Wayde’s great wait
XV then paved the way for him to make a last-minute leap into a starting role for last weekend’s preliminary final – and now their grand final berth against minor premiers Surfers Paradise.
“I will just do everything I can to not let them down,” he said.
After losing deciders in second and third grades, the match will mark Scott’s first top grade final.
“Hopefully third lucky,” Scott said.
He has helped oversee a positive shift in the club over time and hopes that will translate to victory in the 3pm kick-off.
“In my early years we didn’t see a lot of success and time now we are seeing the success, so we’re pretty confident that we can get the job done,” he said.
“The winning culture there, the belief is there.
“So it’s a matter of putting it is together for the 80 minutes.” To end their premiership drought that dates back to 1996 will be no small task however, given the Dolphins juggernaut standing in their way.
Surfers have won five titles including in 2016 since Colleges’ last triumph – and even more impressive is their remarkable 36-game winning streak.
They have not lost a match for 763 days, since the 2015 preliminary final.
Their case to maintain a perfect record for a second straight season has been boosted by the returns of front-rowers Peryhn Martin and Doug Kay from injury.
Despite finishing lower on the ladder, Colleges will host the final at their Heeb St field as part of the competition’s rotational policy.
The Knights have ordered more than 300 shirts for the occasion to create a sea of red around the field. IT is all on the line for The Southport School today as they strive to stay in the hunt for a drought-breaking rugby premiership.
The prestigious school expect to draw as many as 10,000 people to their home field for the crunch match against Nudgee College.
Nudgee are undefeated heading into the penultimate round, meaning TSS must win today to remain a chance of claiming their first Queensland GPS (Great Public Schools) competition title since 2010.
TSS, who have finished in the top three in each of the past 17 years, have lost just one game this season – beaten on the buzzer by Ipswich.
TSS director of rugby Adrian Blundell predicted the grandstands and hills surrounding the ground will be packed for the 2.15pm kick-off, with potentially thousands more tuning into the live stream with commentary.
“In GPS there are no finals so it’s like having eight grand finals in a row and hence why each game is so exciting and there is so much pressure involved,” Blundell said. “So yeah, for any chance of winning the premiership we have got to defeat Nudgee.
“We’ve been playing each other for 108 years in rugby so they’re always exciting encounters but Nudgee being a much larger school, they always go in as the raging favourites which again is the case this year.
“But we’re quietly confident we can put in a good performance.”
TSS boast five Australian Schoolboys representatives: Max Dowd, Noah Lolesio, Koen Dovey, Campbell Parata and Egan Siggs.
Dowd, a fullback, captains the side.
The clash precedes a last round in which TSS will take on Churchie (Anglican Church Grammar School) while Nudgee are still to face reigning champions Brisbane State High School.