Wests are one win a way from a redemptive Mojo Homes Illawarra League crown after knocking off minor premiers Thirroul 24-8 in Saturday’s major semi-final.
The Devils edged into the major by a mere four for-and-against points, but have now earned the most direct path to the grand prize with a five-tries-to-one ambush.
It was just the second loss of Thirroul’s campaign and resigns the Butchers to a prelim final showdown with Collegians after the Dogs saw of De La Salle 26-12 in the minor semi.
It’s something coach Pete McLeod and his side can put their feet up for as they turn their sights to WIN Stadium on September 4.
A grinding win
“Today was definitely a grind, [finals] always are,” McLeod said.
“We’ve been happy with the back end of our games but at the start we’d been struggling. We started a bit better today but we knew Thirroul would be there with 20 minutes to go which they were.
“It was close at halftime, there was nothing in it in the first half, and we ran away with it in the back end which was pleasing.”
The Devils trailed 2-0 early but took a 10-8 lead to the break on the back of tries to Isaiah Kennedy and Joey Dickson.
Thirroul hit back through Joel Ruskin six minutes before halftime but it proved the Butchers final points of match as the Devils ran in three second-half four-pointers.
Brad Scott finished with a double while Te Umuariki Heremia-Tukere also grabbed a try as the Devils romped home.
Up for the challenge
With The Devils having featured in five of the past six deciders, McLeod isn’t any closer to figuring out the ideal path a grand final, saying his side will simply play what it’s dealt.
“We were pretty lucky coming into the finals series, we had some really hard games leading in,” McLeod said.
“Now we get the week off and, to be honest, looking around the sheds we probably need. The challenge is you’ve got 14 days to come up with a better performance because you’re going to have to play even better no matter who you come up against the in a grand final.
“How you do it [best] I still don’t really know, I’ve gone there both ways, but we’ll do our best and in 14 days we’ll be good to go. I’m confident in the group of players I’ve got.
“There’s a lot of experience there and some good young guys as well so I knew if we play well we’ll trouble any of the good sides in the comp.”
Butchers get second chance
If the Devils showed all the benefits of a hard run in, the Butchers performance illustrated the perils of a soft one.
Despite dropping just one game through the regular season the Butchers were forfeited to by Cronulla Caringbah in the penultimate round, while their outing against last-placed Corrimal last weekend never reached any great heights.
It appeared evident in their display, with Jarrod Costello’s side typically willing but struggling to find another gear when needed.
“Potentially that affected us but it’s hard to know,” Costello said.
“A couple of our guys needed that week off we got, but a lot of them didn’t, and I don’t think the way we were playing footy needed a week off.
“You never really want a week off, you want to be building momentum, continuity and all those things. If you’re looking for a silver lining that’s definitely it.
“We should be a little it more hardened, a little bit more match-fit and we know what we need to do and what we set out to do is still achievable, it just comes down to us putting a performance together.
“That’s the beauty of finishing in the top two, you can afford a a poor performance and still be alive.
“Full credit to Wests, they deserved their win and they were a lot better than us. We need to go and be better because it’s on the line now.
“We’ve been in plenty of of prelims and we know what works and what doesn’t. We need to get the job done next week against Collies.”
Costello ‘hopeful’ Wayne Bremner will return from injury
Costello will be hoping to have star fullback Wayne Bremner back on deck for the prelim, with the former Paul McGregor Medalist missing Saturday’s clash with a knee injury.
“Hopefully he’ll back back next week,” Costello said.
“He tried to play this week, he trained on Tuesday, but it just wasn’t right and he pulled out before training on Thursday.
“He’ll be great for us at the back. Stevie [Marsters] did a great job at fullback today, especially for someone who hasn’t played there all year.
“It’s a different beast with all the running you have to do back there. Stevie was great, but Brem will add a lot for us.”
Collegians kept their premiership defence alive with victory over De La Salle in Saturday’s earlier fixture that saw the scores locked at 12-all at halftime.
The Dogs found another level when needed in the second stanza, but will also need to improve coming out of a match that lacked the intensity of the major semi.
Mitch Jennings article courtesy of Illawarra Mercury
Picture: Robert Peet