Club Corner is back once again to discuss the upcoming weekend in clubland.
Finals kick off across much of Australia this weekend, with the Hospital Challenge Cup in Queensland finishing its final round of the regular season this weekend. Even more crucially, this weekend we'll see our first grand final of the season, so expect a lot of celebration in Victorian clubland!
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SHUTE SHIELD - PRELIMINARY FINALS
Only three matches remain in the 2022 Shute Shield, following Eastwood's defeat of Manly and Gordon's thrilling win over Randwick at Coogee Oval. While the two away sides proved triumphant this week just gone, coming up against the likes of Norths and Sydney Uni will prove a different challenge entirely.
Both matches will take place pn Sunday at Pittwater Rugby Park, with Sydney University and Eastwood kicking off festivities. The Students have prevailed the previous two times these teams have met this year, however given the scalps the Woodies have managed to claim over the past few weeks it would be dangerous to write them off. This match will be a test of faith for the Eastwood faithful, and should they prevail this weekend, it would prove a famous victory in club history.
Following this fixture, Norths and Gordon pack down for another match of their legendary rivalry. The Highlanders and defending champions have done extremely well to get so far into the finals, especially after scraping through to begin with. However, this weekend they come up against the in-form, top of the table team in Norths. The Shoreman have good reason to be nervous however, having gone down to the Stags at North Sydney Oval last time they played earlier this year.
It’s finals footy at its most compelling, where else would you want to be?
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Rising Player
Several Waratahs will be running out in both games, but shoutout to Sydney Uni flyhalf Ben Hughes, who has directed a strong Uni backline around the park well so far this season. He goes up against Tane Edmed for the Woodies, which should make for a thrilling clash for the ten jersey.
QUEENSLAND PREMIER GRADE - ROUND EIGHTEEN
The last round of regular season rugby for the year will take place in Brisbane this weekend. The top four in Wests, UQ, GPS and Brothers look all but set to be the teams that will continue on next week into the semis, however with several critical clashes those four sides could make their finals run a lot easier with results this weekend.
With Norths wrapping up their season early on the bye, Easts take on Bond University, Wests will look to wrap up the minor premiership when they take on Souths, and Brothers will look to climb one place higher when they host Sunnybank.
Match of the Round – GPS v UQ
One of the oldest rivalries in Queensland club rugby will continue this weekend, and GPS have a wonderful opportunity to spring a surprise on UQ. A bonus point win for the hosts could see them overtake the Red Heavies and grab a home semifinal. The visitors will be doing everything in their power to stop that, even if they lose, a standard win for GPS will not be enough in the context of the ladder. However, considering there is a chance these teams will play each other next week, bragging rights will certainly be up for grabs!
Other Fixtures
Sunnybank v Brothers
Wests v Souths
Bond University v Easts
Norths - BYE
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Rising Player
Jonte Connolly had an excellent performance last week for Brothers in their win over Bond Uni, a performance that helped the Brethren seal a finals position. Considering the side was bolstered by the return of James O’Connor and Harry Wilson, Connolly impressively stood out and played a major part in stopping the Bull Sharks fightback.
FORTESCUE PREMIER GRADE - SEMI FINALS
Only four sides remain in Perth following a thrilling final round last week. Both UWA and Wests Scarborough were able to sneak past Nedlands and Cottesloe by a single point, confirming the top two and securing UWA the minor premiership. Perth Bayswater grabbed the last final place with a convincing 23 -14 win over Associates, setting the stage for this weekend.
Wests Scarborough will have their work cut out against Nedlands in a replay of last week's match. While the visitors were able to sneak home 26-27, there is no denying the match could have easily gone Nedlands’ way. Expect an extremely close clash at Bennett Park, with finals placings on the line!
Meanwhile, over at McGillivray Oval, UWA will go up against the big improvers of the 2022 season, Perth Bayswater. The visitors will likely be underdogs, but given the scalps they've been able to pick up this year, they are more than capable of springing an upset against the minor premiers.
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Rising Player
Aidan McDonagh put in a stellar performance in the loose forwards for Perth Bayswater, grabbing the first try for the homeside and then backing it up with an excellent all round performance to steer his side to finals. Expect him to have a big weekend over at The Library!
JOHN I DENT CUP - SEMI FINALS
Finals have officially kicked off in the nation's capital this weekend, with the Canberra Royals, Tuggeranong Vikings, Uni-North Owls and Queanbeyan Whites remaining as the teams to do battle.
The first fixture of the weekend will be a replay of last week's match between the Royals and Vikings, with a spot in the grand final up for grabs. The Vikings will be desperate for redemption after they went down last week, but they have a tougher assignment on their hands to beat the Royals at home, who, bar one or two slip-up performances, have looked to be the team to beat in Canberra.
The elimination fixture looms the following day when Uni-Norths take on the big improvers of the competition this year in Queanbeyan. The Owls will be slim favourites for this one, however Queanbeyan have shown that on any given day they could beat the best of the best, and they will need to produce the best to advance further after this weekend.
DEWAR SHIELD - GRAND FINAL - HARLEQUINS V POWER HOUSE
The final match of the Victorian Rugby season looms this weekend, and we will be staring down the barrel of history! Power House stormed through to the grand final after knocking aside the defending premiers Melbourne Unicorns 24-29 last weekend, ending the Unicorns hold on the shield since 2018 (albeit also due to two COVID-affected seasons).
On one side, hosts Harlequins, minor premiers of the 2022 season, will be looking to reclaim the Shield for the first time since 2017. Despite having the week off, they will likely be fully aware of the challenge ahead of them. Power House have been in unstoppable form throughout the finals, and should they prevail this weekend, it will see the Shield return to the Society for the first time since 2008, a long time coming for the men from Albert Park. Endeavour Hills Rugby Club will be the setting for the grand final, so expect a big crowd to turn up and finish the Dewar season in style!
COOPERS PREMIER GRADE - SEMI FINALS
Four teams remain in the Coopers Premier Grade in South Australia, as Brighton take on Burnside for the Grand Final placing, and Old Collegians take on Elizabeth in the eliminating fixture, with the winner moving onto the preliminary final next week.
It is set to be a big weekend for rugby in Adelaide, with both matches kicking off after the Wallabies-Springbok clash at the Adelaide Oval.
TASMANIAN PREMIER GRADE - SEMI FINALS
And finally, finals also kick off this weekend in Tasmania, with Launceston, Devonport, Taroona and Burnie all contesting for semis. Launceston will take on the Bulls in the clash for the grand final slot, while Taroona and Burnie go head to head in a sudden death fixture.
