Saturday August 23 2008
First Grade: 3.05pm
Easts (2) v Royals (3) at Viking Park No.1, Wanniassa
Round 4: Royals 45 defeated Easts 31 at Griffith Oval
Round 11: Easts 54 defeated Royals 23 at Phillip Oval
Easts and Royals will contest Saturday’s Tooheys New John I Dent Cup preliminary final at Viking Park for the right to face Queanbeyan in next week’s competition decider.
Both matches between the two sides this season have been high-scoring, entertaining affairs and, with the calibre of players on offer, this weekend’s clash will be no different.
Easts will run out the same XV that pushed Queanbeyan to the end during last weekend’s 17-12 major semi final loss while Royals have also named an unchanged line-up to the one that beat Gungahlin 40-24 in Sunday’s minor semi final.
The match provides a mouthwatering match-up between Royals’ 2008 Macdougall Medalist Sokai Tai and opposing blindside flanker, fellow top try scorer and Macdougall Medal runner-up Henry Vanderglas. Out wide Easts’ renowned try scorer Aufaga Lafaele and John Duggan, who provided the Queanbeyan defence with many headaches last weekend, will face off against Royals’ dual try scorer from last weekend, Jason Swain, and devastating ball runner Jason Laga’ali.
A win to the tri-colours would set them up for their first grand final since 1973 and a chance to return their first title since 1947 – which is the club’s only premiership. Royals’ last grand final appearance came during their lost to Wests in 2002.
Easts: 1. Paul Bithel, 2. Reza Almasi, 3. Eddie Zarb, 4. Sam Shirley, 5. Sione Asohivi, 6. Henry Vanderglas, 7. Jack Vanderglas, 8. Tai Tahlo, 9. Phil Wihapi, 10. Jeremy Osborne, 11. Aufaga Lafaele, 12. Darryl Wihapi, 13. Ben Hewitt, 14. John Duggan, 15. Adi Ison
Royals: 1. Eugene Mulipola, 2. Robbie Abel, 3. Kesomi Lolotonga, 4. Damien Abby, 5. Luke Regan, 6. Sokai Tai, 7. Naseri Naseri, 8. Thenus Jacobs, 9. Brent Hamlin, 10. Craig McMahon, 11. Jason Swain, 12. AJ Abel, 13. Tim Cornforth, 14. Jason Laga’ali, 15. Ben Johnson
Referee: Brett Bowden
Reserve Grade: 1.30pm
Queanbeyan (1) v Tuggeranong (3) at Viking Park No.1, Wanniassa
Round 2: Queanbeyan 35 defeated Tuggeranong 27 at Campese Field
Round 9: Queanbeyan 24 defeated Tuggeranong 15 at Viking Park
Colts: 11.55am
Tuggeranong (2) v Uni-Norths (4) at Viking Park No.1, Wanniassa
Round 5: Uni-Norths 20 defeated Tuggeranong 12 at Viking Park
Round 12: Tuggeranong 26 defeated Uni-Norths 14 at ANU North
Third Grade 12.10pm
Tuggeranong (2) v Gungahlin (3) Viking Park No.2, Wanniassa
Round 4: Tuggeranong 36 defeated Gungahlin 25 at Nicholls Enclosed Oval
Round 11: Gungahlin 48 defeated Tuggeranong 24 at Viking Park
Fourth Grade: 10.35am
Easts (2) v Royals (3) at Viking Park No.2, Wanniassa
Round 4: Royals 17 defeated Easts 14 at Griffith Oval
Round 11: Easts 17 defeated Royals 14 at Phillip Oval
Women: 1.45pm
Royals (1) v Queanbeyan (3) at Viking Park No.2, Wanniassa
Round 3: Royals 70 defeated Queanbeyan 17 at Phillip Oval
Round 11: Royals 43 defeated Queanbeyan 15 at Campese Oval