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There's no room for friendship with a grand final on the line as two of the NRLW's fiercest competitors come face to face when the Roosters take on Newcastle.
Sparks will fly when two of the NRLW's most formidable players - and closest mates - face off for a place in the grand final.
The Sydney Roosters' Olivia Kernick and Newcastle's Yasmin Clydsdale shared the honours as Dally M second-row players of the year last season but only one can walk away victorious from their semi-final clash at Allianz Stadium.
"She's one of my close friends, but she definitely won't be a friend on Sunday, until after the game," Kernick told reporters at the NRLW finals launch on Monday.
The duo know each others' games inside and out, having played alongside each other at the Roosters and at State of Origin and international level.
Kernick will be key to stopping her former sparring partner if the Tri-colours are to beat the two-time and reigning premiers.
Clydsdale was just about unstoppable in the Knights' 38-6 final-round demolition of North Queensland: running for a game-high 198 metres, busting five tackles, making two line-breaks and scoring a try.
"She's definitely tough and she'll fight until the very last second, so it will definitely be a big battle," Kernick said.
The Roosters' task could be made even tougher if influential captain Isabelle Kelly fails to recover in time from a suspected dislocated elbow suffered in their 32-18 win over Parramatta at the weekend.
If scans confirm the fears of medical staff, that could rule her out for the season, with coach John Strange also sweating on the fitness of key players Jessica Sergis (knee) and Tarryn Aiken (shoulder).
But Roosters have gotten used to dealing with adversity after an injury-plagued season, Kernick said.
"The last few seasons, we've had a lot of injuries in key positions, and we've just fallen short," she said.
"If you've watched us over the whole season, we haven't had a consistent team. That's not because we're inconsistent and players aren't doing their job right, it's because Strangey is preparing for any possibility."
The semi-final clash could also be Sam Bremner's last at the Roosters, after the veteran fullback was on Monday unveiled as head of St George Illawarra's women's program in 2025.
Also vying for a place in the grand final are minor premiers Brisbane and Cronulla.
The Sharks have been the competition's surprise package, winning their opening six games after a sixth-placed finish in 2023, but have lost three from three - including a 20-16 loss to the Broncos - in a late-season form slump.
"We just need to make sure that we play for the full match, I think that's really crucial for us," said Cronulla playmaker Emma Tonegato.
"We're really good in glimpses and then we kind of switch off, so I think we need to play everything right down to the last second."
