The Stingrays are the new kings of Shellharbour after downing the Sharks 26-16 at Ron Costello Oval on Sunday to secure the club its first ever first-grade Group Seven rugby league minor premiership.
Stingrays player-coach Tom Warner said the win was the biggest and best ever in the Stingrays history.
And Warner can take a lot of credit for ending the Sharks' 11-game winning streak, crashing over for two tries in his own team's seventh straight success.
Warner's second try saw the inspirational skipper accept a great pass from five-eighth William Heda and run 40 metres unopposed to score in the corner.
At that stage it looked like the Stingrays would run away with a comfortable victory, as the visitors led 18-0 just a couple of minutes before halftime.
Though the Sharks own inspirational skipper James Ralphs gave his team a glimmer of hope when he crashed over for his 11th try of the season, on the halftime buzzer, to see the Stingrays go to the sheds with a 18-6 advantage.
The home side Shellharbour Sharks had all the momentum early in the second half, especially as the Stingrays were missing the creative services of gun hooker Colby Smith.
Smith was one of the best players on the park in the first stanza, making a number of clever runs from dummy half which put the Stingrays on the front foot.
His absence through injury opened the way for the Sharks to hit back, which they did courtesy of a smart try to fullback Braxton Wallace, who converted his four pointer to reduce the deficit to only six-points.
It then looked like the home side would run over the top of the tiring Stingrays, especially after big man Jake Kamire was marched 10 minutes by the referee for an apparent high-shot/head slam.
But it was the visitors who scored next after powerful second-rower Zaan Weatherill ran through a gap and raced 30 metres to score out wide.
The Stingrays iced the victory in the last minute when Taioloa Vaivai regathered a kick-through to score out wide.
Warner was ecstatic after the match.
"It's unreal, full credit to the Sharks we were up 18-0 but they kept coming, which we knew they would, but we held strong," he said.
"It's a massive win for us. It is the first minor premiership for the club. The boys deserve this, full credit to them.
"It's probably the biggest game the two clubs have played in. That's a massive win. I bet we will see them again, it's a big confidence boost."
Warner added getting the week off and having a home semifinal to qualify for a potential grand final, was massive for the Stingrays and its loyal fans.
"It's the biggest win for the club, 100 per cent," he said.
While the Stingrays will get the week off, Abed Atallah's third-placed Sharks will battle the second-placed Gerringong Lions at Michael Cronin Oval next Sunday.
There was also drama at Bill Andriske Oval on Sunday with the home-side Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs securing their spot in the top five with a 40-28 win over Warilla-Lake South Gorillas.
They needed to win by five points to leapfrog Jamberoo into fifth-spot, after the Superoos were beaten 26-18 by Gerringong on Saturday.
The Bulldogs will play an elimination final against Nowra-Bomaderry Jets at Bomaderry Sports Complex next Saturday.
The Jets head into the finals in great form following their 66-14 hammering of Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies on Saturday.
In the other fixture on Sunday, Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles hammered Kiama Knights 46-22.
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
