After being outplayed in the first half by the Cessnock Goannas to head into the sheds down 14–4, the South Newcastle Lions made a thrilling comeback to win 28–22 and book a meeting with Maitland in the grand final.
By Jessie Dennett
South Newcastle would score first with Captain Ryan Glanville running straight through a gap on the right-hand side to dive over. The conversion was unsuccessful, leaving the Lions up 4-nil early.
After two consecutive penalties for high shots, Cessnock would respond in the 9th minute. A Harrison Siejka kick towards the right-hand corner was taken by Honeti Tuha, who crashed down for the try. The sideline conversion from Samuel Clune was successful and Cessnock would take the lead 6 – 4.
The penalties from South Newcastle would continue when they were ruled offside 20 metres out from their line in the 17th minute. Samuel Clune used the opportunity to kick for two and increased his Cessnock’s lead to 4.
Cessnock would continue this momentum when Samuel Clune shifted the ball to the right-hand corner after a line dropout, finding Honeti Tuha to score his second try of the match. Another sideline conversion from Clune made the scoreline 14 – 4.
Cessnock continued to apply pressure for the remainder of the first half, but South Newcastle would do enough to maintain the deficit of ten points going into the sheds at halftime.
The Lions would get the start they needed in the second half when Reeve Howard scored in the 45th minute. Howard received a flat ball to break the line and go over under the posts untouched, before a successful conversion by Mitchell Black would leave the score 14-10.
But the potential shift in momentum was halted just four minutes later with a Cessnock try. It was Goanna’s substitute Brent Mendyk who burrowed himself over on the left-hand edge for a try, bringing Cessnock’s lead back to ten points after Clune’s successful conversion.
Though the deficit was back to ten, South Newcastle kept putting the pressure on. This led to a spectacular 58th minute try by the Lions. After a line break down the left-hand sideline, a grubber kick was made, setting up a chase between South Newcastle substitute Jarom Haines and Cessnock fullback Brayden Musgrove.
Haines received a fortunate bounce after almost overrunning the ball and, in the process, managed to shake off Musgrove for a incedible try under the posts. This cut the lead back to four points, after Black’s successful conversion made the score 20 – 16.
In the 62nd minute, Cessnock increased their lead to a converted try after a late hit on the kicker gifted them penalty and Samuel Clune opted for the two points.
However, the lead wouldn’t last long, as South Newcastle levelled the score through Captain Ryan Glanville. In a similar move to that of Cessnock’s Medryk earlier in the game, Glanville burrowed into the Goanna’s line to get in for a crucial try. The successful conversion from Mitchell Black would make the score 22 – all, setting up an exciting final ten minutes.
Ultimately, it would be South Newcastle who took the game.
After a penalty for a strip in the 74th minute, a line break would see the ball go through Croker, Glanvillem and finally, Black, to score. This put the Lions in front for the first time since the 9th minute and made the score 28 – 22.
A last-gasp penalty award to Cessnock would put them at the line to potentially send the game into extra time, but the Lions' defence forced a mistake and completed the comeback. They’re through to the Denton Engineering Cup grand final against the Maitland Pickers.
