WESTERN Suburbs coach Matt Lantry believes his club are well placed to bounce back next season from the shock of missing the Newcastle Rugby League play-offs for the first time in almost four decades.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When the five-team finals kick off this weekend, the Rosellas will join Cessnock and Macqaurie as spectators – a disappointment they have not experienced since 1979.
Heading into the last round of the season, West needed a win against Macquarie and for Maitland to beat Kurri to have any chance of clinching a finals berth.
Lantry’s men upheld their end of the bargain, consigning the defending premiers to the wooden spoon with a 26-0 win in a game abandoned at half-time after a torrential downpour flooded Lyall Peacock Field and made the ground unplayable.
But at Kurri Sportsground, the home team rose to the occasion with a 17-10 victory that ensured they finished fifth, setting up a rematch with Maitland in do-or-die semi-final this weekend.
In other last-round results, Lakes United beat South Newcastle 36-20 at Cahill Oval on Saturday to claim the minor premiership, while Central Newcastle outclassed Cessnock 36-16 on Sunday to finish second.
Central and South will clash in this week’s major semi-final.
Lantry was philosophical about a season in which West missed out on signing two high-profile targets, former internationals Frank-Paul Nu'uausala and Willie Tonga, and then encountered a spate of injuries.
“Obviously Wests have had a long history of success, and it’s the first time in a long while we won’t be part of the finals series,” Lantry said.
“It’s more frustrating than disappointing, but not once have we used any excuses.
“As much as it’s a bit doom and gloom and tough to get our heads around at the moment, I think if we sit back and assess this year, we’ve actually put ourselves in a really good position going forward. We’ve given young kids a go out of our junior system, which is perhaps a bit unlike how Wests have done things in the past.
“As a coach who is passionate about seeing young kids who grow up wearing a West jersey progress to first grade, I think we’re prepared to potentially sacrifice a little bit of success in the short term to ensure these kids get an opportunity.
“Through that, we’ll ensure that the program we put in place generates long-term success.”
Lantry pointed to the seven debutants he blooded this season, six of whom were Rosellas juniors.
He was hopeful veteran prop Mark Taufua could be talked into going around again next season, at the age of 36, as well as halfback Luke Walsh, back in his home town after Super League stints with St Helens and Catalans Dragons.
FINAL STANDINGS: Lakes 20, Central 19, South 18, Maitland 18, Kurri Kurri 18, West 16, Cessnock 10, Macquarie 9.