Minor Premiers Randwick defeated an Eastwood side led by three-time Catchpole Medal winner Scott Fava to claim the 2004 Tooheys New Cup.

Before the decider, Rugby News scribe Terry Smith published a recap of the year that was and just about every player across the competition earned a mention.

RANDWICK 

The revival of the Galloping Greens is almost complete. Only the grand final needs to be won for the first time since 2000 with an unbeaten record, a rare achievement. 

Michael Cheika and David Knox have nurtured a mix of outstanding young talent in a way that should be a blueprint for aspiring coaches. It’s all about winning rugby matches with style. 

Look at the statistics. In thirteen matches in the Toohey’s New Cup, the men in myrtle green have swept in for 93 tries and conceded a mere 23, easily the highest and lowest in the series. They won the minor premiership by 12 points and annihilated Eastwood 57-15 in a virtuoso performance in the major semi­final. 

Cheika and Knox have developed a superlative team by adding fitness, forward structure and strong defence to the club’s traditional flair in which the ball flickers bewilderingly through willing hands. 

After the 73-27 eclipse of West Harbour, their Wallaby halfback Chris Whitaker summed up: “In the past we’ve won games off scrappy ball, but now our forwards are dominating up front and I’m getting the ball going forward.” 

When you have a player of Whitaker’s calibre getting the ball on a plate and backs like Shaun Berne who tops the point scorers in the Toohey’s New Cup with 147, and Morgan Turinui outside him, there can only be one outcome. 

Randwick could be ruthless when they gained the upper hand. Like a school of sharks tasting blood, they buried hapless Penrith 100-0 and disposed of Parramatta 97-5, West Harbour 73-27, Norths 55-7 and Sydney University 52-34.

Stephen Hoiles, the No 8, came from outside the 36-man training squad to make the Wallaby squad for the trip to Europe, a selection that was given the seal of approval by former Australian coach Dave Brockhoff, noted as a guru of back-row play. 

Brockhoff also puts a huge wrap on flanker Lei Tomiki, declaring: ”I’m in love with his technique. He goes that extra yard at ground level and has a beautiful angle on his lines.”

Hooker Adam Freier’s work­rate is so high that he surely is the one with the Duracell battery, second-rower Steve Brennan has been an unsung hero with his work in the zones of pain and the late addition of veteran Warwick Waugh has taken the Randwick pack to a new level. 

EASTWOOD 

With less than half of his 2003 premiership outfit returning, coach Chris Hickey has done a remarkable job getting the Woodies into their fifth grand final in six years. 

How many clubs could have overcome the loss of Scott Staniforth, Simon Kasprowicz, Matt Hodgson, Van Humphries, Travis Hall, James Hilgendorf and Robbie Miller in one hit? None, I dare say. 

Like the quarterback in the America’s NFL, the fly-half is the straw that stirs the drink. If you haven’t got one, you haven’t got a rugby team. And in skipper Tim Donnelly, Eastwood have the best in the business. 

He took Manly apart almost single-handedly in Saturday’s final, not missing a kick at goal in contributing 24 of the points. Donnelly made a number of incisive breaks, invariably chose the right option and when the Woodies had the wind at their backs, he pinned the Marlins deep in their territory with pinpoint kicks. 

Apart from a hiccup midway the through the Toohey’s New Cup in which they lost three out of four, Eastwood have been admiringly consistent corysidering the number of young players introduced to their team. 

One such rookie is prop Benn Robinson, just 20 and a marvellous prospect. One moment he is in the Australian Under 21s, the next he is off to Argentina with the Waratahs but a word of warning. He mustn’t be rushed. 

Other Woodies to get the call for the trip to Argentina are Marty Wilson, Will Brame, Aaron Broughton-Rouse in the forwards and Tim Donnelly and Ben Batger in the backs. 

Hickey knows how to get the scrum and lineout functioning and his knack of tossing a young player into the side without disrupting its rhythm mark him as a coach ready to take a step up. 

MANLY 

On paper, this didn’t look a great Manly side, but through sheer abrasiveness and a miracle worker of a coach in Brian Melrose, the Marlins finished in third spot. They definitely over-achieved. 

The highlight of their season was an unbelievable 35-0 blitzing of Sydney University in the sudden death semi-final at Rat Park. Lifted by the presence of Wallaby George Smith, they out-enthused the Students to be simply unstoppable. 

With Smith back in the Wallaby compound the following week, the Marlins, with a team full of walking wounded, fell at the penultimate hurdle when beaten 49-25 in the final by Eastwood after leading 17-13 at the break. No matter. It has been a wonderful year for Nathan Grey’s Marlins, with raucous crowds packing Manly Oval for every home game. 

Fullback Peter Hewat has won a Waratah contract as the upshot of his dashing play, piling up 113 points in the Tooheys New Cup after taking over the kicking chores in Round 8 when Paul Warwick headed off to Ireland. 

There was that famous day at University Oval when Hewat made an 18 point contribution of a rousing 23-22 victory over Sydney University, thumping a penalty goal between the uprights from 42 metres with seven seconds left on the clock. 

Other highlights for the Marlins included Grey’s forceful efforts in midfield, winger David Alo’s strong running, the strong play of Simon Kasprowicz, James Campbell, Sean Maloney and James Lakepa up front. 

But the most credit for Manly’s marvellous year must go to coach Melrose, who has the ability to get players to lift themselves to the next level. He is emotional yet pragmatic. Surely there must be a place for this man among the representative coaches. 

There is a great spirit in this club, with president Frank Ellis leading from the front. When Melrose told him he was wanted to become backs coach at the Waratah Academy, he didn’t try to stop him, rather he helped him to get the best possible deal. 

CANBERRA VIKINGS 

After wiping the floor with the Brisbane clubs for several seasons, the Vikings flattered to deceive when they stepped up to tackle the Sydney clubs for the first time in the Toohey’s New Cup. 

They finished in fourth spot, as a highly creditable effort considering they came into the competition without so much as a trial game for a team with a strong flavouring of Super 12 players. 

Understandably, they lost their first three games but with coach Nick Scrivener getting things on track, the Vikings strung together six straight wins to get into third place on the table, including a 31-6 drubbing of Sydney University. 

University turned the tables on the Vikings in the sudden death semi-final, sweeping to a lead of 32-0 before finally triumphing 44-14. 

The Vikings based their play around a big, forbidding pack of forwards which included the likes of Wallaby trio Radike Samo, David Giffin (when fit) and Mark Chisholm and Super 12 players Tomaiti Horua, Nic Henderson, David Palavi and Julian Salvi. 

The super-quick backs who call themselves the Seven Dwarfs because of their lack of genuine size were sparked by Wallaby squad halfback Matt Henjak, with winger Eddie Mclaughlin proving a genuine pocket rocket with eleven tries. 

SYDNEY UNIVERSITY 

In recent years Sydney University have played with a ruthless consistency to finish near the top, but this season was a roller coaster ride comprised of seven wins and five losses. 

After sneaking into fifth spot, it looked as if coach Bob Egerton had timed their run home like Bart Cummings plotting the path of a Melbourne Cup hopeful when they swept to a lead of 32-0 before disposing of the Canberra Vikings 44-14 in the sudden death semi-final. 

Yet a week later, with big Dan Vickerman back in the Wallaby compound, they crumbled before Manly’s abrasive play and lost 35-0, one of their worst losses in a long, long time. 

Far too often during the season, the Students dug their own grave with a host of uncharacteristic errors, losing a few games in which they could so easily have won. They scored 67 tries. a total only eclipsed by Randwick (93) and Eastwood 170). 

Apart from playing with aplomb at No 7, Tim Davidson won lots of lineout ball and proved a damaging runner. Winger Michael Giffin had one of his best seasons and Lenny Beckett sparked the midfield. 

WEST HARBOUR 

So near and yet so far. Needing to upset Manly in the final round and have Norths topple Sydney University to pinch fifth spot, the Pirates delivered with a 34-21 victory at Rat Park only to learn the Students had swamped Norths 81-24. 

So frustrating for coach Joe Barakat and his troops in black and white, who lost gun fly-half Elia Tuqiri at a crucial stage of the season. 

Successive losses to Easts, University, Canberra and Warringah left Wests languishing in 10th spot and from that point they were playing catch-up, even though they knocked over Eastwood, as they do so often, 22-20. 

Centre Chris Siale, halfback Chris O’Young and winger Nick Reily, who contributed 114 points after switching from Southern Districts following the Shute Shield, have been rewarded with a trip to Argentina with the Waratahs. 

Big prop Rodney Blake, unwanted by the Waratahs in spite of some powerful play, has signed a two year contract with the Queensland Reds, and flanker Mark Howell were strong contributors up front. 

WARRINGAH 

Co-coach John Briggs was so happy with his young Rats finishing with a share of sixth spot three points out of the play-offs that he sent a letter of appreciation to each of them. In fact, if they had had Mark Gerrard for a few more games, they may well have made it. 

Briggs and Mark Holmes have nurtured some outstanding young talent into an enterprising side that won seven of their twelve games. the same ratio as play-off teams Canberra and Sydney University. However, they failed to get the necessary bonus points. 

It was pleasing that big second-rower Cameron Treloar won a trip to Argentina with the Waratahs, while hooker Luke Holmes is said to have come close to a spot. Brett Sheehan, the feisty halfback. continually caught the eye. 

There were moments of glory, a 35-24 upset of the Canberra Vikings in Canberra and a 22-8 victory over West Harbour. Then there was the 17-19 loss to Manly in a drama charged affair in which Clint Eadie missed a simple conversion kick from in front of the posts in the dying moments. 

EASTERN SUBURBS 

After five rounds of the Toohey’s New Cup, the unbeaten Easts Beasties were sitting proudly on top of the table as a follow up to capturing the Shute Shield. 

Coach Michael Doyle had his lively young side playing with infectious enthusiasm, upsetting Sydney University 27-17 and toppling West Harbour thanks to a hat trick of tries by flanker Tim McGann, who later signed with the Wests Tigers for 2005. 

They were in second place after seven rounds, but a 45-12 loss to lowly Gordon was followed by losses to Manly, Canberra, Eastwood and Warringah which saw the injury plagued Beasties plummet to a disastrous eighth spot in the table. 

Sharing player honours with McGann was slick halfback Tim Clark, who was Sydney’s top point scorer with a tally of 182, including 101 in the Toohey’s New Cup. This was a remarkable effort in a side that was falling apart, and he deservedly won a spot in the Waratah squad to tour Argentina. 

NORTHERN SUBURBS 

Despite having some of the most exciting young backs in the Toohey’s New Cup and 2003 Coach of the Year Kevin Horan, the men in the red and black of Norths were massive under-achievers. 

They suffered some horrendous losses, 81-24 to Sydney University, 57-10 to Easts and 55-7 to Randwick and were beaten by Southern Districts and Gordon. Yet after six rounds they were third on the table. 

The last round debacle against University was the last straw for Horan. This proud New Zealander promptly resigned, cleared his desk and handed in his mobile phone on the Monday morning. 

If you look at their playing personnel, Norths should have done much better, with the likes of Mark Challender, Al Manning and Tonga Lea’aetoa up front and Cameron Shepherd, Milton Thaiday, Lachlan MacKay and Adam Ashley-Cooper in the backs. 

MacKay, Shepherd and Manning soon are off to Argentina with the Waratah touring party. 

GORDON 

The arrival of Steve Lidbury as coach failed to lift the Highlanders up the table, but they did manage to post a few notable victories in the Toohey’s New Cup. 

Hearts at Chatswood were aflutter when the Highlanders upset Manly 29-22 in the opening round and followed up with a 45-12 disposal of Easts and 23-20 win over Norths. There was a famous victory over Eastwood in the Shute Shield, too. 

However, losses to Parramatta and Southern Districts ended any hope of a respectable season. Still, it’s not all gloom and doom. There is youthful talent in the club, particularly flanker , giving hope for the future. Bring in a couple of players to fill key spots and Gordon will be off and running. 

Luke Sweeney looked a representative back of the future and Nathan Croft was the top point-scorer in the Toohey’s New Cup with 69. 

PARRAMATTA 

The Two Blues are hoping the arrival of Gary Ella as coach will lift them out of the doldrums. 

They managed only four victories, against Penrith, Gordon, Southern Districts and Norths, to finish in eleventh spot, with fullback David Harvey the top point scorer in the Toohey’s New Cup with 81. 

Greg Robson made a worthwhile contribution at fly­half, while no rival prop liked playing against rugged Todd Thocolich, who has gone to Southern Districts. Ben Stewart proved an irritant at flanker. 

Brad Royall and Rick Black worked heroically against the odds with the coaching but decided it was in everybody’s interests if they stood down. Enter Gary Ella. 

SOUTHERN DISTRICTS 

Ignore their dismal position on the table. Under Greg Townsend, who took over as coach when John Ross resigned in mid-season, the Rebels could be set to bounce back in 2005. 

The first clue to this occurred when they wound up the season with a spirited showing against unbeaten Randwick which led to supporters cheering them from Forshaw Park. Spirit oozed from every pore that day. 

Townsend began a recruiting drive before the season ended which already has led to the arrival of prop Todd Thocolich from Parramatta and another prop who has played NPC for Canterbury. Cameron Pither and David Pusey could be back from overseas. 

David Kapene, the fly-half from New Zealand who contributed 79 points in half a season of Toohey’s New Cup, will be returning. When you’ve got a skilful No 10 who can kick goals, you’re halfway there. 

PENRITH 

Next season will be the Last Chance Saloon for the Emus. If they can’t lift their game, they could be heading back to the Subbies. 

Rock bottom in every grade. they finished with their second winless year in first grade with 122 points (18 tries) for and 766 against. Randwick beat them 100-0 after coaches Mick Carter and Peter Kay were stood down midway through the Toohey’s New Cup. 

Negative words but let’s be honest. Penrith try hard but simply aren’t up to scratch and simply provide ammunition for knockers such as Mat Rogers. 

If only the rest of the club were made of the same stuff as president John O’Brien. He is the chief sponsor and fourth grade prop, sometimes backing up in third grade. We salute him for staging a one-man crusade to keep the Emus in the competition. A true rugby aficia nado who deserves better.