After what many have touted as the best Division Two finals' series in history, the final game was set to take place at Sydney's Telstra Stadium as a curtain raiser to the Premier League Grand Final. A big crowd was already on hand for the match as Coffs Harbour were lead onto the park by David Niu. After showcasing unwavering defence in the finals thus far, conceding twelve points in two games, the Wyrms went in as favourites. However, Linden Drummond's North Queensland Dolphins had won three sudden death finals to get here- including a big win over the Port Moresby Power who had dominated Division Two all season. The two squads, unchanged from last week's major semi final wins, looked like this:
Coffs Harbour Wyrms North Queensland Dolphins
1 Syrian Kor 1 Kris Radlinski
2 Stirling Mortlock 2 Linden Drummond ©
3 Steve Kefu 3 Brooke Martin
4 Matt Giteau 4 Greg Wolfgramm
5 Rodger Randal 5 Joel Monaghan
6 Andrew Miller 6 Adam Dykes
7 David Niu © 7 Justin Marshall
8 Terrance Brown 8 Forrest Sumner
9 Mat Toschak 9 Malcolm Alker
10 Ben Darwin 10 Lars Gjolnier
11 Kevin Campion 11 Giovanni Piazza
12 Tom Bowman 12 Colin Charvis
13 Angel Withers 13 Brian O'Keefe
++Interchange
14 Bill Rhyven 14 Ben Black
15 Raymond Karl 15 Raif McCallin
16 David Raelke 16 Alwyn Simpson
17 John Rovoa 17 Caesar Ramirez
Both sides set the tone in the very first set of six. Tom Bowman was on the end of a pinpoint Miller pass that saw him gallop into a half gap, but Brooke Martin was right on the spot to shoulder the big forward into touch and end a promising opening movement. North Queensland hit back immediately when Joel Monaghan cut through the line on the third and put the Dolphins right on the attack. Coffs Harbour's defence managed to set itself brilliantly however, and repelled the first real opportunity of the game.
As the first half wound towards the first quarter mark, it became clear that there would be no high scoring thriller today. Both sides were obviously of the belief that it would be defence that would win the game. Neither side could make more than forty on a set of six, as their opposition produced excellent marker defence and wonderful sliding defence to shut down even the most enterprising movement. The mistake rate was also low, as attack was limited to dummy half running and passing two wide of the ruck. And when a side did venture out wide, it immediately backfired, Liden Drummond unable to reel in a speculating pass from Ben Black after the talented halfback had found a gap.
Coffs Harbour, receiving the ball only forty out from the Dolphins' line, chose this moment to chance their hand and and go for the throat. It paid off when perennial try-scorer, Matt Giteau, capped off a stellar backline movement which saw the ball go from one side of the field to the other. When Giteau got over the line, he did so with the weight of Greg Wolfgramm's defence on his back. Angel Withers produced an equally stellar shot for goal to put the Wyrms up 18-0 in the 19th minute.
The game's emphasis on defence was not effected at all by the advent of the opening try- both sides still producing the tackles rather than the metres. As predicted, the North Queensland forwards soon began to tire from the defensive workload, and this saw Brooke Martin and Raif McCallin forming a new look back row heading into halftime. Even this move didn't stem the tide, with the Wyrms fast gaining ascendency on the back of their own bench's enthusiasm. In particular, Papua New Guinea prop David Raelke made the game his own with several determined carries and some big hits. Raelke's enthusiasm gave the Dolphins their first points of the game when he did a little too much work on a recently tackled Caesar Ramirez- Drummond knocking over a penalty goal to set the score at 6-2. It was a show of both respect and exhaustion from the Dolphins, who usually would have gone for the six points so close to the line.
The half finished with both sides enjoying promising field position, only to be repelled by the desperation of the opposition defence. North Queensland's raid, in the 38th minute, featured a wonderful Ben Black grubber which found Syrian Kor behind the line. The big Lebanese giant fought his way out of the in-goal despite the attention of several Dolphin players. Six tackles later the ball was at the other end of the field for Bill Rhyven to put up a towering bomb. Joel Monaghan leapt above the pack to catch it in goal and prevent the Wyrms from going in firmly in control at the break. The siren sounded, and the first half had been exciting without being loaded with points.
HALFTIME: Coffs Harbour 6 lead North Queensland 2
The second half couldn't have started much better for North Queensland, Greg Wolfgramm making a powerful break on the first set of six and charging downfield with only Syrian Kor in front of him. Kor hit the centre in a ball and all tackle, and had a flying Matt Giteau help in the tackle. The ball bobbled loose, and Tim Mander earned the ire of a predominately Coffs Harbour crowd when he penalised the Wyrms for raking. Linden Drummond, again ignoring the call from coach Troy Haines to go for the try, shot for goal and reduced the margin to 2 at 6-4. The Dolphins lack of adventure could come back to haunt them.
David Raelke didn't let the goal effect his side's morale however, coming up with a big hit on Malcolm Alker to jar the ball loose only forty out from the Dolphins line. Stirling Mortlock contributed with a powerful run, which looked to have stopped ten out when he was met head on by Greg Wolfgramm and Joel Monaghan. A big fend tossed Monaghan aside, and Mortlock was strong enough to break free of Wolfgramm's tackle and race the final ten metres to score a powerful try. Angel Withers was again able to convert from out wide, and the scoreline was back in Coffs Harbour's favour at 12-4.
The Dolphins, to their credit, didn't let the second try of the match break their spirits. Worryingly, however, Kris Radlinski continued to remain quiet after many bookies arguing that he would be the difference between the two sides. When David Raelke ran over Malcolm Alker with plenty of power and passion to slam it down out wide- the game looked well and truly over at 16-4. Withers showed he was human, his first shot from the left side of the field narrowly missing to leave the Dolphins with a chance at 16-4 in the 55th.
The backlines exchanged powerful sets of six in the next ten minutes- both threequarter lines making good metres through simple runs and passes. Brooke Martin showed her desire to win a grand final not only in her deft running, but also in her desperation defence when the likes of Rodger Randal and Tom Bowman tried to muscle their way down her flank. Kris Radlinski couldn't have picked a better time to inject himself into the game then when he swooped onto a brilliant Adam Dykes' grubber to crash over beneath the sticks for the Dolphins' first try. Linden Drummond wasted no time converting the try, and his side was back in the game at 16-10 down with fifteen minutes remaining.
The pace of the game seemed to have had its effect on Coffs Harbour, whose defence became lazy as the Dolphins rode home on adreneline. While their attack and defence suffered, that of North Queensland went from strength to strength as Radlinski, Martin, and Wolfgramm made sure they wouldn't die wondering. Despite this newfound confidence, the Dolphins couldn't breach that final line of defence. In particular it was David Raelke who kept the Wyrms from succumbing to the fightback, his defence still strong after being on the field since the 20th minute. Two 50/50 penalties in the 75th minute, when the game was reaching a feverous pitch, ended the Dolphins' dreams of a grand final win and Premier League berth. One got the Wyrms downfield, and the second gave Withers a long range attempt at a match sealing penalty goal. The shot had the legs and it had the direction, the Wyrms going to an 18-10 lead with three minutes of play remaining.
The goal had the desired effect, and North Queensland's last two sets of six were messy and forgettable. The fulltime siren sounded with Coffs Harbour forcing the Dolphins to take a dropout after Bill Rhyven's chip kick trapped Kris Radlinski behind the line. The dropout was never taken, Coffs Harbour winning and earning promotion to Premier League courtesy of an 18-10 win in a defensively intense but exciting grand final.
FULLTIME
Coffs Harbour Wyrms 18
Stirling Mortlock
Matt Giteau
David Raelke
Withers 3/4
defeated
North Queensland Dolphins 10
Kris Radlinski
Drummond 3/4
PoM Points
David Raelke...............3
David Niu.....................2
Brooke Martin...............1
An obviosly dissapointed North Queensland coach has congratulated the Coffs team on their win and subsequent promotion to premier league. "Of course i have some regretters, but in saying that, i am extremely proud of my boys, and girl on the season that they have had. The obvious last minute stomach bug thet kept the named interchange forward Gabrielle Yane out of the team didnt do much for our preparation, but still i thought our team could pull through. For now its back to the board to see how we can try and sure up our team for next season, and we would like to give a big thanks to our fans who have supported us so well throughout our debut year, hopefully next season we can go one better."
Captain Linden Drummond had this to say." Im extremely happy to be a part of this Dolphins team. Of course i am saddened by the loss, but after a very dissapointing start to the season we ended up close to the big one. Ive heard from the coach that he is going to do his best to get us that one better next season, and i know all the guys are behind him 100%."
Geime Phucked
Channel 7 news
Congradulations both to Trog and Anthony and a big welcome to Coffs Harbour into the Premier League.
A tough match and both sides should promote but unfortunately there can only be one winner. Hopefully we'll see North Queensland dominate the 2nd Division in 2004.
