Match Report: Sydney Shield Grand Final

The teams traded tries in a thriller where only three from nine tries were converted.

Tamoko Berryman-Duff proved to be the deciding factor, kicking a penalty goal at the death to level the scores and then slotting a field goal 14 minutes later to bring the Sydney Shield back to the Northern Beaches.

Manly’s Max Lehmann and Wentworthville’s Elias Abou-Mrad both scored hat-tricks but it was centre Justin Burt who walked away with the Man of the Match award.

Manly become the ninth team to win the competition in just their second year participating.

Wenty opened the scoring in the seventh minute after capitalising on an error, with Elias Abou-Mrad scoring in the corner for an early 4-0 lead.

Manly ran rampant with four tries to find themselves with a 16-4 lead at half-time.

A quick shift to the right edge and a strong run by Max Lehmann saw the full-back crash over and level the scores at 4-all.

Lehmann bagged his second try in the 22nd minute. The full-back dragged two defenders with him and burrowed past another to score in the corner for an 8-4 lead.

Wentworthville continued to struggle under the pressure as Manly scored their third. Second-rower Khan Symonds-Magee beat the opposing full-back in an aerial contest before quickly passing to Lachlan Burt who dived in the corner to push the lead out to 12-4. 

Witika Rees-Hatu stepped up with an individual effort to score on the stroke of half-time. The five-eighth fooled the defence with a dummy pass and slipped through two defenders to score in the corner. 

Despite Burt’s sensational efforts with the tee throughout the season, he was unable to convert any of his four attempts from the sideline, with his side holding a 12-point lead heading into the sheds.

The break worked wonders for the Magpies, with the side coming out firing with two tries in five minutes as Abou-Mrad completed his hat-trick for a 16-14 scoreline. 

Back-to-back penalties in Manly’s territory saw Wentworthville convert a penalty goal to level the scores at 16-all in the 58th minute.

A strong break by Justin Burt saw Manly 20 metres out from the line. A tactical decision to hold up the play by Wentworthville full-back Liam Davidson saw him sent to the sin-bin in the 67th minute, leaving his side a man down in the dying stages.

Lachlan Burt missed his kick from next to the posts to continue his tough day on the tee, resulting in a 20-metre drop-out.

Despite being a man down, Wentworthville surged downfield to score and take the lead for the first time since the seventh minute. Darcy Brettle converted for a 22-16 scoreline.

Manly turned defence into attack and scored when it mattered most. The side forced an error over the tryline and stormed downfield off the back of a penalty to score.

A smart off-load by captain Nicholas Bilsborough and a quick pass by Braithwaite Alexander sent Lehmann through a gap to complete his hat-trick. Burt converted from in front to level the scores at 22-all with four minutes to play.

In heartbreaking fashion, Brettle kicked a 42-metre field goal to give Wentworthville a 24-22 lead with less then two minutes remaining.

With the game on the line, Manly were awarded a penalty for a high tackle just shy of the 20-metre line. Tamoko Berryman-Duff stepped up and converted to level the scores once again at 24-all, with the siren sounding for full-time.

Manly had the best chances to snatch a victory in the two periods of extra-time but came short despite some great attack.

A looping 40-metre field goal attempt by Rees-Hatu in the 90th minute went agonisingly short, bouncing back to a chasing Manly player that forced an error, leading to the siren sounding and golden point commencing.

After a wayward attempt by Wentworthville, Berryman-Duff stepped up an kicked a field goal from 18 metres out in the 94th minute to seal a 25-24 victory for Manly Leagues.

Manly Leagues 25 (Tries: Lehmann 3, L.Burt, Rees-Hatu. Conversions: L.Burt 1/5, Berryman-Duff. Field Goal: Berryman-Duff) def. Wentworthville United 24 (Tries: Abou-Mrad 3, Tonise. Conversions: Brettle 3/5)