Club Corner is back with another weekend of incredible finals footy, as the local season continues to wrap up for another year.
Grand Final weekend on the Eastern seaboard lived up to the hype, with several long standing droughts broken across several club competitions.
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Starting off in Sydney, the 100th season of the Shute Shield proved to be one of the closest in recent memory. However, last Saturday it ended with Randwick breaking a nineteen year drought to win their 29th title in a 17-15 thriller, one that proved emotional for the many fans who turned up.
For Norths, it was yet another case of so near, yet so far, being the second instance since 2016 that they'd tripped at the finish line. It proved to be a golden day for the Galloping Greens, with Third Grade and Fourth Grade also winning their Grand Finals to take out the Henderson Shield and the Henderson Cup, respectively.
Up in Queensland, the revamped Ballymore saw Brothers win their first title in seven years, coming back from a nineteen point deficit to deny Wests Bulldogs back to back premierships, winning 24-26. By an incredible coincidence, it was also Brothers 29th title and a similarly glorious weekend, with the Brethren also winning the Colts 4, 5th Grade, Colts 3, 4th Grade and Colts 1 competitions.
The Grand Final was not without its controversies, with the final play of the game from the Bulldogs ruled as an attempted try held up over the line, but it will be a finals series that will live long in the memory not just for the grandstand finish but for the incredible scenes and crowd that turned out to a revamped Ballymore.
Down in the capital, history was also made for the Gungahlin Eagles. Bolstered by a strong fan attendance at a packed Viking Park, the Eagles finally delivered on years of potential with a 33-22 win over minor premiers Tuggeranong Vikings, lifting the John I Dent Cup for the first time in twenty years.
It was a heartbreaking afternoon for the Vikings, who had not only dominated the regular season, but who were also celebrating the club's fiftieth anniversary. Not only was it a special afternoon for the Eagles winning their fourth title, but their Fourth Grade also made club history, beating the Canberra Royals to win their first fourth grade premiership in forty-five years for the club.
Finally, down in Melbourne, while droughts were broken across the country it was sadly not to be for Endeavour Hills Rugby Club chasing their inaugural premiership, as they went down in a thriller to Harlequins 39-26 on a thrilling day of rugby in Melbourne.
Harlequins overcame strong resistance to win back-to-back premierships for the first time since 2015. It was an emotional weekend for the club, announcing the unfortunate passing of their Club Director of Coaching, Ruhan van Zyl, a few days later.
This weekend, the Grand Finals continue as the Fortescue Premier Grade is set for a thrilling finish, while semi finals kick off in Adelaide and Preliminary Finals kick off on the Apple Isle.
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: FORTESCUE PREMIER GRADE - GRAND FINAL: PALMYRA VS. WESTS SCARBOROUGH
2023 has been a stellar year for clubland in the West, following a significant restructure of the competition ahead of kick-off. A longer season and less teams has reflected a much more competitive year, with the ladder changing leaders several times and clubs who struggled for form marking up for it with a stellar run home.
Now, this weekend, it all culminates in what should be a thrilling match at Tompkins Park. On one side, minor premiers and hosts Palmyra, who have looked the strongest they have in years. Capping it off with a 37-7 demolition of Associates in semis, they’ll be hoping to join the likes of their 2023 compatriots Gungahlin Eagles and Randwick of big clubs ending long premiership droughts.
For the Palms though, it’s a drought longer than either for those sides, with their last premiership coming back in 1991, 32 years ago. Here’s hoping the Palmyra faithful will turn up to bring the boys home and end the drought.
On the other side, Wests Scarborough, who will look to go back-to-back and defend their 2022 title. It was a slow start to the season, but since their incredible win over the Gulls, Wests have looked unstoppable, possessing an incredible ability to find ways to knock off more fancied opponents, including Palms themselves in their last fixture.
This was brought home with a 23-20 win over fellow heavyweights UWA in the other semi final, setting up a finish between the two strongest sides in the competition.
It will be an incredible clash tomorrow. Will Wests follow the likes of the Dewar Shield winners, Harlequins, and go back to back? Or will Palmyra finally end their drought? Tompkins Park is the place to find out.
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TASMANIA: TASMANIAN PREMIER GRADE - PRELIMINARY FINAL: TAROONA VS. DEVONPORT
Taroona have all the work to do after a thrilling semi final weekend in Tasmania. Launceston showcased why they are the team to beat as they prevailed over the Penguins 36-24, while Devonport squeezed into the preliminary final, with a 29-27 over Burnie in the other match of the weekend.
The result sees a thrilling clash between two rivals in the Tasmanian competition at Rugby Park, with Taroona looking to regain form and Devonport looking to showcase their strong finals potential and pull off a big upset.
The winner goes through to the grand final next week, where they face an imposing Launceston Tigers with one hand on the premiership.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: COOPERS PREMIER GRADE - SEMI FINALS
In Adelaide, the last finals series of the year nationwide is set to kick off, with the final regular season round last weekend all but confirming Brighton, Burnside, Old Collegians and Southern Suburbs are the teams to beat.
Brighton are current title favourites, but their biggest challengers in Burnside have already shown this year they have the firepower to knock them off and spring a surprise. In what will likely be a preview of the grand final, it would be typical if there is another surprise turn in this competition.
In the other semi final, Old Collegians will face the big improvers in Southern Suburbs. It has been a strong year for Souths, building on promising opportunities to emerge as a legitimate contender. Whether they can last another week depends on which side turns up to Womma Park, and a win against a strong Old Colls side would be a huge statement for 2024. Old Collegians will likely be favourites for this match, but it’s finals footy: anything can happen.
Enjoy your club footy this weekend, wherever you are.
