Dragons Pathways Wrap: Pair of squads punch Grand Final tickets

A hat-trick courtesy of try-scoring ace Jesse Williams helped propel the Dragons to a comprehensive 36-4 win over the Knights at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday night.

Williams ended the regular season with a competition-leading 14 tries from his nine appearances and continued his superb form in the side’s Semi Final victory.

The night could not have begun in much stronger shape for Willie Talau’s men with Cyrus Stanley-Traill punching his way over the line just two minutes in off a nice set piece sparked by hooker Isaiah Fagalilo and lock Finau Latu.

Stanley-Traill found himself in the thick of things again soon after crafting an offload for a supporting Tyler Peckham-Harris who sent the ball out the way of Lyric Craft-Te Moananui and onto Zac Nachar.

Nachar flew over in the right corner to make it two tries in the opening five minutes for the Red V.

The Knights managed a hit back 22 minutes in via fullback Connor Votano but that was where the scoring ended for the men from the Hunter.

The kick return work of Peckham-Harris and Williams caused the Knights headaches throughout much of the opening stanza with the duo combining in the same dangerous fashion that has become a staple of the Red V’s attack throughout the year.

Williams crossed for the first of his three tries off a pinpoint Peckham-Harris grubber down the left edge with skipper Shadi Hammoud’s first conversion of the contest giving the Dragons a double-digit lead.

The trusty combination reared its head again soon after with a looping Peckham-Harris cut-out sending Williams over in the left corner to make it 20-4 the way of the Dragons heading into halftime.

The Dragons’ hot attack continued into the second half with thundering centre David Afu punching in behind the ruck and into the backfield from inside his own half before speeding past the fullback and finishing off his effort with a nice swan dive.

The scoring continued five minutes later for Talau’s group with Hammoud showcasing a deadly left step off an attacking scrum to fall over the line and make it 32-4 entering the final 20 minutes.

Last year’s grand finalists, the Knights refused to throw in the towel continuing to send traffic the way of the defence but some desperate Dragons scramble prevented several certain four-pointers.

Williams – whose well-documented try-scoring exploits have largely characterised his campaign – put together a pair of desperate cover efforts late.

One saved a try and the other resulted in one with the athletic flanker pulling off an intercept by the narrowest of margins and motoring down the left touchline and over the line to put a bow on a memorable Dragons win.

They will now face a Bulldogs outfit that took down the minor premier Roosters in next week’s Grand Final.

TARSHA GALE CUP

The Steelers continued their standout Tarsha Gale Cup season with a 26-4 win over the Sharks on Saturday afternoon at Leichhardt Oval.

It took 15 minutes for winger Maria Paseka to the open the scoring for the Steelers after a cross-field kick off the boot of skipper Kasey Reh bounced fortuitously over the head of her opposite and into her waiting arms.

Centre Mia-Rose Walsh extended the Steelers’ edge on the stroke of the halftime siren off a nice delivery from No.1 Herewaka Pohatu.

Reh’s boot again came up trumps on the other side of the half with the Sharks allowing an attacking punt to bounce in between the sticks and into the arms of Ella Koster who plucked it out of the air to score.

Sparked by a Koster break, Walsh poured through again soon after off some sweet Evie McGrath ball-playing for her second of the afternoon and the side’s third within the space of just seven minutes as the contest broke open.

Sharks edge forward Jaydika Tafua got them on the board 45 minutes in which proved but a blimp on the radar with Steelers winger Darcy Eade diving over for a try in the final minute of the clash as Courtney Crawford’s squad won their ninth on the trot to earn a deserved Grand Final berth.

They will now face the Knights - who held the Bulldogs scoreless to punch their own Grand Final ticket - in next week’s decider.

LISA FIAOLA CUP

The Steelers Lisa Fiaola Cup unit went down to the Wests Tigers 32-14 at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday in what proved their final game of their season.

Halfback Ella Greatz got the Steelers on the board six minutes in before the Wests Tigers notched three tries in 13 minutes via Rhiannon Bonner, Paige Attard, and Lucyannah Luamanu-Leiataua to take a 16-6 lead into the sheds.

Despite the Steelers’ best efforts, momentum continued the way of the Wests Tigers with Alavina Tu'ifua, Ellie Barnett, Kealii-Jordan Muru and Sakari Ritchie all crossing for second half tries.

Fullback Kiara Kostovski and No.9 Tori Shipton both snagged late tries for the Steelers, but it proved in vain with the Wests Tigers running out 18-point victors.