St Marys will be looking to bring home not one but two pieces of silverware this Sunday evening when their Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield teams play in the Grand Final of their respective competitions.
Minor Premiers St Marys will be gunning for their first-ever Ron Massey Cup title when they take on the Wentworthville Magpies at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, while St Marys’ Sydney Shield side, who were also crowned Minor Premiers, will be aiming for back-to-back premierships when they face the Hills Bulls.
It was a sensational and historic season for both St Marys outfits, with the Ron Massey Cup team going undefeated during the regular season, while their Sydney Shield counterparts dropped just one game on their way to their second consecutive Grand Final.
St Marys qualified for this Sunday’s Sydney Shield decider against Hills after defeating crosstown rivals Penrith Brothers in the semi-finals. Following a week off to recharge the batteries, the Saints are determined more than ever to go back-to-back.
“We’ve definitely had a great regular season this year but there’s one game that counts and it’s this one this Sunday,” Saints co-captain Mason Iaria told the Weekender.
“It’ll be a huge success for St Marys if we win again. Hopefully we can bring it home.”
St Marys Ron Massey Cup co-skipper Zac Greene is also hoping to deliver the proud club a premiership, their first for that particular competition.
The Saints went 16-0 during the home and away season but unbelievably dropped their first semi-final to this Sunday’s opponents Wentworthville. Earning a second bite at the cherry, they bounced back a week later over Glebe 52-0, to set up a mouthwatering rematch against the Magpies.
“We don’t want to feel that again. It’s never a good feeling to lose but I think it might have been the wake-up call that we needed,” Greene told the Weekender.
“As soon as our game against Glebe was over, the team were reflecting with a beer after the game – we desperately wanted another crack at the Magpies to rectify what happened last time.
“There’s a lot of history between the two clubs. Wenty knocked St Marys off in both the 2018 and 2019 Grand Finals, so it’s always a really good contest.”
Greene has been a member of the Saints for the past four seasons but only recently returned from an ankle reconstruction in Round 9. The crafty halfback said it will be an emotional atmosphere at St Marys Leagues Club on Sunday if the Saints get up.
“It would mean the absolute world to the people on the Board and those who support this club every weekend if we win on Sunday – and that drives us,” Greene said.
“You want to make these blokes happy, you want to see them smile, and have a beer with them after the game.
“To bring it home would be pretty special and emotional.
This Sunday’s matches will be live-streamed on NSWRLTV.
Nathan Taylor
Nathan Taylor is the Weekender's Deputy Editor and Senior Sports Writer. He also compiles the weekly Chatter on the Box TV column. Nathan is an award-winning journalist, who has worked at the Weekender for a decade.