VALLEYS HOLD ON FOR WIN
RUGBY LEAGUE: Another instant classic main headlined the second week of the TRL Premiership finals.
For the third time this season Wattles and Valleys have put on a rugby league spectacle, this time in their biggest meeting to date, the grand final qualifier.
It would be the Roosters that held their composure best throughout the gripping contest, prevailing 1816 to book their ticket to the big dance.
A memorable victory was almost ripped away from them in the final seven minutes however after Hugh Sedger was marched from the field for dissent with Valleys leading 18-10.
Wattles scored off the next play to cut the margin back to two, forcing the Roosters to pull out all defensive stops over the concluding stages.
“We showed a lot of courage and will when a few things didn’t fall our way,” player-coach Brett Seymour said.
“Our discipline wasn’t 100 percent, but we fought through that. We had 12 out there for a while and kept going until the last play.
“We kept turning up for our mates.”
Sensing points would be at a premium, Valleys opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the opening five minutes, before Ty Gardner eventually broke through, taking Wattles ahead 6-2.
Another penalty goal edged the Roosters closer once more, and they hit the front thanks to a Matt Hawkins try.
Wattles would then go into the break with a narrow 10-8 lead after they produced a piece of magic after the half-time siren.
After receiving a penalty after time had expired, the Warriors managed to launch a sweeping backline movement, finishing with Braydon Wilson touching down in the corner.
Seymour said his team had to respond for the next 40 after the setback.
“We knew there was enough time (in the second half ),” he said.
“We were pretty rattled with the last try they scored. We only had to defend one play so there was a bit of frustration but we tried to re-group.
“I said to leave everything they had in the tank out
‘‘ I SAID TO LEAVE EVERYTHING THEY HAD IN THE TANK OUT THERE OVER THE LAST 40. BRETT SEYMOUR
there over the last 40. We had come that far that we wanted to keep going.”
Valleys were first to fire in the second half through Richard Murray, and again through Cory McGrady, taking the lead out to eight, which would eventually see off the minor premiers.
“Cory found his way over the line with about 20 to go,” Seymour said.
“He kicked really well and found touch when we needed it. He showed a lot of composure well beyond his years.”
HIGHFIELDS MARCH ON
The Eagles are just one win away from their first A-grade grand final berth after a thumping 42-0 victory over Dalby in the elimination final earlier in the evening.
Piling on eight tries, Highfields were in complete control against last year’s premiers, getting the upper hand early and never giving their opponent’s a chance.
While the scoreline shows the attacking prowess of his side, coach Gus McKellar praised his side’s defensive efforts in keeping Dalby scoreless.
“We were very good and to be honest I don’t think they (Dalby) were that bad,” he said.
“Defensively I thought we were pretty clinical, and it was a real team effort. You know it’s a real team effort when it’s hard to pick a man of the match.
“To keep a side like that to zero, where they had plenty of chances (was great). At the end we spilt a kick but had the urgency to show up and hold them up three or four times. It sums up the attitude.”
The competition’s equal leading try scorer Campbell Stewart opened proceedings in the 10th minute of play, and soon after Zack Loxley had the advantage at double digits.
Dale Madden and Stewart again added further misery to the Diehards, as they fell behind 20-0 at half-time.
Despite the handy buffer, it was the moments after the break that McKellar helped seal the contest.
“After we got to 20-0 at halftime
I told them we don’t want to protect the lead, but we want to extend it,” he said.
“They had three back-toback penalties to start the half, and I thought if we leak a try it would be game back on.
“We held them out, and then counter punched when Dale
scored, and they pretty much put them to bed and we went on from there.”
A second half double to fullback Denzel Burns capped off a club-defining victory, as Highfields move on to this Sunday’s preliminary final showdown with Wattles.