Will Penrith Brothers winger Joshua Smith save the day again so his Sydney Shield team can continue on their winning ways when they face Ryde-Eastwood Hawks in this weekend’s Minor Semi-final?
His second try in the dying stages of extra time against the Roosters last week turned a 16-17 deficit into a 20-17 victory.
It’s a similar story for the Wentworthville Magpies in Ron Massey Cup after they outlasted Mounties 24-14 to earn the right to take on St Marys in the Minor Semi-final.
It’s sudden death again for the Brothers and the Magpies and both matches at St Marys Leagues Stadium will be live streamed tomorrow on NSWRL TV.
The Major Semi-finals on the same day/same venue bring the Minor Premiers for both competitions – St Marys in Sydney Shield and the Hills Bulls in Ron Massey Cup – into the action for the first time since they earned themselves a bye in Week One of the finals.
St Marys have to be on their guard for an in-form Hills Bulls in Sydney Shield, after they dispensed with Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 38-8 last weekend in the seven tries to two victory, with centre Declan Murray scoring a hat-trick.
Hills Bulls were helped in their early first-half scoring spree with two Hawks players sent to the sin-bin giving the opposition a two-man advantage.
The Hills Bulls club features a second time on Saturday, this time in the Ron Massey Cup Major Semi-final, when a resurgent Glebe Dirty Reds lines up after a 28-18 win over St Marys last week.
Fullback James Coyne and centre Jackson Ferris scored late tries, with halfback Eli Levido converting both to secure the win.
The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup still has two games left in the regular club season before the top-five move through to the finals, starting Saturday 3 September.
This weekend the eighth-placed St George Illawarra Dragons host Mounties (10th) in Round 23 action at Collegians in Wollongong as they cling onto a slim hope of finals footy.
The Dragons (24 points) need to win their last two remaining games by healthy margins, while Parramatta and Canberra (both 28pts) in fifth and sixth spots, respectively, must lose both of theirs for the Red-V to advance.
NSWRL TV SCHEDULE
Saturday 20 August
Week Two Finals
Sydney Shield Minor SF: Ryde Eastwood Hawks (3rd) v Penrith Brothers (5th), at St Marys Leagues Stadium, 11am
Ron Massey Cup Major SF: Hills Bulls (1st) v Glebe Dirty Reds (3rd), at St Marys Leagues, 1pm
Sydney Shield Major SF: Hills Bulls (2nd) v St Marys (1st), at St Marys Leagues, 3pm
Ron Massey Cup Minor SF: Wentworthville Magpies (4th) v St Marys (2nd) at St Marys Leagues, 5pm
Sunday 21 August
The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, Round 23: St George Illawarra Dragons v Mounties, Collegians, 11am
