Harlequins will face off against Melbourne in the final of the Dewar Shield this Saturday. The minor premiers halted Power House’s finals run with a comfortable 32-5 win at Ashwood Reserve.
Melbourne however, were forced to fight to the end in a tense encounter against Moorabbin at Orrong Rd. The home side skipped out to an early lead, up 10-0 after ten minutes. The Rams fought back through a penalty goal to Vailoaloa and a try to fullback Malo Young-Yen, after some enterprising play from Joe Kimana, to take the score to 10-8.
Melbourne crossed off the back of a lineout in the 25th minute to stretch the lead to 17-8, and when Jordan Fowles was penalised and shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle the home side slotted the penalty to open up a twelve point lead.
Moorabbin flanker, Fowles, returning after penance on the sideline was in the right spot at the right time to finish off textbook sideline to sideline play and the visitors, buoyed by the support of the vocal travelling fans went into the break trailing 20-15.
The Rams failed to capitalise on their momentum and the loss of Kimana for the second half, along with lateral running and inside balls to the constantly surprised front row, combined to extinguish the spark the visitors had in the late stages of the first half.
Melbourne should have been down to fourteen after the referee somehow missed a blatant shoulder charge, and the visitors piled on the pressure get close on a number of occasions, including a chance that went begging when the final pass was spilt over the line. Eventually the pressure told and the Rams crashed over through prop Turi Uini, to level the scores at 20 apiece.
Melbourne stirred into action and re-captured the lead through three points taken off the back of a scrum penalty, before the yellow card count was squared up when the home side went down to fourteen. The visitors shunned the easy points in favour of a scrum, and when they were penalised for collapsing you could be forgiven for thinking that this might not be the their day.
The home side went for the kill and after winning multiple scrum penalties close to the line were awarded a penalty try to stretch the lead to 30-20 with only minutes left to play. Moorabbin scrambled for the ball off the kick off and threw everything at the home side; they eventually crossed in the corner through prop Nathaniel Iona. While the extras were added it was all too late and the whistle was blown for full time before the re-start could be taken.
Melbourne will be looking to take their 4th title in five years, while minor premiers Harlequin will be chasing their first title since 2004. The two sides last met in the Harold Mitchell Cup with Melbourne taking the trophy 29-8. Box Hill Rugby Club will again host Grand Final Day, with the main game kicking off at 3.15
