Grade Grand Final Saturday Concord Oval Fourth Grade starts 9.05 am Third Grade starts 10.50 am Second Grade starts 12.50 pm First Grade starts 3.10 pm
By Paul Treanor
Well the day is almost upon us. Four Eastwood teams stamped their authority on proceedings last Sunday with all four winning and going through to this week’s Grand Final. A historical Grand Final as it has worked out with the four Sydney University sides also qualifying to meet Eastwood at Concord Oval in the finale of the year. This is the first time in the history of the Sydney Rugby Competition two Clubs will play out the four Grade Finals. It is possibly a first across all sports at this level. In 1980, Randwick and Gordon came close with Gordon fielding four teams and Randwick three. The only other Club present that day was Eastwood in third grade. Clubs have previously achieved the outstanding feat of getting all four teams into the Grand Final but never two Clubs in the same year. The last Club to do it was Randwick back in 2010 when they could only win one game on the day. Sydney University last did it back in 2005 and were successful in three of the grades, while Eastwood last achieved it in 2001 when they could only come away with one win. Winning all four grades in the one year has never happened. Glebe back in 1900 won all three grades contested but there was no fourth grade played that year. So this year both Clubs have the opportunity to create further history by winning all four grades. Will it be Eastwood? Will you be there to watch history been made? Forget the washing, doing the lawns, shopping for groceries, get down to Concord Oval early this Saturday and cheer on the Eastwood teams as they take on the Sydney University Club. This is a once only opportunity to be able to tell your grand kids you were at Concord Oval the day four Eastwood sides took on four University sides in the Grade Grand Finals, and who knows, it could also be the first time Eastwood take out all four premierships in the one year. The Preliminary Final last Sunday showed all the strengths of the Eastwood Club across all four grades. Fourth grade showed that belief in themselves and the game plan would lead to the winning try just minutes before full time. A restart that saw Eastern Suburbs regain possession and a final Easts attacking raid snuffed out with the ball carrier escorted over the side line meters from the try line to end the match. They are ready to take on the Minor Premiers this Saturday. Third Grade found themselves under intense attack from Manly in the last quarter of their game and lost two players to the sin bin. Their determination not to surrender to the pressure and not allow Manly to score any points during this period. In fact a scrum win against the feed with a forward down was just outstanding and showed the Eastwood Club Spirit and Determination. They are also playing the Minor Premiers and will bring the full force of Eastwood to the match. Second Grand had no trouble taking out the Minor Premiers with a complete display of attack and defence. They have now beaten Sydney University and Manly in their last two outings and know what is needed on Saturday to beat the Students again. First Grade finished the day off in style with one of their most complete performances of the season. They displayed how you dominate the pace and flow of the game and in doing so not let the opposition into the game. With wins over Sydney University in their last eight meetings the pressure will be on the “professionals” to work out how to beat the Minor Premiers, Eastwood. The crowd last Sunday was the biggest for any game this year. A Manly twitter was upset the beer lines were 30 deep. Something you would never see at Manly Oval. So lets all get down to Concord Oval in our blue and white and show why Eastwood has the biggest following of supporters. Experience history as our four outstanding teams go about displaying the Eastwood Way of playing running Rugby.