Draw Settled - RD 10 Vital
Tuesday 7th June, 2005

Illawarra Tooheys League Clubs last night ratified the competition draw for the remainder of the Illawarra League season. The draft draw proposed to clubs was adopted with one significant change giving all First Grade teams the round 17 weekend off.

As a result, all teams will play an extra game against one competition team. Leaders Collegians have drawn Dapto for an extra game, second placed Wests face Port Kembla an extra time, while Corrimal play Helensburgh and Thirroul play Wollongong an extra time.

With results from round 9 going the way they did, round 10 gains added importance for sides with hopes for a play-off berth. Collies lead the competition on 16 points with Wests close behind on 14. Then comes a log jam, with Thirroul, Corrimal, Dapto and Port Kembla all locked on 12 points (and in that order on for and against). Round 10 will see the top six sides all face each other in what shapes to be a block-buster round.

Collegians seeming invincibility was laid to rest when Thirroul inflicted their first loss for the season. The Dogs will go into their game this weekend against Corrimal intent on reversing their form of the last few weeks. The Cougars have been the big improvers this season, boasting a locally grown team which has proven it can match it with the top teams, having disposed of both Dapto and Port Kembla already this season.

Thirroul have hit some form having won five of their last six games to sit in third place on the competition ladder. They face a Black's outfit on Sunday at Gibson Park who also hit some good form against Dapto. The Blacks showed great defence in the first half to set up a second half where they demolished the Canaries with some entertaining and inventive attack. Both sides are locked on 12 points, so a win is vital to maintain a top four position, while a loss could mean a drop to as low as sixth.

Wests are sitting pretty in second place but face a Canaries side still stinging from their home loss to Port Kembla. Dapto scored a win in round one against Wests by a narrow 2 points and will gladly take the same result this weekend to draw level with Wests in second place.

In the remaining match, The Bulls will host Helensburgh at Herb Clunas Oval on Sunday. After an off season that promised much, Wollongong have delivered little and sit six points adrift of the fourth placed team. A win this weekend would keep a faint finals flame flickering for Wollongong, while a loss would most surely spell the end of their 2005 First Grade campaign.

NEW DRAW ROUND 10 ONWARDS HERE