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There's a sense of deja vu as frontrunners Nedlands host reigning premiers Cottesloe at Sir Charles Court Reserve in Saturday's RugbyWA club competition match of the round, sponsored by KWIK Transport and Crane Hire.
When the two old rivals met in round five at Harvey Field they were first and second neck and neck, on equal points and playing surprisingly polished rugby for that stage of the season. The match was billed as a dream contest for an early advantage in the 2010 competition.
For Cottesloe, the first telling blow in the defence of a premiership was at stake; and for Nedlands, a measure of revenge for the way that the hottest side going into the 2009 finals was bundled out before the grand final.
As it happened, Nedlands seemed to have the match sewn up by half time, leading 20-3 after taking every opportunity while the Seagulls squandered theirs. But Cottesloe worked back into the game with forward control and accurate positional kicking, wing Nathan Hunt scoring a try and deadeye flyhalf Dave Cloete booting five penalties from all over the field to steal the game in the dying minutes.
Nedlands and Cottesle are again neck and neck, first and second on 53 competition points each, with the finals just five weeks away. If both teams hold their nerve, this may be the contest that will decide the minor premiership – both teams are ten points clear of third and fourth, Palmyra and Associates, also locked on equal competition points at 43 apiece.
But unlike their round five meeting and despite a healthy safety margin, Nedlands and Cottesloe no longer look in a different class to the rest of the competition. Neddies have looked vulnerable in the second half of the season, struggling home against Palmyra 12-10 with uncharacteristically poor ball handling skills, needing a late comback to put away a competitive Wanneroo team and then plunging to defeat against seventh-placed Wests-Subiaco.
Cottesloe have fared little better, losing to Soaks in round seven, drawing with Palmyra in round nine and limping home by one point 18-17 against University last week. The Seagulls' defence has leaked worryingly large scores against some of the competition's lower sides and that could be a worry against Neddies' penetrative attack.
It is vital for both sides that this form is turned around in time for the business end of the season, and a place in the top two secured for that invaluable second life for the loser of the major semi-final.
Nedlands will again be looking for a complete team performance at home from arguably the competition's most well-rounded unit, while Cottesloe will aim for forward dominance and clever tactics to shut their old rivals out of the game. This game could decide the minor premiership and may well be a preview of the grand final.
In other games, sixth-placed Wanneroo will be wanting to continue their late streak of good form against Rockingham at Kingsway and keep alive their tenuous hopes of a finals place, while Perth-Bayswater will be hungry against University at McGillivray Oval following the Morley unit's first win of the season last week. At Hartfield, Kalamunda faces a tough task against third-placed Palmyra if the Bulls are to stay in contention and Wests-Subiaco have an equally big hill to climb against Associates at Rosalie Park.
Article by Rick Boyd | RugbyWA
Photo by Matt Greenfield | Perth Sports Photography
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