After losing the preliminary semi-final in extra time the previous week, the Wingham Tigers had to regroup to take on the Port Macquarie Sharks at the Wingham Sporting Complex on Saturday in the Group Three Rugby League minor semi-final.
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The teams had played each other two weeks earlier at the same venue, with the Sharks victorious by 30-14.
An early try to Port Macquarie gave them a 6-0 lead. Five minutes later, an individual try by Brendan Butler, converted by Michael Bailey levelled the scores.
The Sharks went ahead again after a dropped ball gave them possession deep into Wingham's territory, resulting in a try.
Five minutes from the break, a grubber kick into the in-goal area on an early tackle caught the Tigers unaware. The converted try gave Port Macquarie a 16-6 advantage at the break.
Inside the first ten minutes of the second half, the Sharks scored a soft try following a penalty. A scuffle erupted after the try, resulting in Joel Kliendienst being sent off.
Midway through the stanza, Matt Bridge breathed life into the Tigers with a well constructed try. Michael Bailey added the extra points to reduce the deficit to 22-12.
Eight minutes later, the Port Macquarie winger darted down the blind side to run 50 metres to score in the corner. Another try minutes later sealed the Sharks victory by 32-12.
Despite the loss, and bowing out of the competition, it was a great year for the Tigers, surpassing expectations. With Mick Sullivan appointed as captain coach for 2019, Wingham should be premiership contenders.
(Brendan Butler, Matt Bridge tries, Michael Bailey 2 goals)
For the second week in a row, it was sudden death football for the Reserve Grade Tigers as they took on the Wauchope Blues. The teams had finished equal third in the competition, with Wingham pipped by the smallest margin in for and against.
The Tigers blew their opposition away in the first five minutes with tries to Blake Sky and Michael Richards, the latter converted by Shaun Carr-Weldon. Five minutes later, a try to Garyn Burnes made the score 14-0.
Wauchope got on the scoreboard soon after with a try under the posts. The Tigers hit back immediately with a try to Brandon Clarke, with Shaun Carr-Weldon adding the extra points to lead 20-6.
A quarter of an hour into the second half, Tate Grofos burst through to score, and Shaun Carr-Weldon added the extra points to increase the lead to 26-6.
Wauchope mounted an attack from deep in their own territory, resulting in a converted try inside the final ten minutes.
But it was a dominating performance by the Tigers winning 26-12 and progressing to the Preliminary Final against the Port City Breakers.
(Blake Sky, Michael Richards, Garyn Burnes, Brandon Clarke, Tate Grofos tries, Shaun Carr-Weldon 3 goals)
