Cover Photo: Jenna Purcell/Game Face Photography
Tallon Smith
A year after they were eliminated by the same opposition, Stingrays of Shellharbour will look to flip the script Sunday when they take on Gerringong in the Group 7 minor semi final at Ron Costello Oval.
Having already progressed further than 12 months ago by defeating local rivals Shellharbour Sharks 34-4 in the elimination final at Flinders Field on Sunday, the Stingrays face the Lions a week further into the playoffs than last season.
After Gerringong won both regular season meetings between the sides in 2026, including a 21-20 thriller in round five, Stingrays co-coach Mathew Burke said he expects a tough game, but believes his side has what it takes to turn the tables this time around.
“They’re always tough Gerringong, they knocked us out last year, we’re looking for a bit of redemption, but they’ve just got the experience around their halves, around their hooker,” he said.
“We’ve just got to stick to the grind, if we can stick to the grind again, I think we can overcome them.”
The Stingrays will enter Sunday’s match with plenty of confidence after their 30-point win over the Sharks, in which the home side crossed first through James Ralphs, only for Joey Elton to hit back for the visitors and reduce the gap to 6-4.
A short side play saw Dominic Stephens extend the Stingrays’ lead to the half time scoreline of 10-4, before the side ran in four second half tries through Jimmy Scott, Dylan Hardy and Jake Horton, who crossed for a late double, to seal a comfortable win and passage through to week two of the postseason.
Burke said he was happy with the way in which his side was able to emerge victorious in a tough, grinding battle after winning its last four regular season games by a combined score of 204-24.
“We just stuck to a process, we scored the first one, let them get an early one back, but we just stayed in that grind, and I think with about 20 minutes to go we ran over four times,” he said.
“We just grinded them out of the game really, we haven’t really had that the last three weeks of the season, we were winning by 60, and it was good to get a tough one under the belt.”
In terms of performances, Burke said the standout was gamebreaking interchange hooker Scott, while he also had plenty of praise for both double scorer Horton and a pair of former Sharks who gained a finals victory over their former club.
“When we brought Jimmy Scott on about 10 minutes after half time, I think that changed the game for us, his little spark out of dummy half really got us on the front foot,” he said.
“Horto [Jake Horton] was good, I think he made about 40 tackles, he set two up and scored two [tries].
“Isaac Morris’ kicking game was tremendous, he had it on a string.
“I’ve coached Isaac before at the junior level, and just to see the smile on his face again, he was under a bit of pressure, they beat us at home earlier in the year, and we didn’t take it really well, so just to get them back, him and James Ralphs, former players of their club, they were over the moon.”
Meanwhile, the Lions find themselves in the bottom half of the finals bracket after falling to Kiama 12-10 in the qualifying final at Michael Cronin Oval on Saturday.
After Kiama took a 6-0 lead to the break thanks to a try to Callan Thistlethwaite, the home side hit back through Cooper Harrison to level the match at 6-all.
The Knights reclaimed the lead through Toby Lane with just over 10 minutes to go, only for James Kunkler to hit back almost immediately.
However, the conversion sailed wide, allowing Kiama to cling to its two-point lead and set up a clash with minor premiers Albion Park-Oak Flats in the grand final qualifier at Centenary Field on Saturday.
STINGRAYS OF SHELLHARBOUR 34 (Jake Horton 2, James Ralphs, Dominic Stephens, Dylan Hardy, James Scott tries; Isaac Morris 5 goals) DEFEATED SHELLHARBOUR SHARKS 4 (Joey Elton try) at Flinders Field, Sunday September 6.
KIAMA 12 (Callan Thistlethwaite, Toby Lane tries; Brad Killmore 2 goals) DEFEATED GERRINGONG 10 (Cooper Harrison, James Kunkler tries; Jake Taylor goal) at Michael Cronin Oval, Saturday September 5.
