A fast finishing Nedlands has a week to recover ahead of the Grand Final after a thrilling come from behind win against Associates in the major semi-final of the Pindan Premier Grade.

It was a classic game of tug of war as Nedlands dominated much of the first half while Associates took control in the second.

With the final siren looming, there was just a point separating the two with Associates in the lead but a last ditch effort in the dying minutes saw Nedlands steal the victory and earn their ticket to the 2012 Pindan Premier Grade Grand Final.

Nedlands Coach Tony Ball was ecstatic with how his team played in the dying minutes.

“I thought the boys did really well in that first half,” Ball said. “We probably had a few lapses but to score two tries in the last 5 minutes, most teams would have put their heads down and buckled but really rapt for the boys.”

Ball was empathetic for the opposition after stealing the game from Associates in such fine fashion.

“You feel for Soaks, they probably deserved it but it’s finals footy,” he said.

Soaks coach Andy Cole was measured in his assessment of the contest.

“They probably started up a lot better than us and that’s probably what gave them the outcome in the end,” Cole said.

“The boys came back in the second half but just couldn’t quite finish it. We didn’t play that well in the first 20 (minutes) but Nedlands did and fair play to them they certainly started better than us.”

On the whistle from referee Hendri Richter Kyle Godwin sent the ball spinning into the blue sky over Rockingham, and the major semi final between Nedlands and Associates was underway.

Associates were playing with a strong wind behind their back yet it was Nedlands who dominated the early stages of the game. Nedlands were able to establish themselves inside the Soaks 22-metre line almost immediately, with multiple pick and drives forcing Soaks defenders to stay tight.

After numerous phases the ball was released wide to Jake Wilson, whose cutout pass provided the opportunity for Jake Stevens to score a try in the third minute of the game. Mike Botes missed the conversion but the signs were ominous for Soaks.

The Nedlands’ forwards controlled the first twenty minutes of the match and Soaks found themselves defending the entire period.

A rolling maul from a lineout almost gave Nedlands their second try of the afternoon but the ball was held up over the line by some staunch Soaks defending.

Some great pick and roll foreplay from Nedlands in the phases that followed created space for Cameron Crowley to crash over the try line, slicing through a scrambling Soaks backline. Another missed conversion was the only negative on Neddies start.

A sluggish Soaks found the ignition button in the 24th minute when their halfback produced some individual brilliance to score his side’s opener against the run of play.

Capitalising on a messy Nedlands throw into the lineout, Peter Du Toit swooped on the ball before chipping over the oncoming traffic.

Du Toit ran onto the ball and out-sprinted the closing defence, scoring in the corner. Matthew Dreyer converted Du Toit’s try and the scoreboard read 10-7 in favour of Nedlands, a lead that did not reflect the first 20 minutes of play.

Associates missed a shot at goal on the 30 minute mark to level the game but were presented with another opportunity shortly after. Dreyer stepped up and split the posts from 42m out to level the scores at 10 a piece.

Twice in consecutive plays the final pass from Associates just couldn’t go to hand and the partisan Soaks crowd groaned in anguish at the missed opportunities.

On the stroke of halftime Soaks were awarded a penalty in their half of the field.
Dreyer struck the ball sweetly and the wind assisted it over the bar. Against the run of play, Soaks went to the break leading the minor premiers 13-10.

An invigorated Soaks took the field after halftime and immediately looked more dangerous, with Dreyer breaking the line and searing 25 metres up the field.

Soaks looked a constant threat to the Nedlands try line and built up sustained phase play in the early minutes. Number 8, Ben Hales, burst through Neddies backline only to be denied by a last ditch effort from the Nedlands winger.

The effort however was in vain, with Hales mustering a sublime offload infield to arriving support player Junior Sifa to score the try 12 minutes into the half. The conversion was missed but Soaks had attained a strong 18-10 lead.

Soaks pressure on the ball carrier was starting to take its toll on the minor premiers. A grubber down the sideline from Godwin bounced off the chest of Stevens, who already had one eye on the chasing defensive line stampeding towards him.

The aggression was matched when Nedlands outside centre Crowley laid a devastating tackle in midfield, ripping the ball away from Soaks in one movement and racing 40 metres down the field before being taken high.

Botes missed the resulting penalty from the touchline but the momentum was back in favour of Nedlands, as minutes later a try was scored only to be called back for obstruction.

A brilliant ball from an inconsistent Sam Rarasea put Crowley in to space and the strong centre offloaded metres before the try line, only for Soaks winger Caillan Richards to pull off a try saving tackle, clearly inspiring his teammates.

It was not to last though as Nedlands rebounded with a lineout 5 metres out from the Associates try line. The Nedlands forwards rediscovered the form they held in the first 20 minutes of the match and a strong rolling maul allowed prop Mark Davies to crash over for Nedlands’ third try.

The conversion was successful and with the scoreboard at 18-17, Associates faced a very nervous 4 minutes to ice the game.

Nedlands drew a penalty from the restart and Botes thumped the ball down the field, giving Nedlands a lineout 35 metres out from the try line. Another strong rolling maul pushed play inside the 22 and there was a sense of inevitability in the air.

The ball was spread from the cluster of forwards and man of the match Crowley burst through Soaks defensive line before dishing the ball wide to Ben Titoko for the winning try with the final play of the game.


The conversion was missed but it mattered little as Nedlands had downed Associates in the final minute and secured themselves a Grand Final berth, running out victors 22-18.

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