Saints break title drought with big Grand Final win; NSWRL Wrap

St Marys have claimed their first premiership win of the Ron Massey Cup era with a resounding victory over Wentworthville in the Grand Final at Jubilee Oval.

Despite being handed their first defeat of the season by the Magpies just two weeks ago, the Saints entered the game as favourites and wasted no time asserting their authority with a try inside the first five minutes, scored by Joe Vaegaau. Though the Magpies struck back quickly, the Saints wasted no time regaining the ascendancy with four tries in the space of 20 minutes for a 22-point lead at the half-time break.

While the second half was a more closely-contested affair, most of the damage had already been done, with the Saints cruising to a comfortable 40-12 victory.

It was sweet revenge as well as history, with the Saints having lost both of their most recent grand final appearances to the Magpies. Though they won the previous Metropolitan Cup three times (1993-94, 2001), the Saints had never tasted Ron Massey Cup success. They lost the 2016 Grand Final to Mounties - the last game to ever be played at the old Parramatta Stadium - before going down in 2017 and 2018 at the hands of Wentworthville.

In the Sydney Shield, the Saints were once again favourites, but the didn’t find the going so easy against a determined Hills Bulls side. The Bulls hit the ground running for a 22-10 half-time lead, but the Saints refused to quit and both sides ended up with six tries apiece.

Ultimately goal-kicking and a late defensive stand proved the difference as the Hills hung on for a 34-30 boilover.

RON MASSEY CUP

ST MARYS 40 (J Vaegaau, S Tavita, M Fidow, S Mason, T Satini, D Fale, C Crichton tries; Z Greene 4, J Butfield 2 goals) D. WENTWORTHVILLE 12 (N walker, K Walkington-Meads tries; L O’Brien 2 goals). 

SYDNEY SHIELD

HILLS BULLS 34 (T Watson 2, D Smith, K Niutili-Schmidt, D Marshall, C James tries; B Avery 5 goals) D. ST MARYS 30 (M Tuavao 3, S Sub Laban, J Gordon, S Sykes tries; R Stokes 3 goals). 

‍