| Black's Under 18's Finals Bound |
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Port Kembla's Wollongong Asphalt Under 18's Black's and
their Dapto rivals are the first Illawarra League teams guaranteed of a
semi final position in this year's competitions. Port Kembla sit on 23
points, 13 clear of fifth place with only 10 points left for each team to
grab over the last five rounds of competition. Dapto defeated Berkeley in
a deferred Under 18's match last night and in doing so, put themselves 11
points clear of fifth placed Thirroul and a guaranteed place in the semi
finals. Reserve Grade is a different story with Wests (20) ahead of fifth placed Port Kembla and sixth placed University (both on 16) by just four points or two wins. In fact, seventh placed Berkeley are still chance of making the finals (currently 12 points) and are still a mathematical chance of overtaking the Devils, although this scenario is highly unlikely. In the First Grade competition, Collegians need one more win to cement a semi final place, while Port Kembla need a further two wins to ensure of a post season appearance for the third consecutive year. However, If Port defeat Wollongong this weekend and Dapto lose to Thirroul, a semi final spot will be forthcoming. The competition is the closest it has been in seasons which can only be a good thing for the league. As the standard of players and matches rise, so too does the competitiveness within the league, making the Illawarra competition one of the most intriguing and exciting in the state. |