Rugby League Coaching Manuals

The University of Queensland Hounds will be out for revenge this Saturday when they battle it out with the Griffith University Dragons in the 2009 Universities Rugby League Grand Final at Langlands Oval, Stones Corner.

In a replay of the 2008 decider, the Hounds will this time go in as underdogs against a powerful Dragons line-up, with Griffith taking in a slight psychological advantage courtesy of their Round 1 victory over the Hounds.

While Griffith coasted into this week’s grand final thanks to their minor premiership win, the Hounds qualified thanks to their hard fought 18-16 victory over the QUT Trouts on Monday night.

In an enthralling semi-final encounter played at a greasy Griffith University Nathan campus, the Hounds fought back from an early 8-0 deficit to run out narrow two point victors.

Trouts winger Jay Fowler opened the scoring in just the 4th minute for QUT, accepting a neat cut-out pass to squeeze over in the corner for a 4-0 advantage.

Mistakes were proving costly for the Hounds, with repeat sets allowing QUT five-eighth Tom Simpson to weave his way over for an 8-0 advantage.

UQ were able to hit back just minutes before the break though, with Hounds fullback Greg Tobin finishing off some neat work from halves Mick Ellis and Drew Tobin to narrow the gap to 8-6 at the break.

But an inspiring half-time speech saw the Trouts burst out of the blocks, with a series of blindside raids resulting in a try to winger Peter Marsden for a 12-6 advantage.

A 60th minute scuffle between the Trouts Michael Fahley and the Hounds Steve Harling saw them both sent to the sin bin, with the resulting penalty allowing the Hounds to cross wide out and narrow the gap to 12-10.

With the Hounds deep on the attack and looking dangerous, QUT’s Jackson Darby scooped up a loose UQ pass and raced 80 metres to score under the posts, with the normally reliable goal-kicking boot of Richard Kirkbright deserting him as his conversion attempt cannoned into the upright.

But as they have done all season, the Hounds displayed tremendous grit to claw there way back into the game, and it was game on when winger David Bielenberg crossed in the corner to level the scores with 5 minutes left on the clock.

A contentious 78th minute penalty goal to Trevor McLeary handed the Hounds victory, resigning an undermanned but plucky Trouts outfit to a heart breaking two point loss.
 
URLQ Semi Finals Results
UQ Hounds 18 (Greg Tobin, Peter Marsden, David Bielenberg tries; Trevor McLeary 3 goals)defeated QUT Trouts 16 (Jay Fowler, Tom Simpson, Kyle Panebianio, Jackson Darby tries) At Griffith University Nathan

Grand Final – Griffith Dragons v UQ Hounds at Langlands Oval, Saturday 6th June