Club Corner is back once again to discuss the upcoming weekend in clubland.
In our penultimate week of club coverage, club rugby fans will enjoy a swansong to the season with three grand finals in one weekend, as the curtain comes down on thrilling seasons in Perth, Canberra and Tasmania.
It is set to continue on from the scintillating Shute Shield grand final, which saw Sydney University triumph in a 26-19 thriller, ending Gordon’s incredible finals run. In a match that had everything, the Students were made to work for it in a classic, with only a single try separating them at full time. The result sees them earn their 33rd premiership, and their first since 2019.
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QUEENSLAND PREMIER GRADE - PRELIMINARY FINAL
Only two matches and three teams remain in Queensland, following an unprecedented weekend of semi-finals footing that saw Brothers grind out a 23-18 win against a brave GPS side, while Wests came from behind to record a stunning 37-37 draw with UQ, going through to the grand final based on securing the minor premiership.
This weekend leaves us with a thrilling clash, as UQ will look for redemption against a Brothers side stacked with returning Reds cavalry, including Harry Hoopert, Harry Wilson, James O’Connor and Hamish Stewart. If there is one thing you should never do, however, is underestimate the Red Heavies and the dominant form they have had over the competition the last few years.
Both sides currently sit on one win each against each other, with both teams prevailing away from home. UQ’s side will fall back on strong cohesion, while Brothers will likely build on their growth all year and look to their returning stars for firepower. It is set to be an absolute thriller down at Bond University, with the winner going through to a showdown with the Bulldogs in the final next week.
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FORTESCUE PREMIER GRADE - GRAND FINAL - UWA VS WESTS SCARBOROUGH
The final match of the year in Western Australia will kick off this weekend at Kingsway Sports Complex, in a fitting clash between the two strongest sides in the competition. Following semi-final results that saw the last contenders Nedlands and Perth Bayswater bow out, UWA and Wests Scarborough will face off in a thrilling final.
Wests haven’t lifted the trophy since 2017, while the Students have to go back to 2014 for their last engraving. Both sides look incredibly dangerous, with complimenting Force stars only adding to the firepower on the park!
The match will likely be determined at set piece, with both packs looking evenly matched. With mostly sunny conditions forecast for Perth, fans couldn’t hope for a better day to watch rugby!
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JOHN I DENT CUP - GRAND FINAL - CANBERRA ROYALS VS QUEANBEYAN WHITES
In the big upset result last week (and that was saying something considering the results in Brisbane), Queanbeyan are through to the John I Dent Cup Grand Final after shocking the Vikings at home, 24-37.
The result sets the stage for an intriguing encounter: the Royals will be well rested coming off the bye and have by far been the team to beat this season, and will likely be favourites. However, they have been shown to struggle with the element of surprise, as Queanbeyan did to them in Round 15 when they won 20-50 in rainy conditions.
With Canberra getting a decent amount of rain over the week and a chance of more rain on Saturday, fans at Viking Park can expect a thrilling old-school clash in the mud! Perfect way to end the season in the capital.
COOPERS PREMIER GRADE - PRELIMINARY FINAL
The Coopers Premier Grade enters its penultimate week, as Brighton booked their Grand Final place last week and Elizabeth triumphed over Old Collegians, cementing what has been an incredible season of growth for the side.
This weekend, they come up against Burnside in what will be a fiery encounter between the two sides. Elizabeth has every reason to believe they can go one step further, having beaten Burnside away from home in their previous clash earlier this year. Burnside are well versed in finals footy however, and will likely provide a strong welcoming committee at Tregenza Oval.
TASMANIAN PREMIER GRADE - GRAND FINAL - LAUNCESTON TIGERS VS TAROONA PENGUINS
Lastly, the Tasmanian rugby season comes to an end with the Grand Final this weekend, following the Penguins prevailing 26-39 over the Devonport Bulls in last week’s preliminary final. They face the in-form team and well-deserved favourites in Launceston this weekend, who have proven a tough team to beat all year. However, given Taroona’s ability to spring a surprise, expect plenty of fireworks down at Rugby Park.
Enjoy your club rugby this weekend, and stay safe!
