It was a day of mixed emotions for Harden supporters at Mick Sherd Oval on Saturday, with the Harden Hawkettes claiming a thrilling two-point victory to secure the 2025 Blumers Lawyers George Tooke Shield League Tag premiership, while the Harden Hawks fell agonisingly short in the George Tooke Shield decider.
The Hawkettes battled hard against a determined Crookwell Green Devils outfit, holding their nerve to claim a 20-18 win in a tightly contested grand final.
Brittany Matthews opened the scoring for Harden before Tamsyn Ritchie crossed for two crucial tries.
Grace Smith also found the line to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
Emma James added a conversion and a vital penalty goal, which ultimately proved the difference in the result.
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Crookwell fought back through tries to Matilda Plumb, Jayde Della and Chloe Kemp, with Della also adding two conversions and a penalty goal, but the Harden defence stood strong in the dying minutes to seal the win.
The Hawkettes’ victory capped off a strong season, with the side demonstrating grit and composure when it mattered most to lift the trophy.
In the men’s George Tooke Shield grand final, the Harden Hawks suffered a heartbreaking 18-16 loss to Bungendore Tigers.
Both sides crossed for three tries each, with Harden’s Jack Nicolls scoring a double and Thomas McIllhatton also crossing the line.
McIllhatton converted both attempts to keep his side in the contest.
Bungendore responded with tries from Michael Gordon, Harry Buckley and Daniel Jacobs, while Zach Smith proved pivotal with two conversions and a penalty goal to edge the Tigers ahead.
Despite a spirited fightback from the Hawks, they were unable to bridge the two-point gap, with Bungendore holding on to claim the premiership in a tense finish.
While the day ended in disappointment for the Hawks, their strong performance throughout the season sets a solid foundation for 2026, while the Hawkettes will look to build on their premiership-winning success.
