Watch the replays of the Walters and Hancock Cup grand finals between Palm Beach Currumbin and Keebra Park (Hancocl Cup )
WATCH THE REPLAYS: It’s a double derby delight in the Hancock and Walters Cup grand finals as two of Gold Coast’s greatest sporting rivals playoff in the schoolboy rugby league title deciders. Watch it all live here.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
IT’S a double derby delight in the Hancock and Walters Cup grand finals as two of Gold Coast’s greatest sporting rivals playoff in the schoolboy rugby league title deciders.
Palm Beach Currumbin SHS and Keebra Park SHS will take to Pizzey Park in Miami to play in the Hancock Cup grand final at 2pm and Walters Cup grand final at 3pm.
All the action will be livestreamed right here by the gold coast bulletin, courier mail and news’ affiliates.
PBC V KEEBRA PARK WALTERS CUP
A dominant second half has lifted Palm Beach Currumbin to a 24-12 victory over fierce Gold Coast rivals Keebra Park in the Year 10 Walters Cup grand final at Pizzey Park.
PBC winger Ray Puru bagged a double as the red and white overcame a sluggish end to the first half to dominate their longtime Coast rivals.
From the outset Palm Beach showed intent to play fast and up the middle, with halfback Zane Harrison vocal in shifting his troops around the park.
It took 10 minutes, but PBC found its deserved first points on a shifting play to the right edge, putting winger Ray Puru into an acre of space and an easy try followed.
Clearly stunned early, Keebra got its first look at the line 10 minutes out from halftime following a PBC error. Three plays after the scrum feed, impressive centre Dorian Lotaki hit back for the maroon and blue with a bullocking run between legs on the left edge.
With Keebra’s try came a massive momentum swing and they were in again not long after, though not without controversy. Keebra looked to have lost the ball close to the line, but the referee ruled play on and on the next play later Isaiah Fagalilo was over to score.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it was the response from PBC, who went to the same scrum play that produced the opening try, for the same result. Donovan Creedence races to the outside and passes for Puru to bag his second and cut the Keebra lead back to two points, where it stayed to halftime.
Experienced PBC halfback Harrison with a tough start to the second-half, dropping the kick-off and then kicking out on the full two minutes later.
But a player of his calibre is never down for long and, alongside halves partner Ra-Koia Smith, he pulls the string for a trio of repeat attempts at the Keebra line.
Keebra’s bend-don’t-break defence stands up to yet another PBC push, with a would-be PBC try waved way for a forward pass on the left edge.
But Keebra’s want for possession continues, with a changeover at midfield not long after and PBC on the attack once again.
Incredibly, despite PBC’s dominance in possession it’s Keebra that still holds a slender two-point advantage with 12 minutes to play in the final, leading PBC to take the two and level the scores after another failed attacking raid.
But the two wouldn’t stay level for long, with bustling bench back-rower Reshawn Anderson playing provider for Jaylan Taewa and PBC had its deserved six-point lead with as many minutes to play.
Having barely ventured into attacking territory in the second half, Keebra wastes a rare foray forward with a pass to ground from dummy half.
That would prove the dagger two plays later, with side-stepping rake Will Saunders darting through the Keebra defence and diving under the posts to seal the deal with two minutes remaining.
Winger Jacob Morton was gifted the icing on the cake on full time when a great shifting play found him on the left edge to cap a stellar 30-12 win for PBC.
KEEBRA PARK 12 (D. Lotaki, I. Fagalilo tries; D. Lotaki 2/2 goals) def. by PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN 30 (R. Puru 2, J. Taewa, W. Saunders, J. Morton tries; J. Taewa 5/6 goals)
PBC V KEEBRA PARK HANCOCK TROPHY
Palm Beach Currumbin has come from behind to an impressive 16-12 victory over Keebra Park in the Year 9 Hancock Trophy grand final at Pizzey Park on Wednesday.
In an end-to-end final between the two fierce Gold Coast rivals, it was the smaller but defensively dominant PBC pack that won the day.
Wrecking ball Micah Eteru looked to have opened the scoring for Keebra in the early stages when he barged his way through multiple defenders to the line, only to be held up by some desperate PBC defence.
But that same defence was at sixes and sevens minutes later when a deft kick to the posts landed in the lap of Tyrel Laban and the number 11 crashed over for the opening score.
Possession changed hands at a rapid pace for the next few minutes as the grand final nerves hit both sides.
PBC recovered first after being gifted field position by a Keebra error, and big lock Robert Lee crashed over on the right to level proceedings with 10 minutes to play in the first half.
Suddenly it’s PBC with all the play and if not for a stunning high take from Keebra fullback Disharne Tonihi, would have been in again on the left.
With time expiring Keebra looked destined to take a lead into halftime, with repeat efforts at the line repelled time and again by the PBC defence.
Enter PBC fullback Sam Stephenson, with a deft show and go through the Keebra line on the halftime hooter to put the red and white ahead 12-6 at the break.
Perfect start for Keebra to the second-half, with a PBC knock-on from the kick-off gifting a guilt edged chance to level the scores.
But like clockwork, the PBC defence is up to task - repelling two waves before a shallow kick is well intercepted and Keebra left with little to show for the effort.
The PBC winger guilty of the earlier knock-on more than makes up for it in the ensuing play, when latching onto a kick across field and outstripping his fellow number five to put down and extend the lead out to 16-6.
Desperately needing a response to stay in the final, Keebra finds it in young Nash Kerr, who with a deft spin move beats two tacklers and dives over under the posts to cut the margin back to four points.
Sensing the opportunity Keebra pressed forward again, with Eteru once more going inches from scoring. The resolute PBC defence holds firm and with 10 minutes to play, it’s the red and white with the narrow advantage.
With seven minutes to play PBC forces a dropout and appears ready to strike the killer blow. Instead, Keebra winger Joseph Tupese produces a smart one-on-one steal on the return to flip the script and propel his side back into attack.
Inside two minutes and needing a go-ahead score, Keebra looked in for all money in the right corner only for the winger to, again, be taken into touch at the corner post.
A turnover at midfield handed Keebra one last chance to draw level, but the red and white defence that all day had proved the difference again held firm, leaving PBC to run out four-point victors.
KEEBRA PARK 12 (T.Laban, N. Kerr tries; A. Whaiupu 2/2 goals) def. by PALM BEACH CURRUMBIN 16 (R. Lee, S. Stephenson, B. Tighe tries; H. Chadburn 2/3 goals)
More Coverage
Originally published as Watch the replays of the Walters and Hancock Cup grand finals between Palm Beach Currumbin and Keebra Park (Hancocl Cup )
Read related topics:School Sport