A showcase of excellence summed up by a one-point differential, the Maitland Pickers have claimed the 2020 NSW Presidents Cup trophy after defeating Glebe-Burwood Wolves 17-16 at Bankwest Stadium.
Completed sets, excellent defence, ball drop-outs and a head knock to Jackson Garlick summed up the first thirty minutes of the match, with the first try only delivered at the 29th minute.
It was Maitland winger James Bradley who chased a kick off fullback Daniel Langbridge to put the first four points on the board for the Minor Premiers, followed by a successful conversion from trusty halfback Brock Lamb to put them up 6-0.
A scuffle between two opposing players with eight minutes remaining in the first half, ended with Burwood fullback Jacob Gagai subject to the sin bin for ten minutes, putting the already down Wolves at an even bigger challenge to level the score.
Glebe held on without their number one and didn't let the opposition concede any more points, ending the half on the same score of 6-0.
Addison Demetriou was the man to put the first try on the board for the wolves, 10 minutes deep into the second half, but his unsuccessful conversion meant the Wolves were left trailing 6-4.
Slick hands on the left edge saw Honeti Tuha find open space and held off a desperate cover tackle by Pickers Alex Langbridge to score Burwood's second consecutive try.
Demetriou's successful conversion gifted the Wolves a four-point lead at 10-6 for the first time in the afternoon, with 25 minutes remaining on the clock.
The Pickers followed suit and didn't let their opponents have the upper-hand for too long, when second-rower Jacob McCudden barged through the Burwood defence to land on the try-line with 20 minutes to go, converted by Lamb to put them up 12-10.
And with the ultimate finesse to sum up the Pickers 2020 season... a try off the back of a Lamb kick which landed in the hands of centre Gary Anderson.
Lamb's missed conversion was redeemed by a field goal soon after to put Maitland up 17-10, an even bigger challenge for the Wolves to try and match with five minutes to go.
But that wasn't the end.
Who was up for the challenge? Wolves Demetriou of course. With one minute on the clock, the centre scored the final try for the day followed by a successful conversion to put the score at a one-point difference.
Maitland maintained possession for the final minute of the match and closed the game out as the 2020 NSW Presidents Cup Premiers.
