Valleys run rolls on to grand final
Club chases seventh premiership in eight years
RUGBY LEAGUE
Valleys were sitting sixth on the ladder heading into the final round of the Hutchinson Builders TRL Premiership before stringing together five sudden-death victories.
The last of those wins, yesterday’s comfortable 33-0 victory over minor premiers Souths, has qualified the Roosters for Sunday’s grand final against Gatton.
Valleys had to win through a mid-week fifth-place play-off just to make it to the finals and have now knocked off Pittsworth, Wattles and Souths in an outstanding run to the club’s seventh decider in eight years.
“There were a lot of games we had to play leading up to make it so it’s a great feeling,” said Valleys captain Andrew Farrell, who toughed it out during the game after a head clash with team mate Luke Smith in the early stages.
“The boys always dug deep week-in week-out to play knock-out footy. For three or four weeks, every game we’ve played has been knock-out footy so to continue the run is great.”
Yesterday’s win was another testing game for the Roosters as they had played twilight and night games in the lead-up to the preliminary final, so playing in full sunlight was another challenge to their impressive fitness levels.
VALLEYS will chase a seventh TRL premiership in eight years after recording a dominant 33-0 win over Souths in yesterday’s preliminary final at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
In this game last year, Valleys’ unprecedented run of six-straight premierships came to an end with a loss to Souths, but 12 months on and the Roosters are through to another grand final.
Valleys got on top early as Luke Smith crashed over for a try in the seventh minute.
The Roosters extended the lead to 18-0 after 28 minutes thanks to tries to centres Hugh Sedger and Jay Melrose before halfback Ryan Stevens, who was promoted from the bench to start at first receiver in place of Ahlial Robertson, slotted a field goal in the shadows of half-time to give the Roosters a 19-0 lead at the break.
The Souths’ attack wasn’t firing without star five-eighth Nathan Murphy but the Tigers could have got themselves back in the game if they were able to score first in the second half.
That wasn’t the case though as Melrose scored his second try of the day in the 46th minute to put the Roosters further ahead.
Both teams then struggled to build pressure in a game where Souths committed 17 errors and Valleys 14.
But Valleys were able to finish on a high as Brogan Melrose and Daryn Schwerin crossed for tries in the last five minutes to round out the 33-0 demolition.
Valleys recorded an 18-4 victory over Souths the last time the two teams met, meaning the Roosters have kept the Tigers to just four points in the last 160 minutes played between the clubs.
“It’s shattering,” Souths coach Russell Bailey said.
“We just couldn’t get it done when we had good ball. We just couldn’t execute.”
Valleys now take on Gatton in Sunday’s grand final.