After last week’s dramatic 16-14 win over Newcastle, Eastwood went into today’s clash with the second placed Coffs Harbour Wyrms as the dark horse for this year’s title. Possessing one of Division Two’s finest forward packs and facing a Coffs Harbour side without influential centre Amahl Singh- the Pumas would have been confident as the two sides took to the park to decide who would earn first place in this year’s Grand Final.

Coffs Harbour Wyrms Eastwood Pumas
1 Syrian Kor 1 Rowland Rokachelli
2 Stirling Mortlock 2 Sam Murphy
3 Steve Kefu 3 Anthony Wotnough
4 Matt Giteau 4 Francis Maloney
5 Rodger Randal 5 Tom O'Shea
6 Andrew Miller 6 Cedric Desbrosse
7 David Niu © 7 Rob Burrow
8 Terrance Brown 8 Jason King
9 Mat Toschak 9 Jason Smith
10 Ben Darwin 10 David Furner ©
11 Kevin Campion 11 Matt Adamson
12 Tom Bowman 12 Daniel Vickerman
13 Angel Withers 13 Aurelion Cologni
++Interchange
14 Bill Rhyven 14 Xander Travis
15 Raymond Karl 15 Damien Doust
16 David Raelke 16 Dean Treister
17 John Rovoa 17 Phil Morwood

The early going was entertaining stuff, and it was Eastwood who started stronger- Coffs Harbour’s week off manifesting itself in a lack of match practice. Despite the early weight of possession on their side, the Pumas couldn’t find a crack in the armour of the determined Wyrms. Like Bard searching for a weak spot in a great beast, the Pumas continually probed the line in search of weak spots, and were continually thwarted. The effect of being unable to cross the line despite possession is always demoralizing, and Coffs Harbour scored off their first real opportunity. Steve Kefu pounced on a well placed Andrew Miller grubber to score in the 10th minute and continue the 2004 finals’ trend for early tries. Angel Withers may have been deputizing as goal kicker, but he did a good job to make it 6-0 early on.

Next points came ten minutes later, and it was again a Coffs Harbour try against the run of play. Eastwood had done a solid job of controlling the game in the wake of the early try, but a debatable call for a forward pass from Aurelion Cologni stalled the Eastwood attack. A penalty for a high tackle in the next set got Coffs Harbour in Eastwood’s territory, and Terrance Brown wrestled his way across the line. The video referee deliberated over it for some time- as it was unclear whether Matt Adamson had been able to hold up the opposition prop, before giving the try. Withers was unable to convert from close range, and in the 20th minute it was 10-0 in favour of Coffs Harbour.

The big Sydney crowd, whilst supposed to be at a neutral venue, were clearly in favour of an Eastwood victory. On the back of this support, the Pumas began to make line breaks and really threaten Coffs Harbour’s line. Matt Adamson in particular was dangerous whenever he had the ball. He would either make line breaks, or put a support player into a hole with a well timed offload. Some overzealous defence bit the Eastwood campaign in the behind when two stupid penalties in a row again gave Coffs Harbour the field position they needed. Stirling Mortlock ran onto a perfect pass, double pumped out wide by David Niu to set up the Wyrms’ third try. Miller this time converted, and the Wyrms lead 16-0 in the 30th minute. Fans were beginning to lose faith in the Eastwood machine, with the majority of possession not yielding the majority of points.

Halftime couldn’t have come sooner for Eastwood. With the extra margin to play with, Coffs Harbour began to really assert themselves and remind fans that they didn’t finish second on luck. Indeed, the Wyrms’ attack began to break Eastwood’s line almost at will, with only desperate tackles and poor passing saving Eastwood from going into the break further behind. The halftime siren sounded as Cedric Debrosse knocked the ball on in a heavy tackle, and the Pumas would have a mountain to climb if they wanted a grand final berth in their first finals’ campaign.

HALFTIME: Coffs Harbour 16 lead Eastwood 0

The early going in the second half was evenly contested, the two sides inseperable in both offence and defence. However, it was clear that the Pumas would need to be the first side to score if they were to be a chance of taking out the match. The 50th minute provided the break the underdogs were praying for- when Rob Burrow grubbered behind the line and collected the ball to score underneath the posts. The biased Sydney crowd roared its approval as Burrow converted his own effort to leave the Pumas behind by ten at 16-6.

Stirling Mortlock silenced the crowd’s cheering only a minute later, intercepting an ambitious Cedric Debrosse pass to race ninety metres and score a morale crushing try. Angel Withers struck it horribly to miss from in front, but the Pumas were down 20-6 and were clearly crushed by yet another try against the run of play. Enter Jason Smith, the veteran of Central’s 2002/2003 Grand Final defeat stepping up and lifting Eastwood in the second tackle of the next set. Meeting Andrew Miller head on, the lock cum hooker hoisted the Japanese international into touch to earn Eastwood a set of six. Smith was the first to hit it up as well, and his big palm sent Steve Kefu stumbling. Smith exploited the gap and made a memorable downfield charge which was only stopped by Kevin Campion’s cover defence. Two plays later Rob Burrow lifted a spiraling bomb which Dean Treister was able to get under- he pushed for the line, but the tackle of Stirling Mortlock forced the veteran hooker into touch to avoid a try.

Coffs Harbour were denied a match sealing try in the 57th when Andrew Miller was hit head on in a powerful tackle by Rowland Rockachelli when he had two men in support on his outside. The ball was jarred loose, and Rockachelli was swarmed by team mates eager to congratulate his efforts.

The two above plays were the highlights of an exciting but scoreless final period. Whilst both sides had their opportunities, the defence of their opponents was continually up to par. Fulltime sounded with neither side having crossed or come close to crossing since Miller’s 57th minute brain explosion. The Wyrms’ players and fans celebrated, whilst Eastwood would go back to their dressing rooms wondering where it all went wrong.

FULLTIME
Coffs Harbour Wyrms 20
Stirling Mortlock 2
Steve Kefu
Terrance Brown
Withers 2/4
Defeated
Eastwood Pumas 6
Rob Burrow
Burrow 1/1

PoM Points
Stirling Mortlock…………3
Jason Smith……………….2
Matt Adamson…………….1

ohhhhh hell yeah! where going to the superbowl son. :drunk: :lol:

And all you wanker sydney fans in the crowd can stick it up your ass! We came here to play footy and you try and boo us off the field.

Go COFFS go all the way boyz

Anyone else notice the 'Jelly's Kiss of Death' trend?

- North Melbourne: Jelly leaves and they win a premiership
- Coffs Harbour: Jelly leaves and they make a grand final

Some of the less successful coaches should think about hiring the Jellyman for a season and then sacking him. It's a guaranteed grand final berth the next season!

Thats what i do i come to a team rebuild them up and leave