Collegians claimed the 2026 Harrigan Cup with a record-breaking 56–12 victory over Corrimal, headlining a memorable Grand Final Day, presented by i98, at WIN Stadium.
In front of a crowd of over 4,000, Collegians’ 56–12 triumph set multiple records: the highest team score in an Illawarra First Grade Grand Final, surpassing Thirroul’s 40 points in 1999; the greatest winning margin, eclipsing Dapto’s 40–4 victory over Collegians in 1985; and the most combined points in a final, beating the previous record from Wests’ 34–24 win over Helensburgh in 2011.
The victory redeemed Collegians’ heartbreaking extra-time defeat to Wests in the 2025 decider. For Corrimal, the result ended a breakthrough season in which the Cougars claimed the minor premiership and reached their first Grand Final since 1989.
Wests secured their fourth consecutive second grade title, with a dramatic 19–18 win over Corrimal in the Harrigan Plate, while Avondale Greyhounds secured their third consecutive Harrigan Shield title after holding off Northern Suburbs 26–14.
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Harrigan Cup: Collegians deliver record-breaking Grand Final Performance
Collegians 56 def Corrimal 12
Collegians produced their best performance of the season to defeat Corrimal 56–12 and claim the 2026 Harrigan Cup.
The Cougars struck first when Mani Richter bumped off a defender and scored, with Saifiti Saifiti converting for a 6–0 lead.
Corrimal then went close to extending its advantage through Kai Raper, but a lost ball with the line wide-open shifted momentum. Collegians hit back in the ninth minute when an uncontested ball bounced kindly for winger Tex Anderson to score in the right corner.
Three minutes later, fullback Nic Hall sliced through with a show-and-go. Blair Grant converted to put Collegians ahead 10–6.
Centre Dante Lusio added another in the 23rd minute after staying narrowly inside the left touchline, but Corrimal responded when interchange forward Joshua Briggs powered over under the posts. Saifiti’s conversion made it 14–12.
Grant then stepped through the defence to score in the 37th minute and converted his own try, giving Collegians a 20–12 halftime lead.
Second-half onslaught
Corrimal lost possession from the second-half kick-off, and James Lee immediately capitalised by burrowing over from dummy half. Grant’s conversion extended the lead to 26–12.
Hall collected his second try in the 44th minute after recovering a high ball and racing away to score, with Grant again converting.
Collegians then added four unanswered tries. Second-rower Charly Runciman crossed twice, while five-eighth Zach Herring and Karps Karaitana also found the line.
The 56–12 victory established a new Illawarra top-grade Grand Final scoring record, eclipsing Thirroul’s 40 points from 1985.
Player of the Match: Blair Grant (Collegians) pictured below.
Phillips savours fifth premiership
Collegians captain Blake Phillips (pictured below) said his side had expected a much tighter contest after Corrimal’s fast start.
“You always expect a hard battle. We got behind straight away. They bombed a try and we thought, ‘Oh, we’re in for a hard game’,” Phillips said.
“Grand finals are never easy, but as it unfolded, we got better as it got harder and we sort of ran away.
“I haven’t won by that margin, so I wouldn’t say it ever felt comfortable, but it stretched through the whole game.”
Phillips also praised the large Corrimal contingent at WIN Stadium.
“Regardless of the scoreboard, it’s a good feeling. We knew we’d be back against the wall. The crowd was unbelievable, the whole of Corrimal’s here, there’s no-one in their house at home.
“We knew we’d have the fans of Corrimal against us and be outnumbered, but we were able to silence that with our football.”
The victory was Phillips’ fifth premiership from nine Grand Final appearances and his fourth with Collegians.
Asked whether he might pursue a 10th Grand Final appearance, he remained non-committal.
“There could be some rumours circulating. Ten sounds alright, but I don’t know,” Phillips said.
“I might try and go for a tenth final, it could be on the cards, but I’m not going to say anything.
“I don’t want to take the moment away from this whole group, make it about me, so we’ll just wait and see in the off-season what happens and I’ll make that call for next year.”
Grehan: “The best we’ve played all year”
Collegians coach Jimmy Grehan said the victory reflected a season of hard work.
“It’s a relief to be honest, but it shows hard work pays off,” Grehan said.
“For me, it’s the best we’ve played all year. I can’t put into words that performance. I thought it was going to be a nice tight one, but the boys just lifted and lifted.
“Credit to Corrimal, they had an awesome year, but we were just too good on the day.”
The result carried added significance after Collegians’ extra-time defeat to Wests in 2025.
“There is an old saying: ‘You’ve got to lose one to win one’ and I didn’t like it until last year, so I can use that saying now,” Grehan said.
“We knew how to deal with the week a little bit better. Last time, we were probably living a bit like Corrimal, like really happy just to be there, but this year we knew the business is on Saturday, not the week of it.”
Tabet proud of Cougars breakthrough season
Corrimal coach Sean Tabet said the defeat could not diminish what his side achieved during a historic season.
“I said to the boys on Thursday that regardless of the result, I’ll be so proud of the year,” Tabet said.
“There are so many historic moments and we brought so much hope and faith back into the community of Corrimal, so I’m proud regardless and this doesn’t change anything.”
The Grand Final was Tabet’s final match in charge of the Cougars before he joins Glebe in the Ron Massey Cup.
“This is my last game coaching at Corrimal. I’m heading off to Ron Massey [Cup] myself for Glebe, but for the boys, they get a taste of it.
“It’s probably why Collies won today. They’ve had a taste of it in the last year. They knew what to do a bit better, but they’ve got to learn from that.”
Corrimal’s defeat ended a season that delivered the minor premiership and the club’s first Illawarra top-grade Grand Final appearance since 1989.
For Collegians, it was the emphatic conclusion they had been chasing, turning the pain of 2025 into a record-breaking premiership performance 12 months later.
Harrigan Plate: Porter’s late field-goal seals Wests fourth consecutive title
Wests 19 def Corrimal 18
Wests secured their fourth consecutive second grade premiership after Mitch Porter landed a match-winning field goal inside the final minute against Corrimal in the Harrigan Plate.
Hooker Will Noyce opened the scoring in the third minute after catching the Cougars short around the ruck. Mitchell Phillips converted for a 6–0 lead before winger Ethan Barker extended the advantage, giving Wests a 10–0 halftime lead.
Phillips crossed three minutes into the second half to make it 14–0, but Corrimal quickly fought back.
Adam Ryan powered over beneath the posts in the 44th minute, with Lewis Sargent-Wilson converting, before Axel Antony darted from dummy half in the 46th minute. Another conversion brought the Cougars within two at 14–12.
Wests responded in the 60th minute when five-eighth Josiah Brierley collected a well-weighted kick and found Bradley Buffolin, who crossed to restore a six-point lead.
Corrimal again refused to go away. Tom Grant scored in the 66th minute and Sargent-Wilson converted to level the scores at 18-all with three minutes remaining.
With extra time looming, Porter calmly slotted the decisive one-pointer inside the final minute to secure Wests’ fourth consecutive second grade premiership.
Player of the Match: Josiah Brierley (Wests)
Harrigan Shield: Greyhounds hold off Bulldogs
Avondale Greyhounds 26 def Northern Suburbs 14
Avondale Greyhounds survived a spirited Northern Suburbs fightback to claim their third consecutive Harrigan Shield with a 26–14 victory.
George Nasilai crashed through the middle in the third minute before fullback Dylan Riggs converted for a 6–0 lead. Six minutes later, Jay Williams brilliantly claimed Cody Buckman’s towering bomb in the in-goal, with Riggs again converting.
Locklyn Hogan’s strong dummy-half run put Avondale on the front foot, allowing centre Jason Stewart to cross in the 19th minute. Riggs’ third conversion made it 18–0.
Norths responded before halftime when winger William Watson-Brown crossed in the left corner to reduce the deficit to 18–4.
The Bulldogs then scored twice in the opening five minutes of the second half. Captain Thomas Mott pounced after Avondale failed to clean up a grubber, with Wil Myerscough converting, before Jacob Myerscough capitalised on another error under the high ball. The second conversion reduced the margin to 18–14.
Avondale steadied under pressure. Front-rower Inia Liufau powered over in the 57th minute, with Riggs converting, before the fullback added a penalty goal in the 65th minute to seal the premiership.
Player of the Match: George Nasilai
Words: Harrison Mellare
Photo credit: Denis Ivaneza