SHATTERED HOGS LEFT TO PICK UP PIECES NEXT YEAR
HELENSVALE are headed back to the drawing board after the boot of Lorima Semi propelled Colleges into another Gold Coast District Rugby Union grand final against Surfers Paradise.
Second-rower Semi kicked five penalties and a conversion to send the Knights to a 22-10 victory and again crush the Hogs’ elusive premiership dream.
Colleges had won the corresponding preliminary final last year 27-23 but the Hogs were on track for revenge when they headed into the break leading 7-6.
However, coach Mark Dobson said a series of penalties broke their charge.
“In my eyes there were a few 50-50 decisions that didn’t go our way and resulted in three, six, nine points to Colleges and in that second half it kind of changed the momentum,” he said.
“The penalties were probably from us trying … the boys played their hearts out. Even sort of our mistakes were made through us trying too hard.”
Dobson will travel to Scotland next Monday for a rugby coaching position but left the door ajar for a possible return.
“To be honest there is probably unfinished business on the Gold Coast now,” he said. “And obviously I was at Colleges in my first season on the Gold Coast so it was a little personal as well so we’ll see what the future holds.”
With his players devastated by another finals series loss, Dobson reverted to an old cliche to spur them on to come back for a crack at the 2018 silverware.
“You have got to lose some finals footy before you win one,” he said philosophically.
Colleges’ impressive win gives their injury-hit roster a shot at redemption for last year’s 42-12 loss to Surfers in the decider.
The Dolphins will enter the contest as red hot favourites, having won their past 36 matches to be 80 minutes away from sealing back-toback unbeaten premierships.
“Colleges are young, they have got plenty of enthusiasm and they have got a distinct arrogance about them so if that’s the right combination needed to beat Surfers, we’ll find out next week,” Dobson said.