South Australia is set for a big match up this weekend with Brighton taking on Old Collegians in the Premier Grade Grand Final.
All the action kicks off at Brighton Rugby Union Club from 4:00pm (ACDT) with the game also being streamed LIVE on SA Rugby’s Facebook page the Rugby Xplorer app.
Here's a quick recap of what led the two sides to the big dance.
Brighton Premier Grade
Brighton have plenty to boast about this season with just one loss under their belt and a cabinet full of new trophies.
The biggest club change was having Kevin Le Roux come on board as Assistant Coach from South Africa who upholds a long rugby history which includes representing The Lions.
This season Brighton welcomed several great debutants including Cruz Topai-Aveai who swapped codes after playing for the Cronulla Sharks Academy, Jack Butler who’s progressed up from Brighton Juniors, Jack Jenkins who’s also represented Adelaide University and half-back Connor McCarty who originated from Southern Suburbs.
Players to keep an eye on in the Grand Final are Pita Nakarawa, Joe Tuilawaki, Cruz Topai-Aveai, Ethan Uili and Jack Butler.
Old Collegians Premier Grade
Old Collegians welcomed some fresh faces to their Premier Grade in 2020 with several U18s moving up the ranks to show off their skills including Harry Hosegood, Stewart Nutt (2020 Don Smith winner) and Oliver Horne.
Whilst the coaching structure remained the same, the club culture stepped up a notch with a real focus on creating a positive environment across all divisions.
Several players have outdone themselves this season showing real consistency to take the teams’ performance to a new level including Harry Hosegood, Tim Dawes, Stewart Nutt, Oliver Horne and Kyle Fleetwood-Pieper.
SA Rugby Club Overview
Now let's dig deep into each clubs’ biggest wins over the 2020 season.
First up, Adelaide University. This season the club introduced South Australia’s first Gay and Inclusive team to the competition – the Adelaide Sharks. Most players were new to Rugby, or team sport in general, and now can’t get enough of it.
Barossa’s Premier Grade didn’t get off to the greatest start however this fuelled their inner fire and saw them bounce back. The Rams once again claimed the annual Kade McDonald Memorial Shield which raised $4,000 for a mental health foundation and is a cause close to their hearts. The club also secured Lyndoch Oval as their new base until 2022.
Brighton’s top team added a few more trophies to the cabinet including the ANZAC Cup, Bob Burgess Cup, Tamaki Cup for Minor Round Premier Grade Premiers and the Uncle George Shield. The side also took home Minor Premiers for their U12 and U16 competitions. Off the field, the club celebrated their 70th year anniversary with the opening of their new clubrooms. In the women’s premier division, seven newbies joined the side this season alongside new Head Coach Andrew Phillips. The player to look out for this weekend is Bree Nathan who won the Associations Best Tackler Award.
Burnside took the title of Minor Premiers in U18 and U14 age grades. Moving up the grades, senior players Rebuen Nation celebrated 250 games and Chris Walton celebrated 200. In the women’s division, Kate Hinds made a major comeback at training and assisting on the sidelines at U12 games following a major motorcycle accident. Off field, the Kensington Gardens Reserve will see an upgrade of the clubrooms which will no doubt attract more newbies.
Elizabeth’s juniors were the shining light this season with the addition of an U16 division. Tia Hellyer was the clubs’ first female to reach the 100 game milestone.
North Torrens club members banned together this season to welcome a new group of players who have become extremely close. Their final game of the season was a memorable one with new players belting the club song with loyal fans singing along.
Old Collegians happily opened their new club doors in the last round of the season. Both the Reserves and Third Grade sides claimed Minor Premiers and the club welcomed the return of the women’s division who showed some serious flare at the back end of the season.
Onkaparinga Women took the title of Minor Premiers in just their third season in the competition. In the men’s division, Daniel Taylor celebrated 300 games whilst Gonzo Oritz capped 200 games. Onkas Premier Grade Women also welcomed four new players as well as new Coach Troy Droughty who’s taken home the Don Smith Medal on two occasions. Players to look out for this weekend are Teliya Hetaraka, Emma Yates, Ella Christie who is the teams’ top try scorer (26 tries) Willow Ralston and Katie Doughty.Port Adelaide were thrilled to see the return of dozens of female players after a long awaited 25 years. Tim Mattin celebrated a massive 500 game milestone who has also claimed over a dozen major trophies throughout his rugby life. Ports’ season also ended with a bang, hosting the Port Pasifika 2020 event with a home game against Southern Suburbs.
Southern Suburbs saw a boost in new families at the club which brought to life a new U7s team and saw a surge of participants in U10s and U12s. The club hosted record crowds across their divisions which is a credit to their overall atmosphere. It was another successful year of cross-club collaboration between Port Adelaide and Southern Suburbs with the U14s delivering some quality Rugby. The club also re-introduced their Third Grade which saw the return of the classic Souths Culture and provides a pathway to senior level.
Woodville celebrated some big wins after entering a team across all the divisions for the first time ever as well as the grand opening of their new clubrooms.
The refs have also had a ripper season after welcoming new recruits and progressing several match officials up the ranks. Amanda Sheeky has also paved the way for females keen to pick up the whistle through being a fantastic role model for the state. The next generation of Premier Grade Referees also stepped up this season including ex Scholarship Referee Adam Bethell.
