Macarthur 2022 grand finals: results, wrap and best photos
The 2022 Macarthur Rugby League grand final winners have been crowned. Stars, standouts and results wrap from a thrilling day.
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The Camden Rams featured in all senior grade grand finals, but they didn’t have it all their own way as the Mittagong Lions and Campbelltown Collegians stepped up on the season’s biggest day.
Open Age Women’s: Campbelltown Collegians 16 d Camden Rams 4
After four weeks of sudden death finals, Campbelltown Collegians once again stood tall to defeat the Camden Rams 16-4 in the premiership decider.
In a match where they were never headed, Collies halfback Alafou Fatu wormed across for the opening try before player of the match, Sofaia Vaki, barged over for a second half double.
The Rams had their chances, but paid the price for failing to convert breaks by Teegan Chapman and Gemma Bradford either side of halftime. A final minute try to Brooke Walker was just reward for Camden’s persistence.
For Collegians figurehead and 2022 Macarthur Women’s Player of the Year, Tetuanui Dean, the premiership joy brought double meaning.
“Everyone worked hard, I’m definitely proud of the girls. Camden has won it for a while, so we were here for the kill, we came here to win,” she said.
“The premiership is the club’s first for women in this grade. Collegians usually have under-16s through to under-18s, but this is our first year for open age women’s.”
With coach and partner Tofu Tuugamusu beside her, Dean made it a full family affair by sharing the moment with teammate and daughter, Briana.
Still glowing after the presentations, Briana provided an insight into the spirit driving the Collegians program.
“This is my second season, but Covid cut last year short. It was good to come back and win with these girls, because I started in the under-16s, so it’s good to be able to make it through the pathways at Collies.”
Reserve Grade: Camden Rams 28 d Mittagong Lions 22
Camden’s 15th victory on the trot didn’t come easily, but on a magic day for the Rams it scarcely mattered as Harry Fox’s reserve grade side outlasted the Mittagong Lions 28-22 to cap off an undefeated season.
“I’m stoked, over the moon. This group of boys came together in late December and we had the dream to win the premiership, but to do it undefeated is pretty special,” said Fox.
Extra special, given Mittagong’s squad of tenacious locals roared out of the blocks with a try to Regan Economos in the opening set.
Rams veteran Chris Browne countered five minutes later, before tries were traded for a 22-all scoreline with 20 minutes left to play.
In the end, centre Kienan Tempest crossed for the winning try, but it was Logan Geyer’s bust that will be long remembered.
With the mulleted tearaway in full flight towards the right corner, the closing defence induced an audacious behind the back flick pass that gifted Camden the title deciding four-pointer.
Still, with the better of possession in the closing stages, the Lions weren’t done.
And if not for Camden’s desperate scrambling, winger Ben Powell may well have forced the contest into overtime.
For Camden, it’s the club’s first unbeaten senior side since both the reserve grade and women’s open age teams completed the feat in 2019.
Amid the post match celebrations, Fox heaped praise on the Lions before talking up the future of young prop and player of the match, Jack Simpson.
“Mittagong is a classy side. For the past two years they’ve been the benchmark of the reserve grade sides,” the Rams coach said.
“They came out firing, there’s a lot of former first graders in their team. I’m just so proud of our defence, it was a massive effort by our boys at the end.
“Jack’s got a bright future, I wouldn't be surprised if he gets snapped up by a Jersey Flegg side very soon. He hits hard, and he runs hard for all the boys.”
First Grade: Camden Rams 30 d East Campbelltown Eagles 4
For minor premiers the East Campbelltown Eagles, it was supposed to be a day where the prestigious club celebrated its 60th anniversary as the kings of Macarthur.
Having trounced the Camden Rams 38-14 a fortnight earlier, and after a decade long absence from the Macarthur competition, the Eagles were poised for a grand return.
Instead, it was Camden, led by spiritual leader and player of the match Brad Speechley who stormed to an emphatic 30-4 victory on route to the club’s first title since 2016.
“We were confident in ourselves, we knew no one outside the club thought we could do it,” said the halfback amid the chants of ‘Rammer’ from the club’s diehard fans at Campbelltown Stadium.
“We knew we had the game plan and we just competed, we got to our kicks and ran them off the park.
“Everyone just kept turning up. We haven't really put an 80 minute performance together all year, but it was perfect – exactly what we wanted.”
Electric Eagles fullback Bryce Wilson applied the blowtorch early, but it was Camden who struck first through Logan Matapuku, the winger finishing a Speechley long-ball in the right corner.
If not for a forward pass, backrower Joseph Napoletano would have doubled the Rams’ lead on the half-hour.
But he wouldn't be denied two minutes later, when that man, Speechley, sliced through and found the no.11 backing up to score under the posts for a 10-0 lead.
In a physical contest, Alapati Potifara rocked the Rams with several damaging charges and East Campbelltown regained the momentum when Brett Lahey sent backrower Felix Smith crashing over three minutes after the interval.
At 10-4 after 57 minutes, neither side gave an inch until John Martin’s dart for the line ended with the Rams hooker passing above the horizontal in a crunching Wilson tackle.
An awkward landing brought howls from the outer and when order was restored, Wilson kept his place and Camden opted for the comfort of an eight-point buffer from close range.
But in a moment of confusion, the Rams hit the jackpot when Steele Brown’s kick slammed into the left upright.
With rebound in hand, a certain two points became four as winger John Ryan planted the ball in the left corner.
With the Eagles’ spirit broken it opened the floodgates for Ryan to bag a double before workaholic prop Bailey Dickinson and Mason Cerruto rounded out a six try route.
Reflecting on the turning point and the prospect of the Eagles finishing a man short, Speechley was quick to downplay the incident.
“It’s part of footy, I was fine with it. Sheldrick (referee) is pretty fair, he just lets the game flow, so I was happy to let it go.” said Speechley.
Alongside the Rams unbeaten reserve grade side, the premiership meant instant success for the new Speechley-Cerruto captain-coach combination.
“Reserve grade coach Harry Fox helps us a lot. When I got him to the club the goal was to win both grades,” Speechley said before summing up a golden Rams day.
“Everybody has been turning up to training since the start of the year, we’ve worked hard and deserve the success.”
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