TRIUMPHANT Maitland coach Noel Dent said his team had answered every critic on and off the field after the Pickers won their first Newcastle Rugby League premiership in 27 years yesterday by beating Cessnock 24-8.
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A estimated crowd of 13,500 packed into No.1 Sportsground for the first all-Coalfields decider since 1983 and they witnessed a clinical four-tries-to-one display by the minor premiers.
The loss was the Goannas' third-straight grand final defeat and a sad end for their coach Todd Edwards who announced midway through the season this would be his last at the helm of Cessnock.
Two years ago the Pickers were a financial mess, unable to field sides in the NRL.
The club's revival this season after re-joining the competition last season has been nothing short of miraculous.
The Pickers won the reserve grade minor and major premierships without losing a game after beating Central Newcastle 22-4 yesterday, they won their first club championship since 1988 and are first grade minor and major premiers.
Maitland supporters also outnumbered the traditionally parochial Cessnock crowd yesterday, in a clear indication that rugby league is now thriving in the heartland town.
However, there is plenty of anger among other NRL clubs at Maitland's handling of the salary cap drama mid-season, where players accepted pay cuts to keep them from exceeding the $180,000 salary cap after the June 30 player transfer deadline.
Departing coach Dent said he was proud of the resolve his boys had shown to overcome the scandal.
"To have that drama halfway through, and despite what anyone hears, the meeting [where players decided to take pay cuts] took a minute," Dent said.
"We were prepared to publish all contracts, put points on the table.
"People know what's gone on in this comp for the last five or six years with the major clubs and that's why in the end basically some clubs shit themselves when push came to shove.
"I think we've answered everything."
For the opening 10 minutes both sides were conscious of completing their sets and getting to their kick.
The Pickers' first trip into the Goannas' 10-metre zone brought points when centre Dan Randall cut through off a scrum win.
Randall has struggled in recent weeks with a tendon injury in his wrist and had a painkilling injection yesterday to play.
In the 20th minute Cessnock supersub Matt Marshall sparked a try when he grubbered from dummy-half for Luke Gardner to score.
A Joby Patten penalty six minutes before half-time gave Cessnock a 8-6 lead.
But it was the Pickers who took the lead into the break after referee Daryn Smith penalised Cessnock for dragging Maitland halfback Mick Moran into touch after the tackle was complete. After the tap Pickers prop Ash Hazelton strolled through a yawning gap for a 12-8 lead.
In the 44th minute a cut-out pass from Patten nearly put Jacob Jenkinson over in the corner, but the Cessnock winger was monstered into touch by winger Willie Pole'o.
Poor discipline from the Goannas gave Maitland a penalty on their line and again Randall cut through soft defence for a try in the 54th minute.
Cessnock's frustration grew in the second half as dropped balls and penalties against them for high shots killed their hopes of a fightback.
Eighteen-year-old halfback Tyler Sullivan sliced open Maitland to provide a flicker of hope with six minutes remaining, but after he passed to Chris Pyne scrambling defence from Gavin Quinn prevented the try.
Pole'o was sent off while playing for Cessnock in the 2009 grand final loss to Wyong, but he enjoyed a jubilant end to this year's decider by punishing his former team and scoring the final try in the 75th minute.
Five-eighth Jade Porter cut open Goannas then passed to Pole'o who palmed off Trent Walker with force then dived over in the corner to start the black and white faithful partying like it was 1983.
1st Grade: Maitland 24 (D Randall 2, W Pole'o, A Hazelton tries; M Moran 4 goals) Cessnock 8 (L Gardner try; J Patten 2 goals). Reserve Grade: Maitland 22 (M Johnson, E Price, A Swadling tries; B Birch 5 goals) Central Newcastle 4 (D Durston-Graham try). Presidents Cup: Western Suburbs 34 (L Poolman 2, C Davis 2, J Thompson, R Nixon, M Redman tries; M Redman 2 goals) Wyong 8 (M Ross 2, D Hewitt, B Richards tries; B Potts goal).
