Minor premiers Wests will face a resurgent Corrimal, who finished fourth in the regular season, in the Mojo Homes First Division Grand Final this Saturday at WIN Stadium.
The Devils were first through to the decider, accounting for Collegians 24-10 in the major semi, while the Cougars had to do it the hard way, defeating Helensburgh 24-22 in the minor semi and scraping home against Collegians 13-12 in a nerve-wracking Prelim Final. Skipper Josh McConnell booting them home courtesy of a long-range field goal in the dying seconds.
The win puts the Cougars into their first reserve-grade decider in 40 years. It continues an encouraging season for the club that last won the first-grade premiership in 1974. The Cougars are the only club to field teams in all grades and compete in the Southern Corridor open women and under-18 girls competitions.
In earlier meetings this season, Wests defeated Corrimal 34-2 in Round 3 before the Cougars bounced back to beat the Devils 30-18 in Round 8, one of only two losses for the Devils all season. Their last meeting in Round 13 went the way of the Devils 32-6.
Read More>>Top pointscorers
The Mojo Homes Under 18’s grand final mirrors the top grade, with minor premiers Collegians taking on Thirroul. The decider pits the best-attacking side up against the best-defensive side. Collies amassed 414 points in attack throughout the season, the best in the competition, while the Butchers hold the best defensive record with 196 points.
Collegians defeated the Butchers on all three occasions they met throughout the season. However, their last clash in Round 13 was a close affair, the Butchers going down 22-18. Both lineups feature Steelers representative players, including Harold Matthews Cup five-eighth Aaymon Fitzgibbon for the Blue and Whites and SG Ball fullback Tom Kirk at the back for the Dogs.
The Harrigan Shield decider sees the undefeated minor premiers Berkeley Eagles up against Avondale, who finished third in the regular season. The Eagles will go into the clash as heavy favourites after two big wins over the Greyhounds during the season.
Of the players to watch, Berkeley’s Benjamin De La Fosse headed the Harrigan Shield individual points tally with 136 points, while Avondale’s Dylan Riggs was the top try scorer with 12.
Read More>>Road To The Finals