THE scene is perfectly set for the Southern Shield showdown between minor premiers Forster-Tuncurry and Old Bar in Saturday’s rugby union major semi-final at Tuncurry’s Harry Elliott Oval.
The Dolphins have not been beaten since their first round clash at Tuncurry when the Clams were much superior with five-eighth Brent Hodge orchestrating a three tries to nil and 24-6 victory, punishing centre Adam Gregory charging through for two tries.
The mid-season loss of five-eighth Hodge to army service in the Solomon Islands, however, changed the situation dramatically.
Jeremy Smith and Jed Tappert are expected to share the pivotal duties for the Clams although both have had recent injuries to disrupt their preparation.
In their last-round game, Clams coach Jack Mundey was dismayed to see his team’s colours lowered by the Nabiac Bulls, 17-7, a stunning win which elevated the Bulls into fourth position for the Abigroup semi-finals above the Manning River Ratz.
The Clams will be better for the setback. Stung by the loss, their minds will be fully focussed on upsetting the competition favourites with enormous emphasis on the scrums and lineouts where they have been dominant all season.
Hooker Teia Ambrosoli has welded together a splendid scrum despite his mid-season hindrance of a ruptured appendix while flanker Chad Lambert has been a consistent ball-winner at the lineout.
In their most recent outing at Tuncurry, the Dolphins capitalised on early-game major injury setbacks sustained by the Clams to race in for four tries before the visitors stabilised to restrict the score to 28-7.
Once again, the Dolphins’ five-eighth Tom Harris will be a crucial personality in the game. He has been the outstanding player of the Mid North Coast’s southern pool this year and probably the best player in the zone.
Harris has developed an excellent combination with halfback Brad Durham behind an improving scrum where there will be considerable importance on the showing of front rowers Luke Wilson, Ricky Clifton and Lee Crozier.
The value of loose-head Crozier is considerable. He is the competition’s leading point-scorer and the competition’s most dependable goal-kicker.
Up in the bracing air of Gloucester’s No 1 Oval, the local Cockies meet the rapidly developing Nabiac Bulls in the minor semi-final on Sunday.
The Bulls beat the Cockies in their last clash at Gloucester, 10-7, and consider themselves a strong chance of beating the competition’s third-placed side again.
Coach Peter Doyle took a mid-season gamble last month by switching outstanding open-side flanker Daniel Hessing to halfback for the Bulls, a decision which enabled Hessing to continue his tremendous tackling and provide a cleaner service to his back line.
The MNC’s leading referees, Matt Blackham and Andrew Birch, will control the semi-finals, Blackham running the game between the Dolphins and the Clams at Tuncurry with Birch refereeing the Gloucester v Nabiac game at Gloucester.
Graham Sonter and Bruce Paynter will be the major semi-final assistant referees, and Terry McDermott and Alan Wheatland the minor semi-final assistant referees.