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SG Ball and Harold Matthews results

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
Illawarra win thriller to claim SG Ball Premiership
Author
Stuart Honeysett
Timestamp
Sat 4 May 2019, 04:50 PM

Illawarra halfback Jayden Sullivan turned on a masterclass in the UNE SG Ball Grand Final at Bankwest Stadium on Saturday 4 May to get the Steelers home 34-23 in a thrilling match against the Manly Sea Eagles.

The scores were locked at 22-all with only eight minutes to go when Manly halfback Jamie Lawler landed a field goal from right in front of the posts to give the Sea Eagles a slender lead.

The Steelers refused to give in and benefitted from a freakish play after Illawarra five-eighth Talatau Amone put a kick through that rebounded off a Manly defender and was regathered by Steelers winger Tyrell Sloan. The next play Amone took on the line to put his side back in front 28-23.

"It's an unreal feeling to get the win," Amone said. "It's the best feeling of my life so far.

"Full credit to the boys, if they weren't there I would not have scored that try.

"We knew they were going to be tough and big in the middle but we just had to be tight and that's what we did. Listen to the coaches plan, follow it and look at what the outcome is."

There was still plenty of time left on the clock for the Sea Eagles but the Steelers ensured it would be their day when fullback Treigh Stewart sold the defence a dummy before racing away to score and spark wild celebrations behind the posts as players piled on top of each other.

The grand final lived up to expectations after both sides finished in the top two positions on the table but had failed to meet in the regular season after being posted on different sides of the draw in the 17-team competition.

The Steelers got off to the perfect start after halfback Jayden Sullivan put a deft grubber kick through for Aaron Schoupp to pounce on and score the opening try of the game.

Sullivan missed the conversion but more than made up for it after laying the groundwork for a spectacular 80-metre try. The Steelers No.7 found a gap in the Manly defence and sprinted upfield before picking up Schoupp in support who in turn passed back to Sullivan to finish it off.

The Sea Eagles needed something special to spark them into life and five-eighth Joshua Schuster provided it when he spilt the Illawarra defence before racing away to score underneath the posts and help reduce the deficit to 10-6.

The Steelers took charge again after prop Blake Dowel powered his way over the line from close range but the Sea Eagles stayed in touch after fullback Kaeo Weekes finished off a backline move to leave them trailing 18-10 just before the break.

Manly closed the margin again after Sione Fainu powered his way over the line before Sullivan took on the line again to score and extend the Steelers lead to 22-16.

"We just play with eyes up, we don't guess, we all know each other," Sullivan said. "We had a rough start to the season but to come out on top is just amazing.

"It was a risky play (for my first try), I didn't back myself with speed. I should've just taken the tackle but it came out good.

"I'm absolutely amazed. Without these boys I'd be nothing. Just because I'm captain doesn't mean I'm above anybody, we're just one team."

Ben Trbojevic displayed all the talent of his older brothers and Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues, Tom and Jake Trbojevic, when he busted the line before popping a pass away for Weekes to streak away, lock the scores up at 22-all and set the scene for a grandstand finish.
What a great win boys. Lots of talented players in this team and I'm looking forward to see how these young guns progress through the grades.


https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2019/05/04/illawarra-win-thriller-to-claim-sg-ball-premiership/
 

getsmarty

Immortal
Messages
33,485
Illawarra League 2019: Steelers claim historic grand final double
Local Sport
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HOW GOOD: Illawarra celebrate their SG Ball grand final triumph. Picture: NRL Imagery


ILLAWARRA have gone two for two on a memorable grand final day at Bankwest Stadium, with the Steelers claiming both the SG Ball and Tarsha Gale Cup trophies.

Ben Linde's SG Ball side led minor premiers Manly 18-10 at the break but trailed 23-22 with just eight minutes left on the back of a field goal to Eagles half Jamie Lawler.

Having claimed the prelim final by four points with a 68th minute try in the prelim final a week earlier, the Steelers produced another clutch effort, Talatau Amone crossing for the go ahead try five minutes from time.

With the game still in the balance, Treigh Stewart sealed the deal in the 69th minute to ensure the trophy headed south to Wollongong.

Halfback Jayden Sullivan proved the key man, grabbing two tries, having a hand in two others and kicking five goals in a commanding display in the No. 7 jumper.

READ MORE: Cougars top of the table after back to back wins

Earlier on, Daniel Lacey's Tarsha Gale Cup side etched their name on the famous trophy with a 24-12 win over Newcastle in the first match of the day at the new stadium.

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WINNERS: Illawarra claimed a breakthrough victory in Saturday's Tarsha Gale Cup grad final. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Steelers led 10-0 after just five minutes with an early try to Olivia Vale and an incredible 70-metre solo effort from Teaghan Berry.

It wouldn't be the try of the match however, with Tiana Graham producing one of the great grand final tries 10 minutes into the second period, beating five defenders in a Steve Jackson-esque run after grabbing an offload from skipper Maddie Weatherall.

Graham made another jinking run to put Mikayla Kidd over for the match-winner after Berry grabbed her second try of the afternoon.

Having watched the 16-year-old make the move from Western Australia to chase a league dream, Lacey said he couldn't be prouder.

"Tiana's a year young, she's come over from Western Australia and her mum's moved with her," Lacey said.

"They've made a commitment to rugby league so I've made a commitment to her.

"I needed to tell her what she was good at because I don't think she realises how good she is. I just said 'for us to win we need you to run'.

"She's a good ball player so she likes to feed the outside backs. I thought her first few runs were a bit pre-line and a bit slow so I just said 'look, you've just got to go' and didn't she what."

It was a validating win for the Steelers, who've been pace-setters since the competition began only to fall at the semi-final stage in previous seasons.

"As a coach you normally get a good vibe of how your team's going but you don't want to let it out externally, you just want to bottle it up and make sure they're on point," Lacey said.

"I knew there was a good vibe about this team and what we've built previously. We added to the squad and the way we trained... the full package came to fruition.

"You can't just have a couple of good players, you need a whole group to get you there The fight they had in them, you'd have thought they were 10 down not 10 up. They just didn't want to let them score.

"It's where we fell short against them earlier in the year. It's testament to how they've listened and learned through the year and how they've applied themselves whether the chips were up or down. They deserve it."


https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/6106022/steelers-claim-historic-grand-final-double/?cs=302
 

denis preston

First Grade
Messages
8,157

Dragonslayer

First Grade
Messages
7,678
Signed a 4yr deal with us. As someone said these are the little things that go unnoticed by the majority of the forum. Add to that the pathway set for him which Canberra couldn't provide.
There does appear to be a long term plan at our club, which is focused on bringing through the talent we already have.
In 3 (or even shorter) years, the likes of Hunt, Norman, Aitken, Lafai and a few others wont be around. Nowcwirh This youngster, Sullivan, SSE and Lomax (to name a few) secured long term, our future is looking bright.
Just need now to remove the roadblock and we have the great possibility of exciting times ahead.
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
8,938
Bingo....our club media is amatuerish at best thinking keeping everything in house is best.Some things YES..but plenty of stuff going on below NRL level that fans would like to hear about.
Let the Illawarra Mercury tell us stuff...when no one buys a paper hardly anymore or reads it.
The stories or repeat stories / interviews should I say we get lately have no meat and are just periphery sponsor stuff.
Player interviews at end of season are good but need to be improved and would be nice to hear from more than the selected few.
Our club info and coverage re our CC, JF, Matts & SG Ball is terrible re how they are going.
Isn't that what websites are for.?..maybe I am wrong
I am not on social media so maybe all the info gets tweeted, instagrammed and facebooked by the club...dont know?
Yeh..they announce the squads at the beginning of the year and on game day but thats it..
All players need to be on the website...No wonder some people go........ who is that?
And please someone tell them to maybe enlighten the fans to the coaching staff for all grades, at least CC and JF. It is the 14th December and coaching staff are set in stone so please tell without making us ask poor George Dragon for info and updates.
 

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,909
Bingo....our club media is amatuerish at best thinking keeping everything in house is best.Some things YES..but plenty of stuff going on below NRL level that fans would like to hear about.
Let the Illawarra Mercury tell us stuff...when no one buys a paper hardly anymore or reads it.
The stories or repeat stories / interviews should I say we get lately have no meat and are just periphery sponsor stuff.
Player interviews at end of season are good but need to be improved and would be nice to hear from more than the selected few.
Our club info and coverage re our CC, JF, Matts & SG Ball is terrible re how they are going.
Isn't that what websites are for.?..maybe I am wrong
I am not on social media so maybe all the info gets tweeted, instagrammed and facebooked by the club...dont know?
Yeh..they announce the squads at the beginning of the year and on game day but thats it..
All players need to be on the website...No wonder some people go........ who is that?
And please someone tell them to maybe enlighten the fans to the coaching staff for all grades, at least CC and JF. It is the 14th December and coaching staff are set in stone so please tell without making us ask poor George Dragon for info and updates.
Apparently Head has been appointed assistant coach at Leeds but SL rules about too many overseas coaches has stopped that at present.
Head has appealed against the ruling.
Interesting story about Matt's future at the Dragons.
CC
 

BLM01

First Grade
Messages
8,938
Apparently Head has been appointed assistant coach at Leeds but SL rules about too many overseas coaches has stopped that at present.
Head has appealed against the ruling.
Interesting story about Matt's future at the Dragons.
CC
Yes Head was on Mary's and BJ's cast for the chopping block...but someone asked him to come back....who can it be now?..but not as an assistant to NRL side. It was a bit of a kick in the guts for him.
It is true the The Hairy Head does not see eye to eye with the Bald Head so dont blame him for trying his craft under Agar...who funnily enough was also part of ours and Mary's staff in 2017? or 2018....and he too got the flick?.
Am I missing something here?...the plot thickens and the wheel of our fortune is turning back in our favour..the sooner the better.
 

Como Connection

First Grade
Messages
5,909
Yes Head was on Mary's and BJ's cast for the chopping block...but someone asked him to come back....who can it be now?..but not as an assistant to NRL side. It was a bit of a kick in the guts for him.
It is true the The Hairy Head does not see eye to eye with the Bald Head so dont blame him for trying his craft under Agar...who funnily enough was also part of ours and Mary's staff in 2017? or 2018....and he too got the flick?.
Am I missing something here?...the plot thickens and the wheel of our fortune is turning back in our favour..the sooner the better.
Correct, he doesn't like our head coach at all I'm told.
Plus the job the Dragons offered him as part time 50% reserve grade coach and 50% in the marketing department!
Crazy.
CC
 

possm

Coach
Messages
15,587
I'm hoping Flanagan and Sheppard will be our long term senior NRL coaching staff. All them to select the rest of the coaching staff.
 

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