The Illawarra Steelers secured minor premierships in the Tarsha Gale Cup and Harold Matthews Cup competitions over the weekend whilst also qualifying for the SG Ball Cup postseason.
It marked what was another largely successful regular season for the Steelers with the Tarsha Gale (1st), Harold Matthews (1st), and SG Ball (5th) sides all now preparing for key finals matchups.
Their Lisa Fiaola Cup unit finished just one win out of the Top 8 after falling to the Central Coast Roosters on Saturday.
Courtney Crawford's Tarsha Gale girls will be looking to defend their crown after they went a perfect 10-0 to take home the title a year ago.
Illawarra won seven of their eight outings with a two-point loss to Canterbury in Round 3 their only blemish.
They will be chasing the club's third Tarsha Gale Cup premiership after sealing their third minor premiership over the weekend.
"Saturday was a tough battle, and I am just really proud of how the girls responded when our backs were against the wall," Crawford said.
"The Roosters got some momentum in the second half off the back of our errors, but we kept turning up for one another and ultimately that’s what led to us taking the two points... Being Minor Premiers is definitely a huge achievement and something the group should be extremely proud of, especially given how close the competition is this year but, at the end of the day, we want to be there on Grand Final day so we will be doing everything we can to make sure that happens."
The Steelers will face the Panthers – who they have not met this season – in week one of the finals with the winner advancing to a Preliminary Final.
Their Harold Matthews group meanwhile pieced together a dominant regular season of their own dropping just one game to the Roosters in testing conditions in Round 8.
They capped their regular season off with a 32-10 win over Balmain at Leichhardt Oval.
Illawarra won Harold Matthews Cup minor premierships in 2005 and 2011 but were defeated in the Grand Final both seasons.
They will be chasing their first premiership in the age group and begin their finals campaign with a showdown against the Newcastle Knights who they have not met this season.
At SG Ball level, Shaun Timmins' men find themselves preparing for a do-or-die showdown against the Storm who they beat 20-12 in Round 1.
Their attack has been humming of late with the side having poured on 50-plus in two of their final three regular season outings.
Halves Kade Reed and Aaymon Fitzgibbon have been clinical for Illawarra whilst middle forwards Daniel Meafou and Leeroy Weatherall have begun to hit their straps after missing the early part of the season.
