The race for the Harrigan Cup minor premiership took another twist in Round 12, with Corrimal climbing to the top of the ladder after a commanding 44-14 victory over Thirroul at Gibson Park. Wests and Collegians also claimed vital victories to keep the finals race tight. With four points separating the top five teams and only three rounds left, the competition for the minor premiership and the battle for playoff positions remains intense.
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The Butchers struck first in the 4th minute, veteran Wayne Bremner on the end of a crossfield kick from his skipper Tarje Whitford.
Corrimal responded with back-to-back tries, establishing a 12-4 lead before the Butchers suffered a further setback when Nelson Sharpe was sent off with a red card in the 30th minute.
From there, the Cougars were in complete control, racing to a 30-4 halftime lead before finishing with eight tries to three, extending their winning streak to six consecutive matches.
The result sees Corrimal share first place with the Butchers, but ahead on a superior points differential, with just three rounds remaining in the regular season.
Defending premiers Wests bounced back into the winners’ circle with a valuable 32-20 win over Dapto at Dapto Showground.
Halfback Dane Chisholm crossed for two tries and kicked four goals from six attempts as Wests scored six tries to four. The victory lifts Wests level with Collegians on 14 competition points, while Dapto remains on 12 and now faces an uphill battle to secure a top three berth.
Friday night’s opening clash saw Collegians produce a determined comeback to defeat Sutherland Loftus 17-10. After falling behind 10-0 midway through the first half, Collies fought back to trail just 10-6 at halftime before scoring two unanswered tries after the break. Blair Grant sealed the result with a field goal in the 77th minute, giving Collegians their second straight victory.
With Corrimal now leading the competition and just four points separating first and fifth, the battle for the minor premiership and finals positions is set for a thrilling finish over the final three rounds.
Lower Grades
In the Harrigan Plate, Thirroul all but secured the minor premiership with a 26-4 victory over Corrimal, opening a six-point gap over Wests at the top of the table. Collegians edged out Helensburgh 20-18 to join the Cougars in the top four on 14 points, now just two behind the Devils.
Norths prevailed 14-8 over Berkeley in the Harrigan Shield top-of-the-table clash at Berkeley Sports Club, extending their lead to 21 competition points, five ahead of the Eagles in second. Figtree tightened their grip on third place with a 24-8 victory over Windang, remaining just a point off second.
Avondale Greyhounds boosted their top five hopes with a commanding 40-14 victory over the fourth-placed Wombats in the local derby, moving a point clear of the Lowries (6th), who received a forfeit from the Cougars.
File Image Credit: Denis Ivaneza