journey, notching up five wins from six attempts under coach Jamie Soward, who has instilled a belief in the side that will have them prepared on grand final day.
Soward's side escaped with a 16-10 victory over the Tricolours in the final round of the regular season last month and will be on alert for a Roosters side who will be brimming with confidence leading into the decider.
The Dragons and Roosters have met on four occasions since 2018 for a 2-2 record. It is the first time they'll play each other in a grand final.
The Roosters have four former Dragons in their side with Jess Sergis, Isabelle Kelly, Raecene McGregor and Hannah Southwell all playing for the Red V previously.
St George Illawarra have one former Rooster in NSW hooker Quincy Dodd.
Both clubs have played on NRLW grand final day previously but suffered harrowing defeats to the Brisbane Broncos.
The Roosters were beaten twice in the deciders in 2018 and 2020 while the Dragons were comprehensively defeated in 2019.
Four players remain from the Roosters' 2018 grand final team - Brydie Parker, Isabelle Kelly, Sarah Togatuki and Zahara Temara, while seven remain from the 2020 decider.
Only four players are left from the 2019 Dragons side that were beaten by the Broncos on grand final day - Kezie Apps, Keeley Davis, Shaylee Bent and Holli Wheeler.
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Team news
Dragons: Kody House has been shifted back to the bench an hour before kick-off and Talei Holmes will start in the back row. Tegan Dymock (hand) and Janelle Williams drop off the bench with Keele Browne and Renee Targett coming into the 17. Aliti Namoce is18th player.
Roosters: The Roosters are 1-17 with no late changes.
Prop Sarah Togatuki is free to play after successfully gaining a downgrade for a careless high tackle on Broncos lock Lavinia Gould. Olivia Higgins picked up an ankle injury on Sunday but is right to take her place at hooker. Joeli Morris is 18th player.
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Key match-up
Emma Tonegato v Corban Baxter: The battle of the fullbacks is one of many but could possibly be the most important in deciding Sunday's winner. Tonegato has been the form player of the competition with her kick returns and yardage around the middle a constant threat. Baxter produced one of her finest performances at the back in last week's win over the Broncos and if she too can get the side on the front foot early in sets, the Roosters showed last week with momentum they are hard to stop.
Stat attack
The Roosters and Dragons sit in the top two for post-contact metres in a sign yardage won't be a problem for either side, particularly around the middle and on the edges. Elsie Albert (357m), Isabelle Kelly (344m) and Shaylee Bent (287m) dominate in this field of attack while the Roosters lead the competition for kick return metres overall. Since Corban Baxter has returned she's notched up 212 kick return metres, the same as Emma Tonegato who has played two extra games. The Dragons back five (average of 6196m versus 5591m), halves (average of 6384m versus 4472m) and props (average of 3887m versus 3251m) cover between 10.3% and 35.2% more distance across a match than the Roosters.
And another thing...
In the second half of last week’s semi-final, Roosters halves Zahara Temara and Raecene McGregor played at an intensity that was 8.7% higher than their average per match half intensity (average of 72.9 m/min versus 66.8 m/min).
The halves also covered 46.9% more distance at a speed above 17.5 km/h than their average per half high speed distance (average of 94m versus 58m).
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