DREW Hutchison only had one chance in the NRL this year, but when his opportunity arrived for NSW Premiership glory, he made the most of it.
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The halfback – who made a game-changing impact off the bench in the preliminary final win over Newtown –slotted a field goal with six minutes left, as the Illawarra Cutters beat Mounties 21-20 on Sunday.
Former Dragons playmaker Sam Williams, who returned to Canberra this year, had two chances to send the grand final to extra-time, but missed in the frantic final moments. The nail-biting finish seemed a world away from Illawarra’s breathtaking blitz in the opening minutes, as they led by 16, the scoreboard running ahead of the clock.
Levi Dodd opened the scoring after just four minutes, before the NRL experience of Kurt Mann and Kalifa Fai Fai Loa extended the advantage.
Had Mann not been offside when he gather in a kick to setup another try-scoring opportunity, the Cutters’ lead may have been unassailable.
Instead, Mounties hit back, trailing 16-14 at half-time, before powering to the lead as hot favourites Mounties hit the front three minutes ater the resumption.
But with the NRL talent of Josh Dugan, Tyson Frizell, Ben Creagh and Benji Marshall at Pirtek Stadium, the Cutters found another level.
Fai Fai Loa levelled the scores with 15 minutes remaining, then Hutchison coolly put them in front with six minutes left.
“We wanted to start fast and that’s what we did,” captain and Irish international Tyrone McCarthy said afterwards.
“They clawed their way back into the game and we just knew it was going be won in the 80th minutes and that was the case.
“It was definitely worth it.
“Drew, he’s cool as a cucumber, slotting that one over. I was a bit nervous at the end there, for Sam (Williams) kicking the (field) goals, but I’m just really happy mate.”
The Cutters, who finished four games behind Mounties on the NSW Premiership ladder, now take on Queensland Cup champions Burleigh on NRL grand final day at ANZ Stadium.
McCarthy has previously tasted success in the 2014 interstate challenge, when Northern Pride defeated Penrith.
Adam Quinlan, who has not been retained by the Dragons for next year, was named man-of-the-match.
INTERSTATE
CHAMPIONSHIP
Grand final
Sunday (3.40pm)
ILLAWARRA CUTTERS v BURLEIGH BEARS
ANZ Stadium
Tim Barrow
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
When it comes to sport - at professional and community level - in the Illawarra, I'm here to provide insight, context and opinion, as well as the latest news you won't find anywhere else.
