It was a sensational Day at Centenary Field in ALbion Park yesterday, for the Grand Finals of the Group 7 Rugby League Competition…

Players, Staff and Supporters travelled from far and wide to put on some hotly contested matches, with 3 of the 4 Grand finals going right down to the wire!

Here’s the Match Reports, Courtesy of our man on the Ground, Brendan Crabb:

First grade grand final:

Albion Park-Oak Flats 16 defeated Gerringong 14

ALBION Park-Oak Flats have survived a last-second scare and a player sent off to win the 2012 South Coast Group 7 Rugby League first grade premiership in an engrossing thriller against Gerringong.

With the Park in front 16-14, Lions fullback Joel Roberts had the chance to send the game into golden point with a conversion from out wide after the final siren had sounded.

However, the kick hit the post and the Park claimed their first premiership since 2009.

The Park’s win was characterised by a gruelling first half by which the Lions threw everything at the Eagles defence, only to trail 6-0 at the break.

Eagles back rower Matt Jarrett was given an early shower in the 53^rd minute following a high shot on Lions prop Justin O’Hare.

The combination of some Park ill-discipline and hard yards from the Gerringong pack meant they spent so much time camped at the money end of the field they should have packed a tent.

The Lions had the better of field position but despite numerous half-chances, the Park’s scramble defence proved harder to crack than a top secret government code.

As often happens in rugby league, the Park withstood the early onslaught and finally opened the scoring in the 28^th minute when Man of the Match Dean Gray dived over from dummy half.

The large crowd barely had time to regain their spots and take the first bite of their meat pies when Eagles fullback Danny Sartori showed great evasiveness for 10-0.

The Lions’ left-edge attack had terrorised opposition sides all season, but their first try was scored on the opposite side of the field through Roberts.

They were in again in the 50^th minute, David Catterall diving over to lock up the scores.

Jarrett’s dismissal meant O’Hare took no further part in the contest.

Hooker Nathan Ford and skipper Ryan Staples also left the field injured.

Instead of dropping their heads due to the one man advantage in favour of the Lions, the adversity appeared to galvanise the Park, who went 12-10 ahead shortly after via a Matt Carroll penalty goal.

The game had featured more heavy collisions than a UFC bout and the intensity lifted further as the natives became restless on several occasions.

Desperation Gerringong defence kept the Park at bay for some time, but the dam finally burst when Chris Daniels dived over in the corner.

The missed conversion kept Gerringong in the hunt though and after a few missed opportunities, halfback Rixon Russell put up a towering ‘hail Mary’ bomb as the last play of the day. Centre Kal Collins scored from the kick.

Roberts appeared to hit the conversion sweetly, but ricocheted off the post and back into the field of play, leaving the Park premiers.

The Lions, the 2012 minor premiers only lost two matches all season; both of them against the Park during the playoffs.

Albion Park-Oak Flats 16 (Dean Gray, Danny Sartori, Chris Daniels tries; Matt Carroll 2 goals) defeated Gerringong 14 (Joel Roberts, Kal Collins, David Catterall tries; Roberts goal).

Reserve grade grand final

Kiama 27 defeated Gerringong 26

A THRILLING 27-26 win has given Kiama their first Group 7 Rugby League reserve grade title in 30 years.

Jack Alexander’s field goal inside the final three minutes snatched victory for the Knights in a hard-fought, physical local derby.

An early 40-20 kick from the Knights provided the platform for Mitch Ellis to score out wide in just the third minute for a 4-0 lead over the defending premiers.

An arm-wrestle ensued, but the Lions were made to pay for an error in their own half when Jay Delaney grabbed a converted try.

A piggy-back penalty afforded Gerringong the chance to hit pay-dirt at the money end of the field and they did just that when centre David Reid latched on to a cross-field kick from skipper Daniel Brown to cut the deficit to six points.

Five minutes later Reid powered his way over again, but Kiama tries a few minutes either side of half-time gave them a commanding lead.

Gerringong’s inability to clean up a kick enabled Ellis to pounce on the loose ball for his second, the Knights taking a 14-8 buffer to the sheds.

Following the resumption, Paul Kadwell quickly made it 20-8.

Just as Kiama appeared to have all the momentum, Gerringong responded swiftly when they found space out wide and Isaac Russell backed up to cut the deficit in half.

Arthur Stewart gathered a fortuitous bounce after Lions wingere Taylor Hudson kicked, regathered and kicked again to lock up the scores.

The Knights appeared to strike the killer blow when fullback Tim Boniface fielded the ball on his own try-line, stepped around several defenders and found Delaney unmarked.

The winger ran 70 metres to score under the posts.

Desperation defence kept Kiama’s line intact, but giving up possession cheaply was all the opportunity Gerringong needed.

Lions halfback Blair Overton had too much speed and evasiveness close to the line, again squaring the ledger with less than ten minutes remaining.

Despite Gerringong’s best efforts, Alexander’s drop-goal gave the Knights a historic victory.

Knights captain-coach Glenn Roberts was awarded Man of the Match.

Kiama 27 (Mitch Ellis 2, Jay Delaney 2, Paul Kadwell tries, Jack Alexander 2, Matt Gladman goals; Alexander field goal) defeated Gerringong 26 (David Reid 2, Blair Overton, Arthur Stewart, Isaac Russell tries; Overton 3 goals).

Under-18s grand final

Albion Park-Oak Flats 66 defeated Milton-Ulladulla 18

A FIVE-try haul to fullback Jordan Harty was the highlight of Albion Park-Oak Flats’ 66-18 thumping of defending premiers Milton-Ulladulla in the Group 7 Under-18s grand final on Sunday.

Milton had little answer to the minor premiers’ superior speed and skill, the Park displaying some scintillating attacking football.

Josh Sainsbury and Kurt Holloway also bagged doubles for the Eagles.

The busiest people at the ground during the first stanza were the scoreboard attendants, the Park running up a 26-12 lead during a match that often resembled a game of touch football.

Holloway was the recipient of a lovely ball from halfback Adam Clune to open the scoring in just the fifth minute.

Milton hit back through winger James Patterson, but the momentum continued to see-saw more often than a children’s playground when Scott Clarke and Harty both crossed for 16-6.

A Khy Whitford try got the Bulldogs within four points, but Sainsbury and Harty four-pointers ensured the Park were well ahead at the oranges.

The second half became a procession as the Eagles regularly found space out wide and repeatedly punched holes through the ruck.

Sainsbury and Holloway quickly added to the score-line; only a converted try to Milton’s Cooper Rice temporarily halted the avalanche of points.

In a blistering burst, Harty backed up a lengthy movement for his hat-trick, Clune opened his account and the livewire custodian spun and weaved his way to a fourth.

Man of the Match Harty’s fifth and a Blake Jones intercept completed the rout.

Sainsbury was sent off late in the match, but the ship had well and truly sailed by that point.

Albion Park-Oak Flats 66 (Jordan Harty 5, Josh Sainsbury 2, Kurt Holloway 2, Adam Clune, Scott Clarke, Blake Jones tries; Brock Skelly 9 goals) defeated Milton-Ulladulla 18 (James Patterson, Khy Whitford, Cooper Rice tries; Jessie Piekar 3 goals).

Women’s League tag grand final

Nowra-Bomaderry 18 defeated Kiama 16

NOWRA-Bomaderry scored a remarkable, heart-breaking golden point victory over Kiama in the Women’s League Tag decider at Centenary Field on Sunday.

Trailing 16-6 with five minutes remaining, Nowra scored a dramatic try after the full-time siren to level the scores and kicked an extra time penalty goal to win.

It was a stunning reversal of last year’s grand final, whereby the Knights downed the Jets in the additional time period.

Kiama were on the board after two minutes when Alex Westlake streaked away to score.

The Jets levelled up through Sian Silk, but Kiama again took a converted try lead when Alanna Smith crossed.

Nowra were made to pay for an error when right on half-time Erin Guy made it 16-6.

However, the missed conversion from in front would come back to haunt the Knights.

A scrappy second half ensued, but the defending premiers appeared to be in control of the contest.

A Belinda Chittleborough try with five minutes remaining set up a grandstand finish at 16-10.

Kiama’s defence repelled several attacking raids and appeared to have the game won.

However, they made a fatal error of judgment by not playing to the whistle.

With the full-time siren sounding deep in their own half, Knights players threw the ball away and began enthusiastically celebrating before the referee had signalled full-time.

The Jets pounced on the loose ball and Silk scored under the posts to send it into extra-time.

Shortly into the golden point period, Roslyn Simpson kicked a penalty goal to clinch the title.

Player of the Match was Nowra’s Tracey Coe.

Nowra-Bomaderry 18 (Sian Silk 2, Belinda Chittleborough tries; Roslyn Simpson 2, Talia Atfield goals) defeated Kiama 16 (Alex Westlake, Alanna Smith, Erin Guy tries; Kristi Pan, Jamie-Lee Cotter goals).

Huge thanks to Brendan For the Wrap up! – Rohan.