Eagles and Gorillas To Face Off In Group 7 Decider
By PHILLIP McCARROLL
One of the biggest rivalries in Group 7 rugby league will play out on the competitions biggest stage with the Albion Park – Oak Flats Eagles taking on the Warilla Gorillas in this years first grade grand final.
With Warilla taking out the minor premiership on points differential after both side finished on equal competition points at the end of 18 rounds, the decider promises to be an enthralling match up.
The grand final will be the second time in three week the two teams have met, after the Eagles caused an upset, beating the Gorillas at Cec Glenholmes Oval in the qualifying semi-final.
Albion Park’s Captain-Coach Jade Lucas believes the victory over Warilla in the semi-finals will give them an advantage this weekend.
“We’re as confident as you can be going into Sunday, having last week off was good, it allowed us to train and get over a few bumps and bruises from the game against Warilla,” Lucas said.
The Eagles will be at full strength this weekend with the return of five-eighth Wade Walsh from injury and utility Benny Brookfield from suspension.
While Lucas believes the week off is an advantage for his side, Warilla coach Peter Hooper isn’t overly disappointed his side had to face Jamberoo last Sunday.
“It was good to have a run around and no come away with any injuries … Albion Park would’ve trained last week and so would we had we had the week off so playing isn’t that much different,” Hooper said.
Both sides believe Sunday’s game will be a physical match up and are approaching it with relatively simple game plans.
“I assume it’s going to be a close, biff and bash style of game, we just have to do our normal thing and try to control the ball, who ever does that will probably come out as the winner,” Hooper said.
For the Eagles, there approach to the game will be almost identical.
“We’ve worked on a couple of things, but we will playing the game in a similar way we have played all year, if we can control the ball and the game, we’ll put ourselves in with a good chance of winning,” Lucas said.
