There will be plenty of interest around this weekend’s Intrust Super Premiership NSW grand final for Group 11 fans.
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The Wyong Roos, featuring former Wellington Cowboys captain-coach Justin Toomey-White, advanced to the decider after edging out the New Zealand Warriors 16-12 in a thrilling preliminary final clash on Saturday.
Half Jayden Nikorima stole the show but Toomey-White helped set-up his side’s first try, getting an offload away to centre Joseph Manu, who went on to score in a stellar individual effort.
Then, on Sunday, it was another tight affair but the Penrith Panthers manged to get past the Canterbury Bulldogs, the score also finishing 16-12.
Former Dubbo CYMS junior Kaide Ellis started in the second row and was again among his side’s best.
Ellis was heavily involved in his side’s first try of the afternoon, showing quick hands for a big man to help spread the ball wide right and put winger Maika Sivo over.
The two former Western Rams will now meet on the biggest day of the season and Panthers captain Darren Nicholls knows Toomey-White and his fellow Roos big men pose a real danger.
“They’re dangerous all over the park,” he told Penrith’s official website after Saturday’s win.
“They’re forward pack carries the ball forward really well so we’ve got to be on our game to beat them.”
While wary of the Roos pack, Nicholls is well aware his side also has plenty of muscle up front.
Ellis had made the move from back-rower to prop with ease this season and his ability to produce some ball-playing from the front row has made him a valuable part of the Panthers line-up.
“The whole forward pack really got us going forward,” Nicholls said after Sunday’s win.
“It was a really brave effort from them.”
Despite the win on Sunday, the Panthers struggled to hit top gear and Nicholls knows that’s something his side has got to fix quickly.
“We were nowhere near our best,” he said.
“But I think there were some efforts in defence we can be proud of. But our work with the ball certainly needs to be fixed.”
In the under 20s National Youth Competition (NYC), western products Jesse Ramien, of Coonamble, and William Kennedy were sent packing after minor premiers Cronulla suffered a shock loss to Manly while Wellington Cowboys star junior and Kotoni Staggs was part of the Brisbane side which was eliminated on Friday night.
Lithgow’s Wayde Egan and Parkes junior Brad Gaut remain in contention with the Penrith 20s.