Cronulla Sharks deserved winners of the 2013 VB NSW Cup
October 2013
Cronulla v Windsor NSW Cup Grand Final
ANZ Stadium, Olympic Park Precinct Homebush
New South Wales
by Jodie Newell
After a flying start in the regular season then dropping games including a finals match, the Cronulla Sharks have finished off the 2013 VB NSW Cup season in fine style winning the premiership in convincing fashion over the Windsor Wolves 36-8.
The soon to be departing Chad Townsend and Tyrone Peachey were the main architects of the Sharks victory as they proved to be too powerful and too classy.
The Windsor Wolves who bow out of the VB NSW Cup and head for the Ron Massey Cup comp next year can be very proud of their efforts in 2013 but unfortunately ran into a very good side in Cronulla.
“If you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen”
- Cronulla Sharks coach Tony Herman
The Sharkies didn't have it all their own way as Windsor were the team which settled first in the hot and sunny conditions at Homebush stadium. The Wolves were magnificent early forcing the Sharks into nervous handling errors via excellent tackling and chasing.
The early hard work from Windsor would reap rewards when speedster Eto Nabuli scored the game’s first try. Nabuli did so displaying his usual blistering pace, connecting with a superb chip kick from Blake Austin. Nabuli had snuck behind Cronulla full-back Nathan Gardner to plant the ball down. Wes Naiqama’s conversion was a shocker shanking it low and to the left of the uprights Wolves up 4-0.
Windsor kept attacking the Sharks line with Blake Austin and Anthony Cherrington threatening to score again. Thankfully Sharks full-back Nathan Gardener was solid in clearing any scoring threat. Junior Moors and Young Tonumaipea made surging runs up the middle to get Cronulla back in the game. On the back of that effort Chad Townsend delivered a high bomb where Eto Nabuli was unable to gather and forced a knock-on. On the subsequent scrum restart, Penani Manumelealii received the feed and with a clever sidestep found his way through the Windsor defence. Townsend made the extras, Sharks up 6-4.
Eto Nabuli nearly made up for his mistake for the Wolves when Blake Austin put in a high kick in which a try would have definitely been scored had Nabuli been able to hang on to the ball. A golden scoring opportunity for Windsor went begging.
Throughout the season the Sharks opponents have been the earlier scorers and usually Cronulla respond and step up a gear in tempo and begin to score. Yesterday was no different. Soon after the Manumelealii try, David Fafita made excellent yardage with a rollicking run up the centre of the field. The Sharks were able to gain an extra six tackles and made sure of the advantage. Tyrone Peachey who had been relatively quiet for the first 20 minutes, weaved his magic through the Windsor defence and was over the tryline. Townsend gained the extras and the Sharks were taking hold of the game. 12-4.
Windsor although behind fought on gamely. When they next pressed forward they were able to score a try via the man of the game thus far in Eto Nabuli. The big Fijian winger took a Geoff Daniela pass and waltzed his way through Shark defenders to score his second try. Again Wes Naiqama missed the extras to his left, but the Wolves were back in the game 12-8.
Cronulla would not be fazed by the Wolves, as they continued to push forward and again were rewarded for their efforts when at acting half, Michael Lichaa who was less than few metres away from the Windsor defending line, looked up, took a chance and pushed over for a sneaky try. It was the easiest of conversions for Townsend and the timely try had the Sharks up 18-8 at the half-time break.
Both sides began the second half well and it was Windsor who nearly scored the first try of the half. A beautiful pass out wide from Matt Moylan to Travis Robinson, saw Robinson storming out wide on the far side only to be thwarted by a superb tackle from Kirisome Auva’a. Auva’a’s tackle dragged Robinson’s feet over the sidelines snuffing out a possible 4 pointer.
The Sharks would quickly shrug off the Windsor challenge and head downfield. Nathan Grader made a run for the centre and copped a lazy head high tackle from Josh Tangitau. Chad Townsend decided to take the penalty. 20-8.
Cronulla applied enormous pressure on Windsor, forcing handling errors and were threatening to score again. This time Chad Townsend though a huge 20 metre pass to his left where Junior Moors and Penani Manumelealii combined to get the ball out wide to Kirisome Auva’a who scored. Townsend made the conversion 26-8 Sharks.
Windsor were starting to buckle as the Sharks kept attacking. Full back Matt Moylan dropped a normally simple return kick right in front of the goal posts. After a couple of plays, Junior Moors made superb use of the opportunity beating 3 Wolves defenders for the slightest of put downs and the grand final was all Cronulla’s save for a miracle come-back by Windsor. Townsend pushed the conversion kick to his left. Cronulla 30-8.
Cronulla sealed the deal in the last 5 minutes when Kirisome Auva’a scored his second try of the match in exactly the same manner when he combined with Junior Moors and Penani Manumelealii. Townsend would not miss again.
The siren soon sounded as the Cronulla Sharks won the VB NSW Cup 36 to Windsor 30. It was a fitting result to the team who has played spectacular rugby league all throughout the season. It comes as no surprise that the New Zealand Warriors have signed Chad Townsend for season 2014, and Tyrone Peachey who will line up for the Penrith Panthers next year.
For Windsor they should be very proud as a club. They were coached by Garth Brennan and Guy MIssio and adjusted well to the format. Garth Brennan would later on the day coach the Penrith Panthers U/20 Holden Cup team to a thrilling 42-40 win over the Warriors. Eto Nabuli provided some electrifying moments of the day and he is a name that will surely figure in future NRL headlines.
The scenes inside the Cronulla sheds were one of total joy, as the club song rang our loudly. Cronulla first-grade coach Shane Flanagan was among the well-wishers. Tony Herman told his players that he was proud of their effort and added “If you surround yourself with good people, good things will happen”. Coach Herman couldn't have summed it better on a fantastic day for the Cronulla Sharks rugby league club.
Final score: Cronulla Sharks 36 defeated Windsor Wolves 8
Tries Sharks: K Auvaa 2, P Manumalealii, T Peachey, M Lichaa, J Moors
Tries Wolves: E Nabuli 2
Conversions Sharks: C Townsend 6
Conversions Wolves: -
Referee: Zbigniew Przeklasa-Adamski
Touch Judges : Jay Farlow Nathan Smith
At Homebush Stadium, Olympic Park Precinct, Homebush
Crowd (estimate): 20,000 (during NSW Cup)
