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They have provided WA sport with a real life Cinderella story in 2008 and this Sunday Wanneroo will attempt to cap off their watershed season with victory over Kalamunda in the KWIK Senior Competition Premier Grade Grand Final. (31 August, 3.30pm kick off).
Standing in the way of a fairytale finish are the red-hot minor premiers, who are ready to step out and claim what they believe is rightfully theirs - the KWIK 1st Grade Trophy.
The hotly anticipated showdown between the two most prolific attacking teams in the 2008 season features the most unlikely of combatants, but not when you consider Kalamunda lapped the competition during the regular season to finish 16 points clear atop the competition standings.
These two perennial strugglers have each broken through for their maiden Grand Final appearances.
For Wanneroo, who finished last on the points table in 2007, the achievement is even more remarkable given they are competing in their first ever RugbyWA finals campaign.
Anyone who has witnessed the first two gripping weekends of finals action will know they are in for a special treat at Rugby Park on Sunday.
The Bulls strength is unquestionably in their attacking potency however it was more of a grafting effort that pushed them into the premiership decider with a 13-11 victory over Nedlands in the Major Semi Final.
Wanneroo enter the match carrying all the momentum, having blasted Nedlands 42-23 in the Preliminary Final last Sunday.
Bulls’ scrumhalf and Captain Aaron Murphy said the minor premiership will count for little going into the Grand Final.
“It’s something we’ve thought about and we know the minor premiership means virtually nothing now,” said Murphy.
“We are confident but wary of Wanneroo after they came out and put a big score on Nedlands last weekend. It’s really going to be a matter of who turns up on the day mentally switched on for the game.”
Murphy agreed that the momentum was with the opposition heading into the decider.
“Definitely. We’ve had two close games against (Wanneroo) this season and they were probably unfortunate to lose them both after getting early leads on us,” he said.
“They’re peaking at the right time and we know that they are just as excited as we are about the opportunity in front of us.”
Wanneroo lock and skipper Richie Taumoepeau, first cousin of Brumbies centre Afusipa, said he was looking forward to hearing the support from the passionate Roodogs supporters.
“Our club is ecstatic that we’ve made the finals for the first time and we’ve had a big crowd supporting us over the past two weeks,” said Taumoepeau.
“Its great support but maybe it brings a bit of extra pressure,” he admitted.
“The boys are just taking it one game at a time though and haven’t really focused on the hype. We’ll give it whatever we’ve got and whatever happens, happens.”
RugbyWA urges all supporters to get down to Rugby Park as we bid farewell to the traditional home of rugby in Western Australia in what promises to be a weekend of extraordinary action!
Picture: Wanneroo captain Richie Taumoepeau and Kalamunda skipper Aaron Murphy show off the 2008 KWIK RugbyWA 1st Grade Trophy.
KWIK TRANSPORT & CRANE HIRE RUGBYWA SENIOR COMPETITION GRAND FINALS
RUGBY PARK, PERRY LAKES
SUNDAY 31 AUGUST 2008
1ST GRADE KALAMUNDA V WANNEROO 3.30pm
2ND GRADE KALAMUNDA V NEDLANDS 1.45pm
Under 20’s NEDLANDS V ASSOCIATES 12.50pm
Under 18’s WESTS-SUBIACO V PERTH-BAYSWATER 10.50am
Women’s PERTH-BAYSWATER V COTTESLOE 9.15am
SATURDAY 30 AUGUST 2008
3RD GRADE COTTESLOE V MANDURAH 3.15pm
4TH GRADE NEDLANDS V SOUTHERN LIONS 1.40pm
5TH GRADE ARKS V NEDLANDS 12.15pm
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