THE Lower Mid North Coast rugby union minor premiership is at stake when the defending premiers, the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins, play the front-running Wallamba Bulls at Nabiac tomorrow with the home ground advantage in the playoffs the prize for the winners.
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Everything has boiled down to this encounter with both the Dolphins and the Bulls having won 13 minor premiership games, all with a bonus point, and each club having won one encounter of their two clashes.
The last month of the competition will be a gruelling affair, a survival of the fittest, with Forster and Wallamba expected to meet on three occasions: tomorrow, in the major semi-final tomorrow week and then in the grand final on August 19.
The Dolphins have been a model of consistency since their first-round 21-29 loss to the Bulls at Nabiac in mid-May when they were without their play-maker, Matt Nuku, and hooker Scott Walmsley.
Still, their first-half physical punishment from the Bulls was a shock to the system and hard-earned lesson and the Dolphins rallied well with three tries after half-time. They showed the benefit of that defeat later with a convincing 24-14 win at home at Tuncurry.
No-one can begrudge the Bulls any of their successes this season. In their decade of existence, they have developed into an outstanding rugby club under president, Arthur Chapman, and his committee with coach Lee Sullivan a significant driving force.
Likewise, the club has built up its playing resources under skipper and prop Aaron Gordon and flanker Daniel Hessing with a smart back line through halfback combination, Steven “Shorty” Curnow and James Dinnan, to talented but unpredictable Chris Tout.
The Bulls have a big pack and will be keen to throw their weight around, from prop Paul De Szell to hard-running Daniel Aldridge at No 8, always a threat near the line.
But the Dolphins will field an experienced and hardy lot of forwards, hooker Walmsley leading a strong pack, having lineout winners in Jack Woods and Lachlan Daczko and fine scavenging backrowers in flankers Tom Homer and Troy Haines.
Halfback Liam Brady is back after six weeks’ absence with hand injuries, five-eighth Nuku is in rare form and inside-centre Mark Hagarty has displayed blistering speed for seven tries in the last four games.
It should be a hard, engrossing game, a splendid fore-runner to the clashes ahead. At Taree Rugby Park, third-placed Manning River will be particularly anxious to flex muscles against their semi-final challengers, Myall Coast.
And, optimistically, Old Bar’s quiet resurgence will be rewarded with a vigorous resistance against Gloucester at Gloucester Park.
Tomorrow’s 15th round games: Wallamba v Forster Tuncurry at Nabiac; Gloucester v Old Bar at Gloucester; and Manning River v Myall Coast at Taree Rugby Park.
