Helensvale claim maiden GCDRU first grade title with miracle grand final win over Knights

THE wait is over. After 32 years without a first grade premiership, Helensvale’s Gold Coast District Rugby Union dreams finally materialised on Saturday as they pulled off a grand-final miracle against Griffith University Colleges.

THE wait is over.

After 32 years without a first grade premiership, Helensvale’s Gold Coast District Rugby Union dreams finally materialised on Saturday as they pulled off a grand-final miracle against Griffith University Colleges.

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After trailing 24-0 midway through the first half, the Hogs breathed life into the contest with a converted Steven Finigan try, before the sin-binning of Knights flyhalf Richard Kingi for a high shot on fullback and captain Hayden McCaa turned the game on its head.

HUNGER KEY TO GRAND FINAL GLORY

Helensvale crashed over through Sean Finigan from the ensuing penalty to narrow the deficit to 12 points at halftime, with tries from Willie Hungahunga, Steven Finigan and Whitney Sitiene after the break helping erase the bitter memories of two previous grand final defeats.

“I’m over the moon. It’s a monkey off the back now, so job done,” Hogs president Karl Wernham said.

Helensvale players celebrate after claiming the club’s maiden first grade premiership. Picture: Richard Gosling

“You just can’t beat it, it was pretty special. It’s pretty emotional for a lot of us boys, a lot of us have been at the club for a long time.

“I turned to the wife (at 24-0 down) and she was starting to stress a bit but we knew we had the right bunch of boys to bring it home. We want to defend it now.

“We have broken the curse so we want to start a bit of a dynasty and keep it going. A few of us will hang up the boots but I think most of the boys will be back.”

TSS STAR’S INCREDIBLE 43-POINT HAUL

The Knights dominated the early exchanges as tries from Siosiua Havea (two), Lesi Tawake and Taniela Tuiuanuavou helped them take a seemingly unassailable lead.

But the Kingi yellow card, which knocked out McCaa and saw him taken to hospital, proved pivotal.

Helensvale’s Willie Hungahunga en route to the tryline. Picture: Richard Gosling

It was one of several spiteful incidents during the game, with Cameron Dodd (Knights) and Jamie Walker (Helesvale) sent off for punching, and Harrison Cumming (Colleges) sin-binned for a swinging arm.

“Richard Kingi put a shot on Hayden McCaa and knocked him out and he went to hospital on a stretcher. That was the moment that f****d Colleges,” Wernham said.

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“We were 24-7 down when he got knocked out and that was when we lifted.”

Helensvale also won the second grade decider against Knights 20-18, while Coomera downed Colleges 10-7 to claim the third grade silverware.

The girls’ sevens crowns went to Coomera (under-13 and 17) and Nerang (under-15).