Magpies Prove Gutsy Survivors
Illawarra Mercury
Monday September 3, 2007
GROUP Seven's fairytale team is through to the grand final after a gripping final yesterday at Mollymook Oval.
Berry-Shoalhaven Heads - the side which survived a play-off for fifth spot and two sudden-death semi-finals - shrugged off a typically sleepy start to beat Shellharbour 30-26.The Magpies were behind 12-0 after 15 minutes and went to the half-time break down 12-10.But after Josh Cuthbert's try extended the Sharks' lead to 16-10, a re-focused Berry put together a pivotal 20 minutes, scoring four straight tries to lead 30-16.Shellharbour's pride kicked in and they almost stole victory in the dying stages, but the Magpies held on to book themselves a David v Goliath-like duel with unbeaten minor premiers Albion Park-Oak Flats in Sunday's grand final at Ron Costello Oval."I'm going to make the most of this with the boys tonight and then we'll get our heads together on Tuesday and give it a shake next Sunday, that's all we can do," Magpies captain-coach Trent Burns said."It's down to one game and it's going to be one huge effort, and I've got confidence in the boys that we can. If we hold onto the ball and don't shoot ourselves in the foot, we'll give ourselves a chance."Burns delivered on a pre-game vow to lead from the front with the former Australian Schoolboy scoring a try in each half and setting up the match-sealing try for winger Aaron Pont.Also starring was Michael Cronin Medal contender Paul Skewes.The tireless hooker terrorised the Sharks with his sharp dummy-half darts."He's dynamite around dummy half," Burns said."He does it for us every week."Shellharbour co-coaches Neil Michell and Peter Ellis admitted Skewes had been a primary target."We talked and talked about him all week and still couldn't bottle him up. All their plays came off him and Burnsy troubled us out wide," Michell said."The first 15 we played really well and we should've gone on with it. We bottled up Skewesy, our line speed was good, and when we got tired they killed us."We gave too much football away in the second half and you can't win finals if you give that much football away."It's disappointing. Pete and I are finished now. We always said this was going to be our last year. We've been here for a long time."We're not happy finishing here instead of our home ground."We didn't complete enough sets. We dug deep in the last 10 minutes but it wasn't enough. You've got to play well for 80 minutes."Berry's win avenged a loss to the Sharks in last year's final."It feels a lot different to last year," Mitchell said."Good luck to Berry and the Park next week."Despite out-scoring the Sharks six tries to five, the Magpies will be blasted off the field if they turn over as much possession against the unforgiving Eagles."We got on a roll to get back in the game, but if we do that to the Park, they'll smash us if we give them anything," Burns said."We just keep turning up when we have to. They had a lot of sets on our line through our own errors. It frustrates me every week, but the boys turn up and tackle all day. I can't fault their efforts. "We can still improve. We've just got to get our starts right and get switched on and complete our sets."
© 2007 Illawarra Mercury