FIGTREE has been dramatically promoted into Sunday's Illawarra Second Division grand final after their final-round defeat at the hands of Avondale was sensationally overturned on Tuesday.
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Figtree went down 48-30 to Avondale last Saturday, a result that saw Helensburgh advance past the Crushers into the decider after seeing off Windang 36-16.
However, it's understood subsequent investigations by the Illawarra Rugby League found Avondale to have fielded a player who had only served three games of a four-match suspension.
It saw the result altered in accordance with NSW Rugby League policies, with the IDRL board of management confirming the development in a statement on Tuesday evening.
"Following the final round of the Illawarra Rugby League competitions on Saturday 19 September, the top two teams in all senior grades were set to advance to grand finals this weekend," the statement read.
"An anomaly uncovered in the second division Avondale v Figtree match sheets has been confirmed by the board of management. In accordance with NSWRL policies and procedures, the match result, which was a win by Avondale, has now been declared a forfeit by Avondale and points awarded to the Figtree RLFC."
It sees Figtree now finish the regular season on 12 competition points, along with minor premiers Wests and Helensburgh, with the Crushers superior points differential seeing them leapfrog the Tigers into Sunday's grand final at Ziems Park.
"The integrity of match results and competitions is a non-negotiable" IDRL chairman Gerry Murphy said.
"As a result of this anomaly the makeup of our grand finalists has been altered which is not a desired outcome, but the NSWRL policies are clear about how these issues are addressed.
"The board will further consider this matter and the circumstances that lead to this anomaly, and if further action is warranted."
It will give the Crushers the unique opportunity of claiming consecutive premierships more than two decades apart having only been re-established this season after folding following its last title in 1997.
It is a heartbreaking development for the Tigers - who fielded five sides in senior grades this season - in what was the club's return to the Shield competition.
President Dave Bell confirmed the club will pursue all measures to have the matter re-examined and see the Tigers re-instated to the decider.
"We've been notified today and we're looking into how the decision was made and what our avenues are going forward," Bell said.
"The boys are preparing as if they're playing. We've informed them we'll be looking every avenue possible to reward them for what has been a great season and hopefully the two best teams will eventually take the field on the weekend.
"With what we've gone through to get sides on the field this season, we'd love our boys to play, they deserve it to be honest."
Figtree coach Glen Carlson said the reprieve was unexpected but, having had one less bye than all four of their rivals this season, has no doubt his side deserves to be there.
"After the weekend's disappointment it was a bit of a surprise to hear we're back in, it's probably not the way we would've wanted to, but we'll take it," Carlson said.
"We didn't mention the one bye thing too much at the end of the year but, having two free points to all the other teams' four, we probably should've been in the grand final anyway.
"The boys deserve it. Some people don't play in grand finals their whole career and, with the group of young blokes we've got, we're doing it in our first year back so it's exciting.
"We didn't do Mad Monday thank God, so the boys don't have that under their belt. We played Wests a couple of weeks ago and got over the top of them there so not too much will change, we'll just be looking to put two full halves together and see what happens."
It's another post-season headache for the league that was last year forced to strip Wests undefeated reserve grade side out of the club championship and rub the club out of the finals after it inadvertently fielding an unregistered in nine matches through the regular season.
The Wests-Figtree second division grand final will be the curtain-raiser to the Open Age decider featuring Avondale and Thirroul at Ziems Park on Sunday.