Lakes United complete stunning revival to win Real NRL grand final 2015

LAKES United’s refusal to die kept the club alive in the Newcastle Rugby League during their darkest days.

That same spirit was evident on Sunday when Lakes fought back from an 18-4 half-time deficit to defeat Macquarie 24-18.

In one of the most exciting grand finals in recent memory, both sides delivered an epic of free-flowing football in front of 7000 people at Hunter Stadium.

Three tries in 12 minutes to Lakes winger Matt Craig, fullback Jack Mackin and centre Josh Charles, led by a superb kicking game from halfback Brad Murray, turned the decider on its head.  

Hundreds of Lakes supporters invaded the pitch to embrace the players who had propelled the Belmont club back to the peak of the competition sooner than anyone believed possible.

Just two seasons after failing to win a single game, Lakes are champions.

‘‘What we’ve spoken about this year is the community,’’ Lakes coach Dean Noonan said. ‘‘The boys represent that and do it in the right way, and I’m happy for those people as well.

‘‘We’ve probably copped a bit of criticism for the way we’ve gone about things with our association with the Knights.

‘‘That didn’t happen for eight years. We didn’t hear boo from anyone because Lakes were getting wooden spoons and coming near last, and everyone else might have been happy with that, but Lakes people weren’t.

‘‘Lakes people wanted to turn it around, and that’s what matters to us.’’

An essential part of Lakes’ revival has been the leadership and class of captain Chris Adams.

The former Knights hooker displayed his typical toughness on Sunday by playing with a pain-killing injection for sternum and elbow injuries.

‘‘We obviously weren’t going to let that out, but he needed needles to get through the game, and it’s a credit to his character,’’ Noonan said.

 ‘‘Talk about courage. That bloke has it in spades.’’

For Macquarie, it was the cruellest of defeats.

After 55 minutes the Scorpions seemingly had one hand on their first premiership trophy since 1991.

Macquarie were winning the battle of the ruck and making metres with ease.

Then the old errors crept in, their kicking game came unstuck and the petrol tank ran dry.

In the first half, winger Matt Hay and centre Royce Geoffrey missed near-certain tries, which ultimately came back to haunt Macquarie. 

On two other occasions they were held up by scrambling Lakes defence.

‘‘There’s no excuses when you lead 18-4,’’ Macquarie coach Barrie Moore said.

‘‘Yeah, we had the wind behind us, but we got over the line four times and couldn’t get them down.

‘‘Unfortunately one of them has come back to bite us on the backside in the end.’’

There was no softening-up period or waiting for points.

On the third tackle of the game, Murray shifted the ball to Charles, who then passed to James Vaka for an 80-minute try in the opening minute.

Instead of deflating the Scorpions, it whipped them into action.

Captain Blake Gallen barged over in the seventh minute and then an Andrew Sumner grubber was grounded by Isaac Briggs for a 12-4 Scorpions lead after 22 minutes.

Macquarie’s lead could have grown, but Hay did not  ground a Mitch Manson grubber and Geoffrey was tackled short by a sensational try-saving effort by second-rower Rob Mason.

A forward pass near the break from Lakes provided one last chance for Macquarie.

It was duly taken.

Isaac Briggs worked a flick pass to Josh Schmiedel for the 14-point half-time lead.

Noonan admitted he was concerned at the break, but he said the team had confidence given their reputation for finishing on top of their rivals late in games. 

Asked about the team’s belief to win games from anywhere, Noonan said:  ‘‘The more the season went on and the more we started to achieve things, it probably developed into something where it got to the point where the proof is in the pudding.’’ 

The revival began when a backline switch led to a Craig try in the corner.

Lakes kept coming.

A Murray bomb was batted back to Mackin, who used every centimetre of Hunter Stadium to score an acrobatic try in the corner.

Then, two minutes later, another Murray bomb was planted by Charles for a 22-18 lead.

Murray completed the six-point win and an 11th premiership  when he slotted a late penalty. 

MARCEL Ikinofo said his decision to remain loyal to Lakes United had been duly rewarded after starring in the club’s dramatic 24-18 win over Macquarie in the Newcastle Rugby League grand final on Sunday.

The 22-year-old centre was a surprise choice for the JJ ‘‘Mo’’ Wilson Medal for the man of the match in the decider, however, his barnstorming running game helped turn the tide for Lakes in the final 20 minutes.

Fellow centre Josh Charles and halfback Brad Murray, who kicked three sideline conversions and had a hand in three of the four tries, also made strong claims for the medal.

Lakes’ 19-year-old fullback, Jack Mackin, also scored a magnificent try and assisted in another in his final game for the club before he moves home to Brisbane for work. 

Macquarie captain Blake Gallen starred for the losers.

Ikinofo arrived at the Belmont club in 2013 from the west Auckland suburb of Avondale, after being recruited by former coach and club legend Rip Taylor.

Despite Lakes failing to win a game, Ikinofo scored seven tries and was among the Seagulls’ best.  

Rival clubs were interested in the stocky flyer, but Ikinofo was convinced to stay at Cahill Oval by new coach Dean Noonan.

‘‘I’d been through a tough year with Lakes two years ago, but I stuck with them and it’s paid off in the end and I’m very happy to be here,’’ Ikinofo said. ‘‘At first I was tempted to leave, but then Dean Noonan came on board and got me headed in the right direction and everything started to fall into place.’’

Ikinofo has spent time over the past two seasons in the Knights NSW Cup side, but his focus in the future is on defending Lakes’ premiership.

‘‘I’ve had my stint here and there, but it’s got  to the point that I’m kind of over it,’’ he said. 

By JOSH LEESON

BARRIE Moore might not have enjoyed that farewell premiership he so badly sought, but he predicts grand final success is coming to Macquarie.

Sunday’s grand final loss to Lakes ended Moore’s  two-year tenure as first-grade coach at the Toronto club.

As one of the  characters of the local league, Moore brought plenty of passion to the role, from speaking his mind freely about refereeing decisions to dancing on the sideline with joy when the Scorpions finally broke a seven-game finals hoodoo.

But the  legacy he leaves his successor and assistant Adam Bettridge is a host of home-grown rookies who came narrowly close to winning a premiership.

‘‘I know we didn’t do that well in the club championship this year, but to make the grand final was a big bonus, and there were so many juniors coming through and there’s plenty more in 19s, opens and reserve grades,’’ Moore said.

‘‘We only need another one or two experienced blokes sprinkled among them and they’ll be a force next year.’’

‘‘I think it’ll only leave them in good stead for years to come. They’ve been on the big stage now.

‘‘None of them were ashamed out there to today, they put their hand up. We just ran out of puff.’’

Moore hopes to continue his coaching career with one of the junior Newcastle Rebels representative teams next year.

He pulled a few selection surprises in his last game.

Veteran prop Danny Vaughan was on the bench but withdrew after re-breaking his left arm in last weekend’s preliminary final win over Western Suburbs.

Vaughan’s omission forced Moore to add Teason Fa’avae-Eli to the bench. The centre had not played since his medial ligament was torn in an illegal tackle on July 25.

Fa’avae-Eli entered the fray midway through second half and finished the game.