Nelson Bay Gropers sink Cooks Hill 28-5 to advance to preliminary final

NELSON Bay Gropers have earned another throw of the Hunter Suburban Men’s Rugby Grand Final dice.

The galloping Gropers showed their premiership credentials with a rousing 28-5 victory over the Cooks Hill Brown Snakes in last Sunday’s President’s Cup elimination final at Newcastle’s No 2 Sports Ground.

Minor premiers Scone Brumbies advanced to the Grand Final with a thumping 41-5 triumph over reigning champions Singleton Red Bulls in the qualifying final the previous day.

Nelson Bay have now set their sights on the trophy decider and go into this Saturday’s preliminary final showdown with the Red Bulls brimming with confidence.

Spearheaded by dynamic fullback Will Clark, evergreen lock forward Adam Edwards and talented young hooker Ollie Edwards the Gropers had too many big guns for the Brown Snakes in a superb team performance.

Lock forwards Edwards and Jarrod Zuvela led a revved up Gropers forward pack who dominated the breakdown enabling clever halfback Kade Redmond to snipe from the back of a maul and cross under the posts for the opening try of the match.

The spring-heeled Clark proved a handful for the Brown Snakes with his turn off speed and powerful bursts to launch many a Gropers attacking raid, while experienced lock Edwards and namesake hooker Ollie turned in non-stop displays to spur on their teammates.

Nelson Bay staved off early pressure from their Cooks Hill rivals with sturdy defence, before flanker Sam Rocher left the field after sustaining an ankle injury, allowing lock John Lundie to enter the fray.

With the Gropers producing an expansive up tempo style of play, fly half Khace Petera provided slick service to gun centres Sam Ingam and Michael Hotene to bend the Cooks Hill defensive line.

The dashing Clark was the best on ground and benefited from the ball movement as he burst through tackles to send wingers Sam Mitchell and Brayden McMasters downfield on searching runs.

Industrious props Nathan McLeay and Riley Byfield held a good Gropers scrum and made inroads with their strong running while number 8 Mitch Workman won several lineouts against the throw to put the Bay on the attack.

A dropped ball saw flanker Lewis Affleck gain a turnover and combine with centre Hotene and Clark to put flying winger McMasters into space and over for the Gropers second try, which was converted by Ingham to establish a 14-nil lead at the halftime break.

Bone jarring defence from centre Hotene kept the powerful Cooks Hill backs in check as the slick Nelson Bay back division led by dynamo Clark, electric winger Mitchell and the crafty Petera, stamped their mark.

Coach Zion Takarua injected fresh legs into the contest with high workrate flanker Danny Arnfield and prop Ross Buchan taking the field.

The Gropers scrum began to get on top and quick hands sent winger Mitchell down the sideline and linking with Ingham to nab the club’s third try and establish a 21-0 lead.

Rugged prop Harry Porter, winger Jake Langsford and lock Mitch Affleck came on to lift the tempo as Cooks Hill began to tire.

Against the run of play, ex-Groper Jed Alexander scored a consolation try in the corner for the Brown Snakes but to no avail.

Nelson Bay centre Cody Ross took the field and had several bustling runs along with flanker Arnfield and the experienced Buchan.

These changes rallied the Gropers and slick backline passing saw hooker Edwards tear through the scrambling defence to score under the posts and seal a deserved finals win.

By Chris KARAS