The All Stars match on Saturday was tense for coaches, particularly with player safety in focus, as the Indigenous team clinched victory in the final moments. Bulldog’s Ash Quinlan and Cowboy’s Kirra Dibb both sustained injuries in quick succession during the first half. Quinlan was injured from a tackle by her teammate, leaving the field covered with a towel. Dibb followed shortly after, twisting her knee in another tackle, raising concerns for her team as she later appeared on crutches with a moon boot.
Despite the setbacks, Quinlan did return to the pitch, providing a silver lining for the Indigenous side. The game witnessed further injuries, with Indigenous player Bobbi Law leaving the field due to a hip drop tackle. The match started energetically with the Indigenous team leading 10-0, thanks to Monique Donovan and Jaime Chapman’s tries. However, the Maori All-Stars responded, taking a halftime lead of 18-12.
After the break, the match tightened with the teams trading points, culminating in a thrilling finale. With only moments to spare, Indigenous player Lailani Montgomery’s field goal attempt was initially penalised but was reviewed. The review revealed Quinlan had inadvertently interfered, leading to a penalty goal that Montgomery successfully converted for a nail-biting 20-18 win. “Amazing contest,” noted commentator Brenton Speed.