Grand finals battles at Swamp

Before the Arorangi Cowboys stampeded into the Swamp to win the 2010 grand final over the Avatiu Eels – grand finals battles was full on at the Swamp from 11.30am on Saturday.

The women’s City versus Country grand finals got the ball rolling with the majority of the girls involved in the Borneo sevens training – there was a marked improvement in the overall standard of their game skills and fitness.

The Country team was obviously missing their try scoring machine in Patricia Taea who is currently overseas as the City team went on to win the match.

Tries for the City team were scored by Vania Robati and Pare Tangata while the Country’s solo try came via Moana Maui.

Akaiti Purea of the country team was awarded the most valuable player of the year award.

In the Whatever Bar and Grill senior B grade a sweetly struck 30 metre drop goal by Cowboys first five-eighths Pomare Pokipoki two minutes before fulltime was sufficient for the Cowboys to win this closely fought match 8-6 against a valiant Eels team.

For much of the second-half the Eels could smell victory and a surprise result looked to be on the cards against their highly fancied opponents as they went about their business.

Jean-Pierre Rongokea of the Cowboys was the most valuable player in the grade for the season.

In the Budget Rental and Polynesian Bike Hire under 19 grade the Panthers ‘Aiutaki’ X-factor came to the fore with centre Teu Paerau and Nga Simiona both scoring two tries each. The Panthers prove too strong for their Eels opponents to win the grade grand final 34-3.

In the Origin Energy under 16 division the scores were locked at 12-12 between the Cowboys and Eels as full time loomed.

That was until the Cowboys flanker McKenzie Karati was driven-over the try line for their match-winning try. The Cowboys beating the favoured Eels team 17-12 with the Cowboys Robert Heather Jnr the player of the grade.

In the FBI under 13 grade – the Panthers carved up as they have done all season.

The Cowboys tried hard all game and this was a massive improvement from when these two teams last met during the round competition. Panthers first five-eighths Othneil Joseph led the way with four tries to help his team win and earn the MVP player award.