Wentworthville United’s Sydney Shield skipper Dermot McKeever-King believes a premiership win against Penrith Brothers in Saturday’s grand final would have a ripple-effect throughout the club.
“Considering the last time we won was 2015 it would mean an awful lot, especially for Wentworthville United as a whole,” fullback McKeever-King (pictured above) told nswrl.com.au
“It would mean a lot for the juniors, giving them somewhere to aspire to.
“You have the Ron Massey Cup club up there too, so it just puts the club back to where it’s meant to be.”
Wentworthville Magpies are in Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup Grand Final against Glebe Dirty Reds also on Saturday – both matches at Leichhardt Oval.
On paper it’s been a stellar season for Wentworthville United with 14 wins and just three losses.
But below the surface there has been the usual personnel changes each week with players going up and down between the competitions.
“There’s a lot of chop-and changing with Massey and all. But I feel the club as a whole is bonding really well, compared with the last couple of years where Shield was at the bottom of the table when Massey was winning the final (2017, 2018, 2019).
“So there was a bit of a division there around the quality of players I guess, and the effort being put in between the two.
“Both sides doing well this year has raised the level throughout the club and gives everyone and everything a nice vibe.”
Wingers Isikele Laqekoro and Josh Delailoa have been on fire with 30 tries between them proving Wentworthville could keep winning despite disruption to their attacking spine each week.
“Our halves have changed every single game from Round One to maybe two or three games before the finals … different spine every week,” McKeever-King said.
“Jayden Field (five-eighth) has done so well coming in playing No.6, or No.9. even I have slotted in at No.6 so we’ve had a rotation going on there. But throughout it all the middles have been solid.
“Our hooker Ayden Carling has done heaps to control the middle.”
While Wentworthville only had three losses all year, one was to Brothers (32-14) in Round 17.
“They have some outside backs who do some strong ball carries. Our centres and five-eighth have got to be switched on – because they’re sharp there,” McKeever-King.
“Our middles have got to stay tight and can’t be loose against Brothers because they’ve got good ball players in (lock) Noah Nailagoliva and (No.14) Kye Rowen, who go well in their middle.
“Our coach Carry (Nathan Carr) has really brought to the front controlled aggression this week.
“You want to be out there and do the damage but you’ve got to be controlled because they are a quality side and they’ll make you pay if you get to put a hit on but slip off.”
Kick-off at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday is 3pm.
