Live stream: Palm Beach Curumbin face Marsden SHS in Langer Trophy Grand Final
He suffered a head knock early, but Palm Beach Currumbin skipper Zane Harrison rose from the canvas to lead his team past Marsden in the biggest game of the season. Check out the REPLAY.
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PBC SHS captain Zane Harrison rose from rugby league’s infirmary to inflict the mortal blows on a gallant Marsden SHS in the Langer Trophy grand final.
PBC SHS claimed its second successive title by winning 28-8 and ending Marsden’s remarkable late season surge.
Harrison seemed out of the contest after receiving a head knock early in the first half, but was medically cleared to return.
He played within himself in the first half, then timed his run perfectly, impacting the match dramatically in the second half.
The bruising, smash up derby took a sharp turn off the back of a Harrison 40-20 kick in the second half when the match hung in the balance at 12-4.
His laser-like kick for touch handed his side possession leading to Sunny Kama’s try. With Harrison’s sideline conversion, PBC SHS led 18-4.
Minutes later Harrison then did it all himself with a burrowing, close to the line surge that found the tryline. The game was over with PBC leading 24-4.
Players from both sides put their bodies on the line with no thought of self preservation.
Marsden centre Antonio Okusitino was helped from the field after a heavy collision, while
forward leader Tupou Francis needed treatment after a heavy collison.
A player from each side - PBC Jac Finigan and Marsden’s Reece Gorman - were also sin binned after a heavy handed skirmish.
Marsden had their chances, but could not turn opportunities into points, while PBC SHS, old professionals at this finals’ caper that they are, knew exactly how to get the job done.
Both teams traded tries across the opening 20 minutes - with PBC SHS scoring courtesy of an 80m intercept try to Australian schoolboy centre Sam Stephenson, and Marsden winger Bailey Turner crossing after a six pass movement made by Taylon To’A’s off load under pressure and Javon Andrews’ precision pass.
Marsden SHS’s forwards had come physically at rivals over the last month, but they found the PBC SHS pack ramping up the contact in the first half which set up the win.
PREVIEW
The Langer Trophy grand final will be a battle of two halves.
And both of them could hold the key to the future of the Gold Coast Titans.
Gold Coast-contracted halves Zane Harrison (Palm Beach Currumbin) and Javon Andrews (Marsden SHS) will be the key playmakers in Wednesday’s decider.
It is a grand final match up that no-one saw coming two weeks ago, before Marsden’s thrilling semi-final upset over the unbeaten Ipswich State High.
The Langer Trophy grand final will headline a huge day of schools league finals which will all be exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV. Check out the full schedule below.
Check out the schedule box below to find links to the other SEQ finals.
If Titans fans are wondering who is next in line to steer the club into the future, look no further than Andrews and Harrison.
LIVE STREAM REPLAY: LANGER TROPHY SEMI-FINALS
LIVE STREAM REPLAY: WALTERS CUP SEMI-FINALS
GRAND FINAL HEROES WHO SHONE AT LANGLANDS PARK
But while the Titans have aspirations to have both play alongside each other later this decade, their immediate task is scheming against each other in the final.
Harrison has grown up watching past Palm Beach Currumbin halfbacks Toby Sexton (Canterbury) and Tom Weaver (Titans) graduate into the NRL, and some good judges rate him as even better equipped to play at the highest level.
“He has patience, he has guile, he has everything you ask for in a halfback at schoolboy level,’’ coach Tim Maccan said.
“It is a matter of him choosing those right options in pressure moments, and usually he does.’’
Up the M1 at Marsden SHS, the 1.87m tall Andrews is another elite talent who has a booming kicking game - but an even better running game that is not unlike former NSW halves champion Trent Barrett.
“He adds so much talent to our squad,’’ said Marsden SHS coach Krys Freeman.
Andrews, a Logan local junior, made a triumphant return in Marsden’s quarter-final win over Wavell State High, his first match in five weeks after tearing a rotator cuff earlier in the season.
The way he flicked the switch immediately, producing a player of the match performance on his return, will have rivals on the Glitter Strip nervous.
“Our coach (Krys) Freeman helped me a lot to recover from the injury,’’ Andrews said.
“And then the forwards helped me a lot on the field to get me on the front foot so I could do my thing on the edge.
“It is exciting, knowing all the pre-season you have done as a team, all the bonding, it has got to this stage.’’
RELATED LINKS
LANGER RESERVE SEMI-FINAL BEST PLAYERS
WALTERS, LANGER CUP PLAYERS OF THE FINALS
Big game specialist Harrison, the Queensland schoolboys halfback, will be playing in his 12th career grand final across club and school. It will be his third Langer Trophy decider.
Asked what was the secret to his remarkable grand final record, the PBC SHS Pied Piper said: “First of all it comes down to preparation. How you prepare for games, the off field, stuff like training, diet, sleep, hydration - that all adds up at the back end of the season,’’ Harrison said.
“If you don’t do that, you won’t get far.’’
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