CDRL grand final: Ivanhoes’ hero, Davies stars, Seahawks soar
Yarrabah claimed one of the most dramatic CDRL A-grade premierships in years, as an Oswald Fourmile try in golden point extra time sealed a 20-16 win against Innisfail Leprechauns.
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FOUR days after he played a starring role in Ivanhoe Knights’ reserve grade premiership win, Jack Dooley might still be celebrating.
The powerful centre scored four tries and was named man of the match as the Knights crushed Innisfail Leprechauns 26-0 in the Cairns District Rugby League reserve grade grand final at Barlow Park on Saturday.
And if he wasn’t superstitious before the decider, he might have to reconsider now.
“Last week I put ‘don’t give up’ on my wrist and it worked so before the game I got one of the boys to write ‘SFT’, which stands for ‘score four tries’, on my wrist and I got the four,” Dooley said.
“The boys helped me a lot with it. They gave me good pill and I just barged over for one there, but it worked.”
The 21-year-old said winning the grand final was an incredible feeling.
“This was my first ever grand final,” he said. “I never made one in juniors, so to win is just unreal.
“We played Innisfail three times this year and they got us in all three, so we just wanted it more than ever.”
The only thing that could have made it better was if younger brother Matt could have been on the field beside him.
“He played most of the year but he got injured, so was a bit unlucky,” he said.
Ivanhoes captain Eli Dionysius was proud of his team’s performance.
“We didn’t beat Innisfail all year but coming into the game we had good belief in what we had to do, and we ended up pulling it off and doing what we knew we could do,” he said.
Dionysius said he might have to take a page out of Dooley’s book in the future.
“He must have had a dream or an epiphany because he had it written on his bloody wristband and it happened,” he said of his teammate’s four-try haul.
“I might have to try that for myself next time.”
Dooley opened the scoring when he forced his way through the Innisfail defence in the fifth minute, and scored his second when he hit a hole close to the line five minutes later.
A try to five-eighth Justin Torney gave the Knights a 12-0 lead at the break, before Dooley secured his hat-trick 10 minutes into the second half.
Tempers flared late in the game and Innisfail’s Cedric Valentine was sent off for a headbutt, while teammates Michael Morton and Jayden Epong were sin-binned, as well as Ivanhoe’s Regan Herd and Andy Kuna.
Winger Philemon Baira found the line to put a Knights victory beyond doubt with 12 minutes left, but Dooley wasn’t done yet. The burly ball runner crossed for his fourth try in the final minute.
The premiership win also capped an outstanding season for coach Johnny Head in his first year at the helm, and was the Smithfield club’s first title in any grade since 2016’s A-grade triumph.
DAVIES LEADS STORM TO UNDER-18S TITLE
A MONUMENTAL defensive effort while a man down set up Edmonton’s 28-12 victory against Kangaroos in the under-18s grand final.
The Storm finished as minor premiers but came up against a Kangaroos team filled with confidence after fighting their way to the decider from fifth, and through two extra time sudden death finals.
Edmonton hooker Hamish Davies was excellent as he steered his Storm side to victory against Kangaroos which made him an easy pick for Player of the Grand Final.
Davies was outstanding at dummy-half, giving halfback James Frazer early and clean ball throughout the 70-minute contest, as well as scoring two tries – converting the second on full time – to seal a sensational day.
But it was that effort early in the second stanza which changed the game, and made Davies and coach Brett Dillon believe they had one hand on the trophy.
“Right after half time, we started to come together as a team again, holding them out,” Davies said. “At the start of the second half we held them out for about five sets, that’s when I knew they’d be buggered for the rest of the game.
“It was wonderful. I loved it out there, the boys dug really deep. We got it done as a team.”
Alongside Frazer in the halves was Arama Samuel, who completed the halfback well, while forwards Tammuz Fa’Aoso and Liam Kelley were sensational.
Dillon was proud of the way his team fought to fulltime.
“Those five sets when we were down to 12 men, they just couldn’t score, and that’s when I thought we had it,” he said.
“We dropped a lot of ball in the first half. They had a lot of field position so we a had a lot of time trying to get out of our own end.
“At half time, we spoke about fixing those errors up. We got that out of the system, and in the second half it was to make our kicks good, hold the ball, and defend a lot better than what we did in the first half.
“We made a few errors, but defensively it’s what got us home.”
His Kangaroos counterpart, David Nona Sr, was proud of his team’s effort, holding back tears as he spoke about their hard work this season.
“We did fight hard,” Nona said. “We had challenges in front of us, but we worked hard to get where we are.
“I’m really proud of the effort of the players. We worked really hard to get here.”
Kangaroos fought through the seemingly impossible.
They pushed, won their first sudden death finals in golden point extra time, then showed what they’re capable of in a strong win against Atherton in the preliminary final.
David Nona Jr, Makgill Deemal-Neal, Joesph Pearson were solid, David Elia was at his outstanding best, while Tamon Westley, George Fauid and Keron Thompson led the hard-working forwards superbly through the middle.
“We had a really good start to the season,” Nona said. “In the past four weeks we were really good, really impressive.
“There’s a lot of boys who went out there … Jeremy Byquar was really good for us through the finals, he’s my best this afternoon.”
HOW YARRABAH WON THE PREMIERSHIP
TOO fast, too strong and, in the end, just too good.
The Yarrabah Seahawks completed their Cinderella story by claiming a 20-16 victory over Innisfail in a drama-charged Cairns District Rugby League A-grade decider at Barlow Park.
After scores were locked after regulation time, it was a try to bench utility Oswald Fourmile in the fourth minute of golden point extra time that delivered the Seahawks their second A-grade premiership and sent the club’s faithful in a frenzy.
In scenes similar to those that followed Yarrabah’s maiden premiership win four years ago, players were given the rockstar treatment as fans stormed the field to celebrate with their heroes.
Seahawks captain Dale Ambrym, who was part of Yarrabah’s 2017 triumph and scored a try in the second half on Saturday night, was flooded with emotion when the full-time siren sounded.
“To be honest it hasn’t sunk in yet, probably later on it will,” he said.
“The first time we won it, that hit me hard, but this time, being captain, it’s unreal at the moment.
“Very proud to be the captain this time, it’s just unreal.”
Veteran flyer Hezron Murgha, who produced the miracle offload that led to Fourmile’s matchwinner, was lost for words as he stood on the field surrounded by elated Seahawks supporters.
“As you can see, it speaks for itself,” he said.
“Just look at the crowd – the field is basically covered by everyone.”
Murgha missed the Seahawks’ preliminary final win against Brothers with a hamstring complaint, but there was no way he was going to miss the big dance.
The hard-to-handle centre was at his damaging best as he played through the injury.
“I felt it in the first 10 minutes and knew there was no way I could get out,” he said.
“I was already in the game so I couldn’t come off the field and just stuck it out.”
After scraping into the finals in fifth position, and finishing the regular season with two losses and a draw, Yarrabah produced a remarkable late-season surge.
The Seahawks displayed unmatched grit and determination over four weeks of sudden-death football as they defeated every team that finished above them to seal an unlikely premiership.
While Yarrabah finished on top, it was Innisfail that hit the scoreboard first when Aaron Jolley opened up the Seahawks defence with his footwork close to the line.
But the Seahawks – as they have done all season – hit back almost instantly, with Sam Bann Jr burrowing over from dummy-half.
Despite leading 6-4 at halftime, the Leprechauns looked flustered at times in the opening stanza and lacked the patience and polish that has become a hallmark of their game, with forward passes, knock-ons and poor fifth-tackle options clouding their attack.
Ambrym gave the Seahawks the lead when he crashed over early in the second half, before Murgha extended the lead to 14-6 with his four-pointer in the corner.
Coleridge Dabah, who picked up man of the match honours, made it 16-6 when he drilled a penalty goal.
Julian Christian gave Innisfail hope when he found the line in the 73rd minute, and Ashton Galea gave his side a chance to steal the premiership when he crossed five minutes later.
With less than two minutes left and scores locked at 16-all, Jolley’s conversion attempt was waved away and the game sent into golden point extra time.
Innisfail had first use of the ball after a Yarrabah error from the kick-off and set up to give Jolley a field goal attempt to win the game, but he never got the chance after a knock-on at the play-the-ball.
With the premiership on the line, Yarrabah’s experienced players stepped up.
Following a strong run from Cyprian Mossman, Charles Murgha linked up with Hezron Murgha, who found an unmarked Fourmile on the wing for the final blow.
Yarrabah mentor Eddie Prior said the win meant a lot for the community.
“They’re pretty passtionate about their football, well rugby league anyway, and something like this here, that’s just the icing on the cake,” he said.
“It’s just phenomenal. You just seen what happened, they bombarded the field and it was crazy, but like I said, they are really passionate about the game of rugby league, so it’s something they can look forward to.”
Prior said he was nervous when Innisfail levelled the scores late in the game.
“Don’t even go there. My heart was bloody racing overtime, lucky I had the boys to keep me calm,” he said.
Second rower Liam Saumalu was one of several Seahawks to shed a tear following the win.
“I don’t cry much, this is the first time in a while, so it means a lot,” he said.
“With the year that Yarrabah has had, all the ups and downs, I think it means a lot for the community.”
Saumalu commemorated the club’s 2017 premiership with a tattoo on his right forearm and plans to add to the piece in the near future.
“Probably when I recover from the celebrations – another week or so,” he said.
“I think I’ll get the year under my first one.”
Innisfail coach Leon Hallie, who endured his third grand final defeat in four seasons, was understandably dejected, but conceded his side was second best. “We just got disrupted with what we planned to do,” he said.
“We probably went away from our plan early in the game and it took us a while to get back on track.”
Ambrym said he was expecting the celebrations to last at least a couple of days back home in Yarrabah.
“I don’t know when it will stop but I’ll have to recover on Tuesday – I got to go back to work Wednesday,” he said. “I’m hoping it will just be a couple of days, at least for me.”
LEPS LEFT TO SEARCH FOR ANSWERS
LEPRECHAUNS are looking for answers after suffering a second straight CDRL grand final defeat.
Innisfail entered the decider as favourite after an outstanding season but fell in heartbreaking fashion, a 20-16 loss in golden point extra time doubling as its fifth grand final defeat in a decade.
Leprechauns fans were excited early when Aaron Jolley crossed in the third minute, his conversion making it 6-0 and putting his team in prime position to pounce,
But they didn’t trouble the scorers again until the final 10 minutes, when Julian Christian and Ashton Galea scored to send the dramatic grand final to golden point.
Jolley had a chance to win the grand final with a last-minute sideline conversion attempt but the tough chance was waved wide.
Innisfail coach Leon Hallie said his team deviated from its plan, and while he didn’t blame the officials, had questions about several crucial calls, including an accidental offside ruling at the start of the first period of extra time.
“We just got disrupted with what we planned to do. We probably went off our plan early in the game and it took us a while to get back on track,” Hallie said.
“I just hope that the game wasn’t decided by a wrong call with a penalty and with a play-the-ball down there (at Yarrabah’s end) because it’s happened pretty much every year, hopefully that’s not the case, a controversial decision like that.
“The kick-off in extra-time, he’s ruled that it was an accidental offside but … yeah I don’t know. I’m pretty sure it’s a penalty. If he caught it in the in-goal and it went into his teammate standing in front, it’s not accidental offside.
“But at the end of the day, Yarrie played well.”
Leprechauns had a one-man advantage at two crucial stages either side of halftime.
Centre Yaza Stephen was sent to the sin bin after a fracas in the 28th minute, where he was joined by Yarrabah duo Coleridge Dabah and Ammiel Harris.
His brother Gabriel followed him to the sin bin three minutes later.
When the first trio returned in the 38th minute, Yarrabah’s Oswald Fourmile was sent to the sin bin, but Innisfail failed to capitalise – and was ultimately forced to pay.
It capped a tough night for Innisfail. It was the only club to make grand finals in two grades but left Barlow Park empty-handed.
HOW YARRABAH WON THE GRAND FINAL
YARRABAH Seahawks have built a reputation as being the entertainers of the Cairns District Rugby League, but it was their efforts without the ball which secured the second premiership of their history.
The Seahawks finished fifth on the CDRL ladder, then trailed Ivanhoes 30-12 in the elimination final in the first week of the post-season, and looked for all money to be gone.
Yarrabah refused to lie down.
The eccentric, free-flowing style of footy for which they have been known for years was coupled with a defensive resolve few have associated with the Seahawks over time.
This is a team which, throughout the regular season, leaked points like a sieve.
They allowed more than 28 points per game, the second-worst defensive record in the competition (but well ahead of Tully, who didn’t win a game in 2021), but something special brewed at the Seahawks.
Yarrabah overwhelmed the Knights 44-36, then did similar to two-time defending premiers Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks 46-30.
Then they beat the minor premiers, Cairns Brothers, 28-26, in the preliminary final which was the first real indication of what was to come.
Innisfail presented a new challenge for Yarrabah, as they faced a squad which could just as easily throw the football around as they could play the structured, no-risk style. And they proved they could score points, running in 77 points in their two previous wins – against the top two teams in the competition.
But Yarrabah adapted.
Even though they were a man short for the crucial period either side of half time and battled several injuries, Yarrabah never gave Innisfail an opportunity for easy metres, forcing their grand final opponents to work for everything.
Ultimately, it was those defensive efforts which made the difference, and the steely resolve which blew many a spectator away ensured the 2021 title went to Yarrabah.
DABAH BEST IN THE GF, AGAIN!
HE has done it again.
Yarrabah five-eighth Coleridge Dabah won a fourth straight player of the grand final award after guiding the Seahawks to glory.
The diminutive playmaker found the perfect balance between composure and flair, as he came up with the right play on most occasions and never overplayed his hand.
Dabah’s versatility was also on show, as he seamlessly slotted into fullback for the injured Sam Bann Jr in the second half.
“It comes natural,” Dabah said.
“I grew up around the park playing footy with my brothers, my schoolmates, and kicking the footy during school lunch time.”
He said family was his biggest inspiration on the field.
“I got up and thought about winning for our loved ones, gone and present,” he said.
Coach Eddie Prior said Dabah was a big part of the title win.
“I told him from the start he had to lead this squad because it could be our halfback’s (Charles Murgha) last year, so he had to steer the ship and we really relied on him to get through,” Dabah said.
When asked if he would play on, Murgha smirked and gave a thumbs up. Dabah wants to win again.
“I promised myself if I won the A-grade grand final I would stay for one more year and see where the road takes me after that,” he said. “I’m hoping to stay around and help the younger lot and lead them around the park.”
Dabah was man of the match in the 2017 A-grade and the 2018 and 2019 reserve grade deciders.
SEAHAWKS WIN SECOND CDRL PREMIERSHIP
YARRABAH claimed one of the most dramatic Cairns District Rugby League A-grade premierships in years, as an Oswald Fourmile try in golden point extra time sealed a 20-16 win against Innisfail Leprechauns.
The Seahawks were chasing the second premiership of their history while Leprechauns, who last won in 2015, were chasing their second title this decade after six grand final appearances in the past decade.
It was locked at 16-all at fulltime, and came down to the Seahawks exploiting broken play and crashing over through Fourmile in front of Yarrabah’s massive supporter base.
There were a few confused supporters at Barlow Park after Fourmile scored what was the matchwinner four minutes into extra time.
It was announced there would be two periods of five minutes for extra time.
But when Fourmile scored, crushed Innisfail players crumbled to the turf, and Yarrabah supporters invaded the field to join the Seahawks in what was a euphoric celebration.
If no point or points are scored after the first five minutes, they switch ends for a further five minutes. Both periods are played as golden point.
Neither team was concered, with players and coaches well aware of the conditions of play.
An ecstatic Seahawks captain Dale Ambrym, who was part of Yarrabah’s 2017 premiership win, scored a second-half try in the first CDRL decider pushed to extra time in years.
“To be honest it hasn’t sunk in yet, probably later on it will,” Ambrym said.
“The first time we won it, that hit me hard, but this time, being captain, it’s unreal at the moment.
“Very proud to be the captain this time, it’s just unreal.
“We knew it was going to be pretty full on with defence, so we sort of worked on that all week, obviously they’ve got the big boys in the middle, so we tried to muscle our defence up with that.”
The Seahawks finished fifth on the CDRL ladder, and trailed 30-12 against Ivanhoes in the elimination final in the first week of the post-season.
But this Yarrabah outfit refused to stay down.
The eccentric, free-flowing style of footy for which they have been known for years was coupled with a defensive resolve few have associated with the Seahawks over time.
This is a team which, throughout the regular season, leaked points like sieve.
They allowed more than 28 points per game, the second-worst in competition (but well ahead of Tully, who didn’t win a game in 2021), but something special brewed at the Seahawks.
Yarrabah overwhelmed the Knights 44-36, then did similar to two-time defending premiers Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks 46-30.
Then they beat the minor premiers, Cairns Brothers, 28-26, in the preliminary final which was the first real indication of what was to come.
Innisfail scored inside three minutes, but Yarrabah fought on.
They overcome the temporary loss of three players to the sin bin (Innisfail lost two) to not only keep in touch, but to lead 16-6 with just 10 minutes to play.
Leps fought back, an Ashton Galea try in the final minutes locking up the scores, before the contest went to extras.
Innisfail had first crack at points, and as they set up for an Aaron Jolley field goal attempt - which they would have backed, given he’s slotted five this year - the ball went to ground and handed Seahawks possession.
And just over four minutes into extra time, Yarrabah did what Yarrabah does by exploiting open play via veteran halfback Charles Murgha and finding a matchwinning try in the corner.
GRAND FINAL RESULTS
A-grade
YARRABAH SEAHAWKS 20 (Bann, H Murgha, Ambrym, Fourmile tries; Dabah 2 goals) def INNISFAIL LEPRECHAUNS 16 (Galea, Jolley, Christian tries; Jolley 2 goals) in golden point extra time.
Reserves
IVANHOES 26 (Dooley 4, Baira, Torney tries; Herd goals) def INNISFAIL LEPRECHAUNS 0.
Under-18s
EDMONTON STORM 28 (Davies 2, Pearson, Fa’aso tries; Frazer 5, Davies goals) def KANGAROOS 12 (D Nona, Faiud tries; D Nona, Elia goals).
matthew.mcinerney1@news.com.au
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Originally published as CDRL grand final: Ivanhoes’ hero, Davies stars, Seahawks soar
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