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Cottesloe overpowered minor premiers Palmyra by an unexpected 27-6 at Members Equity Stadium today to win the 2009 grand final of the WA rugby club competition, sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.
Cottesloe’s predictable game plan of shutting Palmyra out of the game through forward control was well on course by half time despite the narrow 3-0 margin, as they dominated territory and possession to deny the Melville club all but the most limited opportunities.
Palmyra’s errors didn’t help their cause and when Cottesloe added a try mid-way through the second half, the writing was on the wall for the increasingly panicked minor premiers. A couple of late tries blew out the score to flatter the Seagulls but the win was just reward for their composed, dominant play that choked Palmyra out of the title they most coveted.
For Cottesloe, the quiet achievers of the 2009 season, it was a stunning result and a credit to coach Ian Fowler and his players for the business-like way they went about their game. For coach Dave Ball and Palmyra it was desperate disappointment after winning the minor premiership with an exciting brand of running rugby, one season after taking the wooden spoon.
Cottesloe Take Out Premiership Final
Image Courtesy of Matthew Greenfield | Perth Sports Photography
Cottesloe began the game as they meant to continue, controlling territory and possession to dominate the opening passages with smothering effectiveness. Palmyra barely saw the ball until Cottesloe knocked on after 15 minutes, halfback David Serukai swooping to take play into the Seagull’s 22 for the first time. However a Palmyra knock on stopped the movement and Cottesloe kicked clear.
Cottesloe returned the game to Palmyra's half where repeated Paly mistakes helped keep the Seagulls on attack. The Seagulls broke through and almost scored after 29 minutes but knocked on under the posts. Palmyra were under enormous pressure in the resulting scrum but passed the ball wide in goal where wing Johnny Vasukilakau bashed and barged his way through through six tackles to take play back to half way.
There Paly conceded one too many ruck offences and referee Julian Pritchard sent Palmyra number 8 Filipe Manu to the sin bin for repeated cynical infringements, Cottesloe flyhalf Dave Cloete landing a monster 50 metre penalty to open the scoring 3-0, after 32 minutes.
Cottesloe went back on attack but after ten fruitless minutes Manu returned to the field, Palmyra not having conceded further score since the penalty. Immediately Palmyra broke blind from a ruck, Serukai running clear to cross the line out wide -- but unfortunately for Palmyra, dropped the ball over the line in what might have been a defining moment for the game. Half time followed immediately after.
Cottesloe opened the second spell with more of the same, trying variations of switch passes in close and chip kicks, but almost came unstuck when a rare poorly judged kick from Cloete was nabbed by Palmyra centre Feleti Leka Lolohea and he scampered 30 metres before run down from behind 15 metres short of the try line, injuring an ankle in the process.
Instead Palmyra settled for a simple penalty goal to flyhalf Quintyn Austin when Cottesloe were caught offside defending their line, and it was 3-3 after nine minutes.
Cottesloe went right back on attack and almost scored three minutes later after a clever Cloete grubber kick through under the posts but Paly fullback Scott Bowley won a close race to touch down in goal.
Cottesloe stayed on attack, winning free kicks in Paly's 22 to keep the pressure on in a tight grand final, loose forwards and backs combining in attacking combinations. But Paly's quality backs were as good in defence as in attack and big hits repeatedly knocked the attack back.
However, the pressure eventually told and Palmyra defenders piled over a ruck five metres out in front of the posts to concede a sitter penalty, converted by Cloete after 17 minutes for a nail-biting 6-3 lead.
Cottesloe's control of territory remained total as they played the perfect finals game to trap Paly in their half and when the minor premiers turned over on the 22 the ball went wide on an overlap, quick passing between the outside backs putting wing Ben Mitchell in the clear for a try in the corner. Cloete rose to the occasion with a sideline conversion and the Seagulls claimed a vital 13-3 lead after 22 minutes.
Paly gained a huge attacking opportunity minutes later with a sizzling sideline run on an overlap, but desperate Cottesloe tackles stopped the movement short of the line. Cottesloe fullback Sam Parker mishandled loose ball on the try line to gift Paly a five yard scrum, and the Seagulls conceded a sitter penalty in defence of the line, Austin obliging with the simple goal to close the gap to 13-6.
With ten minutes to play the reserves started coming on for Palmyra to inject life into their fading chances, nervous errors affecting their normally polished back line.
At the 34th minute Cloete attempted a long range penalty after a scrum offence but bounced the ball off the post. Palmyra kicked clear in defence but found Mitchell by the line and he ran back. With quick, accurate handling Cottesloe attacked the corner and passed back inside, flanker Richard Brown bursting over the line to destroy Palmyra’s last hopes.
Cloete converted with minutes on the clock but Cottesloe weren't done. They attacked relentlessly, and the ball swept the width of the field for Parker to touch down in the same corner. Again Cloete slotted the sideline conversion for an astonishing 27-6 lead and although Palmyra battled bravely in the final moments the Cottesloe supporters were already in full chorus of “we’re blue because we’re blue”.
Captain Ryan Westaway booted the ball out on the full when time was up and the Cottesloe celebrations began.
by Rick Boyd
http://rugbywa.com.au/news/article,56421.html