Whatever went before, the Forster-Tuncurry Dolphins surpassed themselves in capturing their fourth successive Lower Mid North Coast rugby union premiership in an unprecedented winter of 17 games without defeat on Saturday.
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Port Macquarie’s Manning Valley Vikings will squirm after their third back to back premierships in the much assumed upper stratosphere of the northern region of the MNC Zone, but for now the Dolphins are the “Kings of the Coast” in rugby union.
In a hard, fascinating grand final at Peter Barclay Field, Tuncurry, the Dolphins’ forwards gradually took control through a powerful scrum, vigorous breakdown work and a decisive lineout for the backs to run in two converted tries in each half, defeating the Wallamba Bulls, 34-14.
Try as they might, the Bulls could not win sufficient possession to unleash their back line in the manner of the Dolphins’ halfback combination of Liam Brady and game-breaking skipper, Matt Nuku, constantly seeking to exploit their rivals’ defensive lapses, best illustrated by the fifth minute opening try.
Flanker Thomas Homer drove into the Bulls’ defensive line, Nuku recycled the ball and inside-centre Mark Hagarty scorched through a gaping hole wide of the ruck, leaving the Bulls surveying an ugly 7-0 scoreboard.
Coach Ron McCarthy had made three significant changes to his pack, promoting mobile, strong- tackling Brad Murray to breakaway, Scott Walmsley to hooker and lock Chris Simon to the second row as Jack Woods’ partner, moves to test the Bulls’ physicality.
It worked handsomely.
Setting an early tone, it was Murray who tackled hard-running Wallamba backrower Daniel Aldridge low with Simon coming over the top to flatten the match-winner.
When Colin Harris was not bulldozing his way through the opposition from No 8, he was ploughing into them at prop.
Similarly, James Clarke was exceptional in his dual role as hooker and prop, the year off building his home having done a world of good.
Constant Dolphin attacks brought a 19th minute reward with Nuku zeroing around the blind to send winger Jack Nicholson in at the corner and although Steven Curnow trimmed the lead to 14-9 with three penalty goals in half an hour, the Dolphins led, 20-9, at half-time.
Back row brothers, Tom and Colin Harris, were at the heart of the Dolphins’ third try, fullback Jonathan Paff spiriting into the move to send MNC Axeman winger, Jesse Logan, grandson of ex-Wallaby halfback, Don Logan, in for a deserved try, capped off by Nicholson’s sizzling second try along the wing.
The Dolphins owed much to three first-season arrivals: Homer, a buzz-saw open-side wanderer from Wales; Walmsley, an old-style, hard-headed hooker from Newcastle; and Mark Colless, a utility back with all the arts and crafts from Sydney’s Colleagues club.
Wallamba fullback Chris Tout , seen all too rarely, side-stepped through the Dolphins’ defence for a swerving 45-metre try two minutes from time, later to be named co-winner with Matt Nuku as player-of-the-year.
Rugged Colin Harris was player-of- the-grand final.
Joining in the club’s celebrations were former NSW Country representative lock and ex-Dolphins forward, Shane Dean, as well as former top-notch young five-eighth, Luke English.
FORSTER-TUNCURRY 34 (J Nicholson 2 M Hagarty J Logan tries; M Nuku 2 goals, pen goal, Nicholson goal, pen goal, L Crozier goal) beat WALLAMBA 14 (C Tout try; S Curnow 3 pen goals).
Photographs by Zac Lyon.