Marsden State High School will play Wavell State High School in the Walters Cup schoolboy league final

The Walters Cup schoolboy rugby league grand final contenders have been decided after the semi-finals played south of Brisbane.

MARSDEN State High School will play Wavell State High School in the Walters Cup schoolboy league final next Tuesday after both teams won semi-finals this afternoon.

Marsden, directed to victory late by powerhouse Queensland schoolboys prop Lance Fualema and small forward Himuera Kingi, accounted for a brave Coombabah SHS 32-12 at Marsden.

On the Gold Coast, a courageous Wavell stormed back from 24-6 deficit to beat Keebra Park 26-24.

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“It was a very courageous win.’’ said Wavell SHS rugby league coordinator Ben Colley.

“The group have worked very hard over the year as a collective.

“Although they haven’t put a complete performance together as yet, what they do show consistently is their grit and determination.

“They are very deserving of being in the grand final and will not take the opportunity lightly.’’

Action as Marsden State High School attack Coombabah SHS in the Walters Cup semi-final.

Unbeaten Marsden will enter the decider on the front foot after wrestling free of Coombabah after the northern Gold Coast school had narrowed Marsden’s lead to 10-6 and then 16-12 into the second half.

But Marsden pulled away from their rivals in the last quarter of the game as they lifted intensity and played straighter and direct.

“I think in the first half we got a bit excited with it being a semi-final, and then we talked at halftime about getting back to knowing what we do well.

“And that was plenty of push, high energy and enthusiasm,’’ said coach Matthew Hartigan, Head of Department of High Performance & Rugby League Coordinator.

Coombabah SHS coach Scott Marlow addresses his players in the Walters Cup semi-final against Marsden State High School.

The second half injection of Kingi helped Marsden, and then Fualema’s arrival hammered home Marsden’s territorial advantage.

Coombabah were down just 16-12 after hooker Sean Howlett dived and then both sides had near misses in attack before Kingi deservedly crossed the line for Marsden to extend the home team’s lead to 22-12.

Second rower Eli Tuli, who worked hard all game, then iced the cake ahead of classy centre Teapo Stoltman scoring the final try of the game to blow out Marsden’s wining margin.

Coombabah SHS had risen from the De Vere Cup competition to challenge Marsden in the semi-final.

“We played okay to get here today, but clearly Marsden were the better team,’’ said Coombabah coach Scott Marlow.

“As far as I know they (Marsden) have been the best team all year and pretty much they will be favourites next week and seeing they have been unbeaten all year, I hope the better team wins.’’

Coombabah SHS on the attack in the Walters Cup semi-final against Marsden State High School.

Marsden were bigger in the forwards and made a statement in the first set of the game when Tyson Stanley winded an opponent.

Marsden skipped away to lead 10-nil after dummy half Tyree Bowman dived over and then classy Queensland centre Stoltman beat sliding defence on the tryline after forward charges by rep pair Tuli and Fualema.

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Bowman had a whale of a first half, scampering away to put his side on the front foot.

But back came Coombabah. With forwards Joe Shannon, Jay Blazak and Howlett holding their own, Coombabah had just enough breathing space and fullback Kobi Mackay-Taylor rewarded his pack with a brilliant individual try.

Scrum time during the Action as Marsden State High School clash against Coombabah SHS in the Walters Cup semi-final.

Marsden inflected a mortal blow on the cusp of halftime when centre Stoltman put his winger Darius Timu away down the sideline for a 50m try.

However Coombabah responded to a 16-6 halftime deficit and, at 16-12, their were anxious moments for Marsden before Marsden dominated late.