The Macarthur Wests Tigers Laurie Daley Cup team has fallen to a 27-16 defeat to the Illawarra South Coast Dragons in Saturday’s Grand Final.
The Dragons led 13-6 at half-time, and despite Wests Tigers threatening to take the lead on multiple occasions, Illawarra held on to secure victory.
They had the better of the field position in the opening exchanges of the match, however, Macarthur managed to turn them away on multiple occasions with some impressive defence.
The Dragons eventually came up with first points, though, with centre Archie Wheeler pouncing on a grubber kick in the 9th minute to open the scoring.
Kye Lynch extended the Illawarra lead as the interchange forward burst through the line off a Cruz King short ball and scored under the posts.
At 12-0, Macarthur had to be next to post points, and they did so through powerful centre Glassie Glassie.
A Tyson Walker cut-out ball gave the powerful Glassie room to move, and he produced a big left-hand fend to beat his opposite and dive over.
Aidan Richards’ kick from the sideline made it 12-6, with Wests Tigers right back into the match.
On the stroke of half-time, Dragons fullback Jack Talbott kicked a field goal from close range to give them a seven-point lead at the break.
Illawarra grabbed a third try just three minutes after the break, as Talbott and Jack Koster combined down the right touchline, with the No.1 ultimately touching down to put the Dragons further ahead.
Glassie consistently proved Macarthur’s most potent attacking weapon on the day, and his fend provided more points in the 44th minute when he scored from a scrum close to the Illawarra line.
Wests Tigers brought the scoreline to within one point just three minutes later when Stirling Faumui’s cutout ball sent Richards over in the corner to make it 17-16.
A superb Illawarra try helped bring the score out to 23-16, though, as Beau Baldock collected a Talbott pass and grubbered it through the line for himself.
The Dragons secured victory in the 64th minute as an Aidan Turner intercept and break downfield allowed skipper Wheeler to grab the match-sealer on the next play.
Ill SC Dragons 27 (Wheeler 2, Lynch, Talbott, Baldock tries; Talbott 3/5 goals; Talbott 1-point field goal) defeated M Wests Tigers 16 (Glassie 2, Richards tries; Richards 2/3 goals) at GIO Stadium.
