The Illawarra Cutters gave their hometown fans something to sing loudly about on NRL grand final day.

The Cutters didn’t just beat Queensland’s Burleigh to win the Intrust Super Championship, they wiped the park with them winning 54-12.

It was a hugely impressive victory and one worth celebrating hard, which the team has done by all accounts.

Watching the game it was incredibly one-sided and the Cutters wrestled back bragging rights for New South Wales, ending Queensland’s strange-hold on the cup.

After what has been a long and difficult season at the top level for the St George Illawarra Dragons, the Cutters win will bring some joy to the scarlet and white faithful.

Illawarra Steelers and Cutters fan Peter Head summed the feelings of many up perfectly when talking to the Illawarra Mercury about the victory.

He described the moment as something “dreams were made of”.

“To be able to, after 17 years, see the scarlet and white on grand final day was something, probably not that long ago, that we never thought would ever become a reality,” he said. 

“I was probably as emotional as the players at the end of the game, just seeing the boys get up.”

Congratulations to Illawarra half Drew Hutchinson for his man of a the match award, a sure sign the 21-year-old is destined for big things in the NRL.

Congratulations to coach Jason Demetriou and the players for the victory. You have done the Illawarra proud.

Now it’s time for another of our sporting teams to put the Illawarra’s name in lights. 

This week the Illawarra Hawks start their National Basketball League campaign against Adelaide at the WEC on Friday night.

The Hawks won the NBL’s pre-season tournament in a win that surprised many of the so-called experts. 

Yet this team has the potential to do greater things than the side which worked its way back to being a dominant force in the NBL last season.

Get on board because it’s bound to be a wild ride. The Illawarra Mercury will have a special team poster in Friday’s edition.