After a dream start to their 2025 Harrigan Cup campaign and securing the minor premiership, Collegians are determined to put an end to their three-year premiership drought.
Having last tasted grand final success in 2022, a thrilling 12-10 win over the same opponents they will face this Saturday, Collies have produced a near-perfect season, winning 13 of their 15 matches. After a bye in Week 1 of the Finals, they are eager to stake their claim for another title.
Head Coach Jimmy Grehan said the mini-break provided the squad with the perfect opportunity to freshen up both physically and mentally, but they didn’t put their feet up for too long.
“The rain was coming down, so I had a few things planned, but we ended up having the Tuesday off,” Grehan explained.
“We had a gym session and then a recovery session at Eden Spa, so the boys got to enjoy that.
“Then on Saturday we got together and worked out how many kilometres we’d usually run in a game and clocked that over as well.”
Defence The Key
Grehan, in his first year with the club, credited the team’s resilience and defensive focus as a major factor behind their success this season.
“I just concentrated on the defence. The hard part of rugby league is you love scoring tries, and it’s the easier part to coach, but defence is probably the key. If you can win that fight, the attack comes with it,” he said.
While Collies boast the competition’s top point-scorer, Blair Grant, and top try-scorer, James Lee, Grehan emphasised the challenge ahead, with reigning premiers Wests standing in their way.
“We’ve got to emphasise how hungry Wests are going to be. They’ve already had a tough game, which sometimes prepares you better than a week off. Most of their squad played finals last year, so their experience is a worry for us,” he admitted.
Still, Grehan remains confident that his side can rise to the occasion.
“If anyone asked you before the season if you’d take a game to get into the grand final, you’d take it with both hands. That’s what you play for. It’s a challenge, but one we’re ready for,” he said.
Band Of Brothers
Collegians point-scoring machine Blair Grant says his side will need to be at their absolute best to overcome Wests in this weekend’s blockbuster.
Grant, who has tallied 120 points in his first season with the club, knows the challenge ahead won’t be easy.
“Based on our previous matches with them this year, they’ve all been really tight,” he said.
“It’s going to be another close one, and we’ll need to bring our best performance if we want to get into the grand final.”
The sharpshooter has enjoyed a breakout year since moving from Group 7’s Warilla Gorillas with brothers Duke and Dextar, and has thrived under Grehan, who he says has brought a “great culture” to the club.
“I didn’t expect to finish as the top points scorer, but with how well we were playing and me being the goal kicker, I knew it was possible,” Grant said.
“At the end of the day, those points mean nothing if we don’t achieve what we’re aiming for as a team.”
Match Centre
With Collegians claiming top spot for their efforts during the regular season, Grant believes the benefits of a week off could prove decisive.
“That’s the beauty of winning the minor premiership, it gave us extra rest and time to train harder,” he said.
“If we can win this week, that extra week before the grand final would be huge.”
After seven seasons with Warilla, Grant admits he’s relishing the chance to push for silverware in Illawarra.
“The vibe in the squad is strong. Everyone’s confident, training has been sharp, and we’re ready to get the job done.”
Words | Angelina Raula