Starting Team:
Cruz Ah Nau, Ben Whitakker, Nick Lah, Rory Walton, Ben Matwijow, Pat Sio, Will Brame, AJ Gilbert, Dave Hardisty, Dave Harvey, Corey Brown, Chris Tuatara-Morrison, Bill Meakes, Lachlan Porteous, Mitch Walton

Replacements:
Scott Podmore, Steve Evans, Lawrance Hunting, Samu Wara, Will Miller

This was always going to be a very tough game for Norths. As is normal at finals time, Uni had almost their strongest team of the season. Norths brought a lot of momentum into the game but most things had to go right for Norths for them to prevail.

A lot of things did go right. The Norths defence was for most of the game punishing and precise. The Norths outside backs breached the Uni line on a number of occasions and it was only desperate scrambling tackles by Uni that curtailed the Norths attack.

Dave Harvey put on a masterly display of tactical kicking, especially in the first half. Dave Hardisty had a great game especially in defence and under the high ball until he was replaced due to injury. Ben Matwijow and the back row also had excellent games and Ben was rewarded with Norths only try.

However, a few things went wrong for Norths. Norths inability to regain ball from their own line-outs stymied a number of critical opportunities for the team to press home advantage in the game and gave Uni way too much ball.

The yellow carding of lock Rory Walton 25 minutes into the first half when Norths were up 6 points to 3 made life very difficult. While Uni only scored 5 points in the time Rory was off due to great Norths defence, the effort told. It probably contributed to the length of the field try by Uni right on the break for halftime.

That try and the one immediately on resumption put Uni in a commanding position at 20 points to 6. That Norths then held Uni scoreless for most of the half and came back to score their own try said a lot about this team. The final points to Uni were as much about Norths pushing to close the gap as it was about Uni’s good play.

It was disappointing to lose this game but the loss shouldn’t take away from what was a great day for Norths rugby. The Norths crowd at TG Milner seem to rival the Uni crowd in numbers and outdid them in noise. (Of course some of that noise may have been made by leftover Manly supporters barracking against Uni)

The run by the First Grade side over the past two months has been a joy for all supporters. Their performance and that of the lower grade sides and the colts in particular sets the club up for a great 2013. At a time when many great clubs are struggling for spirit, Norths seem to have it in bucket loads. Well done to Scott Fava, Grahame O’Donnell and all the coaches and managers.

I am sure the great Norths spirit will be on show for a final time this season at Concord next Saturday starting at 9.15 am.

Scorers: Ben Matwijow try; Dave Harvey one conversion and two penalty goals.

Report by Chris FitzGerald