Glebe Dirty Reds will have an additional incentive to take out the premiership for the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup against Wentworthville Magpies tomorrow (Saturday 14 September) with coach Aaron Zammit vowing to cut off his rats tail if they win.
The Dirty Reds will take on the Magpies in a massive day of Grand Final action at Leichhardt Oval with the decider also to be held for the Sydney Shield between Minor Premiers Wentworthville United and Penrith Brothers.
The Dirty Reds, one of the game’s foundation clubs from when the NSWRL competition started in 1908, finished the regular season in fourth position and have survived three weeks of sudden-death football but face their toughest challenge in the Magpies, who have claimed the most premierships (7).
“The boys are excited, they’ve got the scissors ready and they’re already talking about who would have the honours of cutting it off,’’ Dirty Reds coach Aaron Zammit told the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup show for nswrl.com.au.
“It’s about seven years' of growth there but I’d be happy to cut it off if I get a Ron Massey Cup win.”
Glebe, who are still searching for their first premiership in the Ron Massey Cup, and Wentworthville have faced each other twice in the regular season with the Magpies walking away with hard-fought wins on both occasions (Round 8 28-20; Round 16 32-28).
“I’ve thought all along this year that on any day it’s a pretty even competition and anyone can beat anyone at any given time,” Magpies coach Brett Cook said.
“Glebe is a very dangerous attacking side, I’ve always thought that. Both games this year we’ve had a lead and let them come back into it. They’ve been very tight.”
The Sydney Shield Grand Final will be just as intense with Penrith Brothers also surviving three sudden-death matches to set up a showdown against Wentworthville United. Brothers also finished fifth in 2022 to make the decider but were unable to get past St Marys who won 36-12.
Brothers are still searching for their first premiership in the Sydney Shield while Wentworthville United have won two tittles in 2012 and 2015.
“I’m stoked for the boys – really happy for them,” Brothers captain David Sisifa said.
“From where we’ve come from, to play in two Grand Finals over the past three years, it’s so good to see the direction the club is headed.
“It would be our first title so that would be very special.”
Wentworthville captain Dermot McKeever-King said a premiership would also mean a lot to their club, having not tasted success for the past nine years.
“It would mean a lot for the juniors, giving them something to aspire to," McKeever-King said.
“You have the Ron Massey Cup club up there too, so it just puts the club back to where it’s meant to be.”
Tickets to the 2024 NSWRL Grand Finals are only $10 (aged pensioners and children under 12 are free) and are available at the gate.
The Sydney Shield will kick-off at 3pm followed by the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup at 5pm. Both games will also be televised on NSWRL TV, which now has a dedicated app that can be downloaded from the Apple and Android stores.
