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By RugbyWA Media
Contributors: Josh Zimmerman
Nedlands sounded their loudest warning yet that they’re the team to beat in this season’s KWIK Premier Grade competition with a 64 – 13 thrashing of UWA in the major semi-final at Hartfield Park on Saturday afternoon.
Neddies finished 21 points clear at the top of the ladder to claim the minor premiership and reinforced their championship credentials as they moved straight into the Grand Final in a fortnight with a merciless display.
UWA hadn’t played in a final for more than two decades and the occasion, as well as a determined Nedlands side, clearly overwhelmed them as the Royal Blues ran in 10 tries.
Uni struggled to hold on to the ball as Nedlands applied the blowtorch to every touch and raced out to 26 – 6 lead at half time.
The pain continued in the second 40 as Neddies cleared their bench and the reserves punished a UWA side that looked a shadow of the team that finished second in the regular season.
Neddies coach Tony Ball had the luxury of resting players in the lead-up to the finals and the strategy worked brilliantly as a fit and fresh squad raised the bar to a level not yet seen in the KWIK Premier Grade competition this season.
UWA must now look to regroup ahead of a preliminary final next weekend against the winner of Sunday's clash between Cottesloe and Associates. That game will kick off at 4.00pm at Pat O’Hara Reserve in Morley and provide plenty of fireworks as the traditional rivals fight for their survival.
A full match report with coaches comments will be posted as soon as possible.
Results
Major Semi-Finals: KWIK Premier Grade: Nedlands 64 bt UWA 13. Reserve Grade: Palmyra 31 bt Nedlands 19. U20: Wanneroo 23 bt Cottesloe 20. U18 Div 1: UWA 33 bt Perth Bayswater 22. U18 Div 2: Mandurah 22 bt Cottesloe 0. 3rd Grade Black: Nedlands 13 bt Southern Lions 10. 4th Grade Black: Nedlands 20 bt UWA 7. 3rd Grade Gold: Joondalup 45 bt Mandurah 10. 4th Grade Gold: Joondalup 12 bt Nedlands 7. 4th Grade Blue: Associates 36 bt Curtin Uni 5. Women’s: Perth Bayswater 9 bt Wanneroo 0.
Minor semi-finals: 3rd Grade Gold: Curtin Uni 13 bt ARKs 0. 4th Grade Gold: Curtin Uni 41 bt Mandurah 10. 4th Grade Blue: Cottesloe 31 bt Joondalup Blue 6. Women’s: Cott/UWA 22 bt Kalamunda 10.
Matches to come
Pat O’Hara Reserve (Morley) – Sunday, 21 August
Field 1 – Minor Semis
U20s: UWA v Associates (kick off 12.30pm)
Reserve Grade: Cottesloe v Associates (kick-off 2.10pm)
Premier Grade: Cottesloe v Associates (kick off 4.00pm)
Field 2 – Minor Semis
4th Grade Black: Rockingham v Wests Subiaco (kick-off 11.00am)
3rd Grade Black: Palmyra v Cotesloe (kick-off 12.30pm)
U18s Div 2: ARKs v Palmyra (kick-off 2.10pm)
U18s Div 1: Wests Subiaco v Wanneroo (kick-off 3.30pm)
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Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
finals held at a venue with no water ?
Better than a pub with no beer!
Does anyone know whether they/someone will attempt to 'stream' the Finals? They did a great job last year - I watched it in the comfort of my living room in Hong Kong!!
Bails
I shall RWA. I suspect LSMC should do it again. Your boys have been outstanding. One on the field and the other in support.
Mate - David was gutted to have his season cut short! He is loving the Neddies 'family'! Dan has never looked back! best thing we/he ever did when he was a Colt!
Their younger brother Michael plays for Wanneroo Un.20!!! Cannot persuade him to make the move!! He is quite a handy #13!
Under 20's this year was a tough gig and I understand not only at Neddies. We blooded some great U 20 talent in Reserve and Premier Grade and then they didn't want to go back to U20, compounded with a few injuries and July Holidays, we fell away.
If Michael is enjoying his Rugby and the environment, one cannot blame him to stay. Sounds like he's following Dan playing Colts at #13.
"Reserve Grade went down to a "stacked" Palmyra side 31-19." Quote from the Neddies website today.
Surely Neddies would not be that ungracious?
Can Hansie back these claims up?
i thought it was pretty hard to stack down the grades...
I don't think that author was being ungracious - I don't know who it is. In my humble opinion it may be finding excuses when I think there may have been a little over confidence in the Neddies boys. Pallies were good on the day and No you cannot stack down the grades unless you have dispensation or you have graded your Premier Grade players through the season into Reserve.
Thank you for being so gracious Hansie.
My perception was that Palmyra got the jump early possibly due to a bit of Nedlands complacency. Neddies beat Palmyra 2-3 weeks ago in 2nd grade.
Neddies came back hard in the last 15 minutes but ran out of time.
Neddies 2nds have a fantastic track record and can't have been beaten many times in the last 3 years or so.
PS The President doesn't know who writes the website reports?
To be honest the Neddies website has focussed almost entirely on the Thirds - I do not know the politics of it all, but I no longer go there is I want news of their Premier Grade. It used to be far more all-encompassing? It is great if you want to read about the 3rd team!
The trouble this year was finding a scribe to do the match reports. Last two years we have been well served by someone who has had to move. We tried passing responsibility onto teams and only 3rds are doing it.
Rumour you'd be amazed to learn this is the first time something has appeared without me even knowing about it. Maybe I was uncontactable, out of range, but normally I get a heads up.
Fair enough - it is an onerous task and you can only ask teams to update their bit. If no-one is prepared to do it......it doesn't get done. The thing I am really enjoying each week is You Tube highlights which are up by about Tuesday. I get to watch the edited highlights and see how my boy does!