EXCITING Terrigal Avoca forward Harrison Pitt broke the back of the Cardiff Hawks again and booked the Panthers a place in a 10th straight Black Diamond Cup grand final.
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After kicking six majors against Cardiff in the final round, Pitt bagged four in the preliminary final on Saturday as the defending premiers powered to a resounding victory, 10.12-72 to 3.7-25.
The Panthers will now meet minor premiers Killarney Vale in an all-Central Coast decider at Adelaide Street Oval next Saturday
"We are thrilled as a club to make another grand final," Terrigal player-coach Chris Bishop said.
'Harrison was outstanding, probably the best on ground. He was constantly leading up the ground and connecting for us. Then he obviously finished his work off. Kurt Fleming our captain was also very good off the back flank and Jayson van Dam at centre half back was strong."
Cardiff kicked three goals in the first half and were still at the contest at the major break, trailing 36-20.
But from there it was all the Panthers. They turned up the screws defensively and limited the Hawks to five behinds in the second half.
"We starved them of the football," Bishop said. "We really tried to spread the ground and took away the opportunity for them to run. They missed a few easy goals. Their inaccuracy didn't help them. Just the ability to slow the game down on our terms was probably the difference."
The last time Terrigal Avoca and Killarney Vale met in a grand final was in 2014. The Panthers prevailed that day.
"We have no injuries which is great," Bishop said. "We will freshen up and concentrate on us. Now I just have the headache of picking the team to beat Killarney Vale.
"It will be the fourth time we have played them. There are no secrets. They obviously have the home-ground advantage. "It is a really tight ground and will be a battle.
"Every time we have played them this season it has been wet conditions. Hopefully we get some dry weather."
In the women's preliminary final, Skye Bailey and Jasmin Rivers starred as Killarney Vale edged out Cardiff 3.4-22 to 3-.2-20 to book a date in the grand final.
It was the first time the Bombers have beaten the Hawks in four attempts this season. They will meet minor premiers Newcastle City in the decider.
James Gardiner
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
James Gardiner, chief football and rugby writer at the Newcastle Herald.
