Hill Start: Eastwood centre Tom Hill dives over for the visitor’s second
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

by Paul Cook –

It wasn’t meant to be like this. A Manly side that had dominated the Shute Shield competition from start to finish and wrapped up their first Minor Premiership in 17 years a month before the finals, was supposed to be preparing for a Grand Final next weekend. But instead they will be licking their wounds after falling short in the semi-final for the fourth year in a row, 32-20 to an Eastwood side who can now look forward to their third title decider in four years.

Having been the front runner all season, the Marlins had the fillip of home advantage in front of a packed grandstand at Manly Oval but with an expectant crowd awaiting to cheer their local heroes onto the last dance, it’s not too unkind to say they simply didn’t turn up when it mattered.

Dropped ball and mistakes cruelled their opening half hour, by which time the Woodies had built up a 19-3 lead with tries from Mick Snowden, Tom Hill and Michael McDougall. A try from the reliable Mali Hingano in the shadows of half-time looked to have gained a foothold for his side but his good work was undone a couple of minutes later when he was sent to the bin for a contentious tip tackle. However, the Marlins finally found their mojo after the break when they went back to basics – direct crash ball, power and aggression. That got them back to 22-20, even without Hingano, and the faithful were ready to rejoice one of the all time club rugby comebacks.

Blind Alley: Manly no.8 Daniel Alley finds no way
through the Eastwood defence
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Instead, with the game in the balance, they went away from what was working and the finals experience within the Eastwood side came to the fore as they muscled up in the final quarter to take the game away from their hosts. Second rower Jared Barry played a vital role, hitting the ball up again and again to soften the Manly line and after a storming surge from replacement Blake Sutton, tighthead Guy Millar pounced from 5 metres to extend his side’s week for another year and leave Manly to rue yet another missed opportunity.

It was an error ridden opening quarter from both sides but of the two, it was Manly who appeared to be more in tune with the task in front of them. Throwing their forwards into contact like a battering ram, they made the early inroads without creating any clear cut opportunities and it took 13 minutes for a genuine chance to worry the scoreboard, Dane Chisholm’s penalty sailing wide.

Having converted one of only eight tries for the Marlins the previous week, fears of the kicking ‘yips’ for Chisholm were quelled when he dissected the posts at the second time of asking five minutes later. As the Marlins hit the lead, Eastwood winger Nick Batger was carried off in back play with a knee injury to be replaced by Ben Shorter. Having already lost John Grant for the season and with concerns over Nick’s brother Ben coming into the game, it wasn’t a sight to cheer the Eastwood faithful.

But just as Manly were looking to assert their authority on the scoreboard, they were hit with a sucker punch as the Woodies went in against the run of play. Chisholm, looking a touch frazzled by the occasion when surrounded by traffic, couldn’t hold a pass from Mark Swanepoel on Eastwood’s 10 metre line, leaving Woodies’ skipper Hugh Perrett to pounce. He raced to within 15 metres of the Manly line, where fullback Jacob Woodhouse reeled him in, only for Jai Ayoub to swoop in support and put halfback Mick Snowden behind the posts with a neat reverse pass.

The score visibly set Manly back on their heels while the Woodies’ looked like a weight had been lifted from their shoulders. All of a sudden, their rhythm returned and the ball began to sing through the backline’s hands and five minutes later, they were in for a second. Snowden went infield off a scrum and used a decoy run from no.8 Pat Sio to put Tom Hill through a gap, the centre leaping home under the posts in delight.

Wrecking Ball: Jared Barry played a pivotal role for Eastwood in the closing stages with a
succession of damaging hit-ups
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

14-3 behind in front of their own fans wasn’t in the Manly script and they rallied in search of a response. Mali Hingano was almost through after swatting away three tacklers but Eastwood scrambled to diffuse before an attack on the opposite flank saw Woodhouse go close and Swanepoel knock-on under pressure as he attempted to ground the ball.

While the Marlins retort was admirable, it was also based on a shift in their game plan, one which saw more risks and looser passes as they attempted to move the ball wider, quicker. It was also one that left them vulnerable to counter attack and in Eastwood, they faced arguably the finest counter attacking side in the competition.

And so it proved when Manly were turned over on Eastwood’s 10 metre line, the Woodies sent it immediately wide and a clever and accurate kick ahead from Brad Curtis saw a pacy Michael McDougall overtake three Marlins in a chase to dab down try no.3. Ben Batger, despite nursing a thigh injury, converted to open up a 19-3 lead for the visitors.

Manly desparately needed something before the break and they got it off the back of a terrific kick from flyhalf Sam Vaevae. One controlled lineout and two passes later, Hingano smashed his way through and under the posts.

However, the last minute of the half saw the gun centre turn from saint to sinner when a tip tackle was deemed worthy of 10 minutes in the bin despite his success in bringing the player to ground safely. With Batger still struggling, Tom Hill stepped up to make it 22-10 at the break.

A big second half was needed from the Marlins if they were to turn this one around and with coach Blake’s voluble thoughts no doubt ringing in their ears, they came out intent on redemption for their disjointed opening forty. Hill’s penalty was cancelled out almost immediately after the restart as Chisholm slotted 3pts when Eastwood strayed offside before they took a leaf from their opponent’s book to strike back in style on 50 minutes.

Eastwood tried to execute a lineout play but as they went coast to coast to create an overlap, Chisholm anticipated one pass too many to intercept from his own 22 and run it home to the raucous cheers of a revitalised home crowd.

When Hingano returned to the fray, his side had actually prospered and at 22-20 and with momentum going their way, an incredible comeback for the Minor Premiers looked to be the likely outcome.

However, six minutes later, they went off their feet right in front of the posts and Hill punished with another 3pts to keep Eastwood with the upper hand, while Chisholm pushed another penalty wide at the other end. Small margins make a big difference in finals football.

‘It’s Millar Time! – Eastwood prop Guy Millar is mobbed after scoring the match deciding try
Photo: karenwatsonphotography.com.au

Eastwood upped the ante looking for the knockout blow, the unheralded Jared Barry being used as a wrecking ball to soften up the Manly line and with 10 minutes to go they got another chance to open up an 8pt gap but this time Hill couldn’t get his radar working.

But with both sets of supporters creating a tremendous atmosphere, the Woods showed their finals pedigree to decide it. Replacement Blake Sutton swatted away a host of defenders who went too high and when the ball was recycled, tight head prop Guy Millar was on hand to dive over and send his side to their third Grand Final in four years and leave Manly to ponder what might have been.

Eastwood 32 (Mick Snowden, Tom Hill, Michael McDougall, Guy Millar tries; Ben Batger 2 cons, Tom Hill 2 pens, con) defeated Manly 20 (Mali Hingano, Dane Chisholm tries; Dane Chisholm 2 cons, 2 pens)