With Northern at full strength and Wollongong under a minor cloud of injuries this game was always going to be a hard one to pick. Adam MacDougall is only likely to play again should the Destructors make the Grand Final and with Paul Gallen and Shaun Berrigan's clouds disrupting the teams preparation Northern were definately a chance.

While doubtlessly Wollongong's higher premiership finish see them go into this game as close favourites Northern coach Dr. Kermit Krockett Q.C. was hopeful, "We're going to win."

NORTHERN CANNONS
1. Mat Rogers
2. Trent Pariah
3. Michael De Vere
4. Phillip Elof
5. Brett Dallas
6. Jason Hooper
7. Frederick Michalak

13. Ashley Harrison
12. Dean Young
11. George Smith
10. Edward Hoartshire
9. Brody Raines
8. Mark O'Meley
Interchange: Brent Kite, Awen Guttenbeil, David Lyons, Paul Wellens.

WOLLONGONG DESTRUCTORS
1. Brett Hodgson
2. Richard Mathers
3. Brian Bower
4. Shaun Berrigan
5. Raymond Ruaporo
6. Danny McGuire
7. Stacey Jones

13. Richard Goddard
12. Lance Thompson
11. Sebastion Mpofu
10. Danny Ward
9. Chris Whittaker
8. Ryan Bailey
Interchange: Derreck Lawton, Jackson Marrick, Paul Gallen, Tim Clark.

A massive crowd roared its expectation as Frederick Michalak placed the ball down and, having lost the toss, prepared to kick off into the wind. The ball sailed low, but not low enough to pass under the strong breeze and the ball dropped into the hands of Danny McGuire on the thirty-five metre line. McGuire passed the ball back into the chest of Ryan Bailey as the prop charged forward, eager to make an early impression in the game. He was met by some soft defence as Phillip Elof tried to take him around the shoulders, expecting Brett Dallas to take Bailey's legs. Dallas slipped on his way in and Elof was left to a jaw creaking shoulder charge. The game was on!

Three tackles later Stacey Jones caught the Northern wingers up close and punted the ball over the top on the fourth with Raymond Ruaporo in hot persuit. The ball bounced once before Northern young gun Trent Pariah was able to get a firm grip. Ruaporo came in with too much steam and Pariah was able to deftly step around the hurried tackle before breaking another tackle to run thirty five metres over the halfway line. His inexperience showed through when he selfishly kicked for himself on the first. The ball was easily caught by Brett Hodgson and brought back to the ten metre line for tackle one.

Two tackles later it was Ruaporo's turn to shine as he wrong footed Phillp Elof to run 25 metres before being pulled down one on one by Northern fullback Mat Rogers.

In back play Phillip Elof limped awkwardly as he recovered from his indiscretion.

To make matters worse Ashley Harrison then knocked on from dummy half and things looked dire early on for the Cannons.

Fortunately for Harrison, Sebastian Mpofo twinkled too close to the touchline on the third and he was forced into touch by a dominant Pariah/ De Vere tackle.

The ball made its way back and forth down the field as the game stabalised and both teams searched to assert dominance. A high shot from Danny Ward quickly devolved into pushes and shoves and Edward Hoartshire's quick temper got the penalty reversed. Brian Bower kicked for touch, finding touch five metres short of the Cannons tryline.

After a few mundane forward attacks at the line the ball was passed to Stacey Jones for the bomb. Some very fast pressure from second rower George Smith saw an awkward bomb safetly into the hands of Rogers.

Moments later a fantastic seventy metre dummy half run by Brett Dallas was countered by a one on one strip by opposite winger Richard Mathers. Mathers returned the length of the field to be dragged down two short of the line by Pariah. The Cannons defence did well to get back on side and miraculously managed to hold the Destructors out in what was a very desperate set of six.

Three minutes later saw the Cannons down the other end of the field on the end of a dissapointing knock on by Ruaporo on the Destructors thirty metre line. A set play was contrived and Trent Pariah kicked from one side of the field into the waiting arms of a flying Brett Dallas. After checking with the video referee that Dallas was onside, referee Justin Hoy awarded the try. Pariah potted the difficult conversion in the wind and the Cannons hit the lead 6-0.

A frustrated Destructors team belted the restart and headed up the field. After a push from Bailey, Mark O'Meley retaliated by sweeping a cross in towards the prop's head. Bailey was too quick, the blow only glancing his eyebrow before they were both crowded by team mates. Hoy issued a final warning and awarded the penalty to the Destructors.

Five minutes later some enterprising play by the Destructors was ruined by the wind. A fantastic set of six was ended by a terrible bomb that was easily taken by Brett Dallas.

The Cannons worked it up the field and were given a respite when Paul Gallen knocked it on in the following set. After a few solid forward shifts to the left of the field a long floating pass by Frederick Michalak followed by some quick Elof hands saw Dallas in for his second. The tired Wollongong defence let him run in under the posts and Pariah easily added the extras to make it 12-0.

Looking to stem the flow the Destructors worked hard over the next ten minutes putting together some impressive combinations. These efforts were rewarded with a few consectutive penalties and an opportunity to hit back. The stalwart line defence by the Cannons proved once again to be too strong and the ball was dislodged from Tim Clark's hands as he tried to score.

The game levellled out for the rest of the half as the Destructors seemed to finally kick into gear. Four minutes from half time Chris Whittaker trudged from the field nursing a sore shoulder and was attended to by the trainers.

Right on half time the Destructors had had enough and McGuire kicked for touch to bring about the break. His kick didn't find touch and landed into the hands of an eager Trent Pariah who ran full steam at the unexpecting defence. He cut through a lazily attempted tackle before steaming towards Brett Hodgson. He passed the ball back in field to Paul Wellens who scored a moral crushing try under the posts. With a successful Pariah conversion the Cannons led into the break 18-0, and the Destructors shuffled into the sheds no doubt expecting a vicious receival from coach Brent Douglas.

HALF TIME
NORTHERN CANNONS 18 - WOLLONGONG DESTRUCTORS 0

The wind shifted direction and the Cannons found themselves running into it for the second half as well. If the breeze continued in this fashion the Northern outfit could find themselves very tired and vulnerable by the end of the second forty.

Brent Douglas had indeed blasted his team for their terrible last tackle options and poor ball control. He had demanded that they get out there and play the basics.

Dr. Kermit Krockett Q.C. had had tea served to his players and had calmly requested that they "didn't screw it up." That if they lost from here they "did not deserve to win, they deserved to be taken outside and shot."

The Destructors kicked off and Frederick Michalak promptly threw an obviously forward pass into the hands of an overly enthusiastic O'Meley. One could see Krockett considering having his antique Remington retrieved from his house.

Knowing full well they had to score first to threaten for the game the Destructors took to this turn with great interest. Once again they lacked the last tackle option and Mat Rogers was able to predict a grubber kick and return to the thirty metre line before being dragged down. Two tackles later David Lyons knocked on and the Destructors were given another opportunity.

This was also squandered: this time through a Goddard knock on. This sparked a series of similar events as the next two sets were ended by fumbles by Paul Wellens and Sebastion Mpofu.

In the following set Pariah tried to capitalise upon some slow fringe defence to send De Vere past on the outside, but being too excited managed to send it slightly forward and Devere was called back.

Another knock on by Sebastian Mpofu gave the Cannons good field position and Michalak very nearly made the Destructors pay making a deceptive half break down the middle of the field. This was followed by another break by Brett Dallas who was stopped only by a desperate Shaun Berrigan tackle.

Berrigan then attempted to make a mark upon the game with a good fifteen metre dummy half run. This quickly put the Cannons on the back foot and soon Mpofu was running down the try line having palmed off a Rogers tackle. With no one in front of him it looked certain that he would score the first try for the Destructors. Brett Dallas came charging across from the other side of the field and as Mpofu dive out Dallas somehow managed to dislodge the ball, causing Mpofu to knock on over the line.

Frustrated Mpofu strood and tried to tackle Pariah as he made a dummy half scoot. Justin Hoy ruled that Mpofu wasn't square and the Cannons were given a respite. After some good solids runs by forwards Harrison and Lyons the Cannons once again found themselves in good field position as Michalak kicked and found touch five metres from the Destructors line.

When Justin Hoy ruled a forward pass against the Destructors in the following set, the players looked set to boil. Awen Guttenbiel was penalised for an incorrect play the ball on his twenty metre line and the Destructors were given yet another opportunity to score. When Stacey Jones knocked on for dummy-half shoulders dropped and the Destructors, fifteen minutes from full time, looked tired and disheartened.

To their credit they then put together some solid defensive sets, despite some adventurous and confident play by the Cannons. The assualt finished with Phillip Elof being shoved into touch.

This defence was then further tested as David Lyons crashed over from first receiver with ten minutes to go. Swamped with defenders he landed over the line and the video referee ruled that Lance Thompson had managed to get his arms under the ball and the try was disallowed.

Moments later Brett Dalllas made yet another attack at the line and was only foiled by some good sliding defence slamming him into the corner post.

The Destructors proceeded to move the ball off their line and some good runs from Bailey and Thompson saw the ball up onto the half way line at the fifth. The ball went back between McGuire and Jones to nobody and Hodgson was only just able to dive on the ball before being smothered by Dean Young.

The game ended in typically anticlimatic Justin Hoy fashion as he penalised Jason Hooper for a play the ball infringement on the Destructors twenty metre line and Brian Bower kicked it into touch.

The Cannons would once again meet rivals the Gold Coast Crusade in the major semi final and the Destructors most successful season yet had come to and end, both courtesy of a very scrappy affair.

FINAL SCORE:
NORTHERN CANNONS: 18
Tries: Dallas x 2, Wellens 1
Goals: Pariah 3/3
def WOLLONGONG DESTRUCTORS: 0
Tries:
Goals:

PoM:
3: Brett Dallas
2: Trent Pariah
1: David Lyons

Penalties - 6 : 6
Possesion - 52% : 48%
Handling Errors - 15 : 19
Completion - 54% : 65%
Tackles - 248 : 248

Cheers Dave, when Chris said write a report he meant a post match wrap up

But hey.... this was better

Jesus, thanks for that, Dave. When I asked you to write a report, I just meant one in response to mine. Glad you tackled this one, though. That second half looked boring as shit.

That job sucks. It was boring, but it seems I found enough to write about. There was some good biff though.

It definitely does suck (the job, that is). And I've still got to write three more Div 2 finals!

Aaaargh!

Unlucky. Just don't play them.