Wallaroos hooker Tiarna Molloy will continue her cameo at flanker for Easts in Sunday’s StoreLocal Premier Women’s preliminary final against Sunnybank.
Molloy has found herself in a curious position as one of Australia’s top hookers but helping her club through a backrow crisis.
Losing No.8 April Ngatupuna to suspension and Carola Kreis to a trip overseas has taxed the Tigers depth in the backrow.
Molloy stepped up at flanker in last Sunday’s tight 10-3 victory over Wests in the knockout semi-final. The redeployment still means she throws the ball into lineouts to groove that key skill for her upcoming Wallaroos duties.
Molloy has flown back from a Wallaroos training camp for Sunday’s match.
She is a valuable player to have on board with the Tigers also losing pacy winger Piper Flynn to a knee injury.
Stalwart Loretta Lealiifano laboured throughout the shortened time she did play against Wests but a week off has helped her hamstring niggle.
“The girls are fired up for a big game. We weren’t at our clinical best against Wests but we dug deep to win,” Easts Director of Rugby Tyrell Barker said.
“We know how big the challenge is against Sunnybank. We will have to go to another level."
Unfortunately, Sunnybank will miss Wallaroos centre Cecilia Smith, restricted to 20-minutes in last weekend’s major semi-final but unavailable for the prelim final.
The Dragons enjoyed a rollicking run as minor premiers but last weekend’s 57-19 loss to two-time premiers Bond University in the major semi-final will have rattled some insecurities.
A hot August Sunday is another factor that may play into the ebb and flow of the preliminary final where the winner will earn the right to face Bond Uni in the grand final.
