Proten Cup Preliminary Finals Wrap and Grand Final Previews

By Tallon Smith

The Ivanhoe Roosters have produced one of the biggest upsets in country football this year to comfortably defeat Hillston on their home turf at Stan Peters Oval on Sunday.

A week after producing a mammoth upset over the highly fancied Goolgowi Rabbitohs in the Elimination Semi Finals, the Roosters again proved the critics wrong, including myself, to set up a date with arch-rivals Narrandera in the Grand Final for the second successive season.

Ivanhoe President and Back Rower Mark Huntly said the win was “very good” for the club, who have made quite the run into the Grand Final from fourth place, and he hopes that form carries into Saturday’s Grand Final.

“[We’re] coming good at the right end of the season,” he said.

“Don’t let the scoreline take away from how tough the match was though.

“The last few weeks have been good, so we hope we can carry that momentum into [this week] game.”

Huntly said that one particularly big influence on the side’s late charge to a second consecutive Grand Final has been former NRL star and local hero Joel Thompson.

“It’s been really good to have him there for the young fellas,” he said.

“Having that firepower is a big boost for us.

“It makes the younger blokes step up and work harder having that person beside them.”

When asked what winning the town’s inaugural First Grade premiership would mean, Huntly said it would be “special” for the community.

“It’d be pretty special, especially if we can bring both home,” he said.

“We’ve been building towards it [a premiership] the five years we’ve been playing.”

In the Women’s competition, the Ivanhoe Roosters shut out a gallant Narrandera side 18-0 to move through to the Grand Final against the undefeated Barellan Rams.

The Roosters controlled the match from start to finish in a dominant display that saw the club progress through to both Grand Finals.

Grand Final Preview

The Narrandera Lizards go into the encounter with Ivanhoe as the favourites, following an undefeated regular season, as they look to go back-to-back for the first time in club history.

Meanwhile, Ivanhoe should thrive off of their underdog status, as they have all year, and will be motivated by their 20-14 loss to the Lizards in last year’s decider.

Key players to watch for both sides include enigmatic back rower Malek Afuamua-Lyons and explosive young gun centre Campbell Lyons for the Lizards, whilst the league’s player of the year William Charles and obviously former St George Illawarra and Canberra back rower Joel Thompson will be the danger men for the Roosters.

My tip? Look for a close game, as was last year. Whilst the heart would love to see Ivanhoe end their 70-plus year title drought and finally take home their first Premiership, the head says Narrandera by 8.

In the Women’s game Barellan have been dominant over the course of the season, and are expected to remain undefeated and take home the title. However, the Roosters have had the benefit of playing the Rams just two weeks ago, and have had the opportunity to fix the weaker areas in their game.

My tip for that? Ivanhoe will be fired up, but I cannot go past Barellan by 12.

The matches will be held at Goolgowi Recreation Ground, with kickoff from 1:00pm today, Saturday July 29.

Proten Community Cup Men’s Finals Series

Week 1 (Narrandera)

Major Semi: Narrandera 30-12 Hillston

Minor Semi: Ivanhoe 22-14 Goolgowi

Week 2 (Hillston)

Preliminary Final: Ivanhoe 26-4 Hillston

Week 3 (Goolgowi)

Grand Final: Narrandera v Ivanhoe

Proten Community Cup Women’s Finals Series

Week 1 (Narrandera)