NRL Schoolboys Cup final live stream: Palm Beach Currumbin v Westfields Sports High

Westfields are the Australian Schoolboys champions after producing an opening 40 minutes that gave Palm Beach Currumbin no chance of recovery. Re-live all the action.

The team who have made come-from-behind victories their specialty all season didn’t need the inspiration of a comeback this time.

Westfields saved their best until last, racing out to a 26-0 halftime lead, then withstanding a brief comeback and finally charging home to put the seal on one of the most dominant National Schoolboys final victories of all time.

With five eighth Lachlan Galvin pulling the strings, Westfields hammered Gold Coast school Palm Beach Currumbin 38-4 to claim their second national title.

Westfields are champions of the nation.

GALVIN STEPS UP TO INSPIRE BIG WESTFIELDS SUCCESS

Westfields coach Troy Weeden said he was ‘relieved’ at the result.

“The boys knew what they needed to do,” Weeden said.

“Having that extra week to recover after the final really helped the boys so they could just go in and focus on their football.”

Galvin’s performance secured him both the player of the match and player of the season awards and Weeden said he wasn’t surprised with the accolades.

“Lachie Galvin did what Lachie Galvin does,” he said.

“He’s a competitor, he’s a winner and he showed that in the first half particularly.”

Westfields struck early, and often, to win comfortably. Pic: Tim Pascoe

Will Craig gets a bit of room to move. Pic: Tim Pascoe

Galvin was on fire in the opening half, scoring two tries as Westfields raced out to a 12-0 lead just over 10 minutes into the match.

He would have scored a third shortly after following a strong run from Will Craig, but fumbled the offload.

Dion Paranthoiene-Williams added another try for Westfields in the 22nd minute, followed by a try right on the buzzer from Sosefo Finau.

Five goals from Roy Quiroz-Mapasua, including a late penalty goal, gave Westfields the unassailable halftime break.

The Queenslanders finally put themselves on the scoreboard to open the second half with Credence Donovan scoring following solid offensive pressure from his team.

Palm Beach Currumbin defence stops Westfields in their tracks.

Westfields’ Daniel Waka proves hard to stop. Pic: Tim Pascoe.

Westfields seemed to lack the same power they had in the first half and fumbled multiple opportunities.

But Galvin rallied his troops as he brilliantly teamed with Craig to set up a try for Hosea Kedzlie with 10 minutes remaining.

Markuzz Ofanoa and Saint Fuitimau added two more tries late on to put an emphatic note on the success.

PREVIEW

The might of Palm Beach Currumbin against the desire of Westfields Sports High.

The NRL Schoolboys National Cup decider couldn’t get much better than this.

The two best schools from NSW and Queensland will go hammer and tong at one of the NRL’s premier venues, Allianz Stadium, on Wednesday.

All the action will be live streamed on KommunityTV with kick off at 1pm. Check the full day’s live stream below.

NSW champions Westfields will put their undefeated record this season on the line, after clinching the Peter Mulholland Cup title last month in a thrilling finish against rivals Palm Beach Currumbin.

It hasn’t been the smoothest of roads for the Sydneysiders, who have had to fight their way from behind on the scoreboard in all but one of their games this season.

While their slow starts have threatened to hamper Westfields, the young squad possesses a confidence and belief that they have the ability to win games from any position.

PBC star Ray Puru. Pic: Matt Elkerton.

Westfields have plenty of confidence.

“We know we can do it no matter what position we are in the game,” Westfields coach Troy Weeden said.

“You only have to win it in the 60th minute and that is what we did (in the state final).”

Palm Beach Currumbin has endured a fightback of its own this season, after winning only two of its first five matches in the Langer Trophy.

An 18-6 win over Gold Coast rivals Keebra Park State High kickstarted a run of six-straight wins, including last month’s Phil Hall Cup state grand final against St Patrick’s College, Mackay.

In that period, the red army has conceded an average of 6.3 points per game.

Palm Beach Currumbin coach Tim Maccan will have confidence in his troops that they can shut down their rivals offence much like they did to St Patrick’s College in the 28-0 shutout in the Phil Hall Cup decider.