Souths skipper Kohan Herbert is confident the Magpies have the extra gear needed to make an impact in their first visit to the StoreLocal Hospital Cup semi-finals in six years.
Flanker Herbert said there was little time to celebrate the milestone when everyone in the club had bigger goals like winning Sunday’s elimination semi-final.
“The goal for this season hasn’t been just to make the semis but to step up when we got there,” Herbert said.
“We know finals footy is a whole different beast. While Souths haven’t been there for a while, we will tap into the experience of those players who’ve been in finals before.
“Win and you are through. Lose and the season is done. It’s cutthroat.”
The Magpies take on University of Queensland in the sudden-death minor semi-final at Sunnybank Rugby Club on Sunday.
Bullocking inside centre Vilakesa Rabouliku, a member of Wests’ 2022 premiership team, centre Alofa Alofa, who shared in the NSW Waratahs’ 2014 Super Rugby title, and Herbert, a semi-final regular during his time with Mount Maunganui Rugby Club in New Zealand, are Souths players with finals experience. That doesn’t count coach Garrick Morgan, a multi-premiership winner during Souths’ golden era in the 1990s.
The clubs are again hosting the semi-final and preliminary final weekends ahead of a gala weekend of grand finals at Ballymore on August 31 and September 1.
Premiers Brothers take on Wests in Saturday’s major semi-final at GPS Rugby Club where the winner will advance direct to the grand final.
The Brethren will have to do it without quicksilver Queensland Reds winger Tim Ryan, who is sidelined with a high ankle sprain after his left leg was caught awkwardly when he was making a tackle last weekend.
Wests have their own backline absentee to deal with after centre Lebron Paramore-Naea was helped off with concussion in Sunday’s 33-25 win over Souths in the final round.
The Bulldogs will welcome back experienced former Wallabies winger Henry Speight for the semi-final after a hamstring niggle forced a rest last weekend.
The Magpies have conceded 50 points on two occasions to UQ this season which isn’t exactly an encouraging form line for the semi-final.
“We learnt a fair bit from those games about needing to start faster against UQ. Keeping hold of the ball and being dominant in our carries is very important,” Herbert said.
“Garrick has been brilliant for the club over the past two seasons. He has a lot of knowledge and experience and he’s a big part of what the club has been building.”
3:10pm StoreLocal Hospital Cup Brothers v Wests
1:30pm 2nd grade Brothers v University of Queensland (Field 1)
12:10pm Colts 1 Souths v Wests (Field 1)
12:10pm 3rd Grade Brothers v Wests (Field 2)
10:50am Premier Women Sunnybank v Bond University (Field 1)
10:50am 4th Grade Brothers v UQ (Field 2)
10:50am Colts 2 UQ v Souths (Field 3)
9:30am 5th Grade Souths v Brothers (Field 2)
9:30am Colts 3 Brothers v UQ (Field 3)
5pm Premier Women Easts v Wests (Field 1)
3:05pm Hospital Cup UQ v Souths (Field 1)
1:30pm 2nd Grade Wests v GPS (Field 1)
12:10pm 3rd Grade Bond University v UQ (Field 2)
12:10pm Colts 1 Easts v Bond University (Field 1)
10.50am 4th grade GPS v Wests (Field 2)
10:50am Colts 2 Easts v Brothers (Field 1)
9:30am 5th Grade Sunnybank v Wests (Field 2)
9:30am Colts 3 GPS v Souths (Field 1)
