RUGBY LEAGUE: Blues Tom Ruediger tore apart the West Belconnen defence in Sunday's 26-20 preliminary final win at Seiffert Oval, paving the way for Queanbeyan to secure back-to-back premierships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Just 25 minutes was all it took for Ruediger to score two early tries and set up another for fullback Adam Misios to build a 22-0 Blues lead.
"It just opened up. Our game plan was to go left but they pushed that way and it gave me the space, you can't give me that much space I guess," Ruediger said.
"We're working on just sticking together, which we did in that second half.
"We withheld 20 minutes of them having the ball and going into the grand final it's going to give us a lot of confidence, holding out a good attacking team like Westies."
Ruediger has been considered unlucky by some not to win this year's Les McIntyre Medal, Blues coach Simon Woolford agrees.
"Tom has been our best player for 90 per cent of the year, he's scored plenty of tries, but he's also had a hand in a number more," Woolford said.
"He should've walked in the McIntyre Medal, the fact that he didn't even get in the top ten is ridiculous.
West Belconnen closed to 22-10 at half-time and reduced the margin to just six points with 17 minutes on the clock, but a Jake Wheeler try off a Herbert bomb gave them breathing space.
The win sets up a replay of last year's grand final between the Blues and Goulburn on Sunday, September 6, which Queanbeyan won in extra time.
Despite winning the minor premiership, the Blues had a worrying form slump before finals.
The West Belconnen win was their first against a top-eight side since May 16, and Blues skipper Marc Herbert is hopeful they've turned the corner.
"We were in a rut towards the end of the season, we didn't need any more motivation today with the grand final on the line," Herbert said.
"We gave away too many penalties, I think it was 10-3 in the second half.
"I feel like some of them weren't deserved, it seemed to be a strange interpretation of the rule but it certainly let them back in the game.
"To our credit we hung in there with limited ball and not much field position, we defended really well."
QUEANBEYAN BLUES 26 (Tom Ruediger 2, Tyler Stevens, Jake Wheeler, Adam Misios tries; Craig Wilkinson 3 goals) bt WEST BELCONNEN WARRIORS 20 (Sheen Lomax 2, Ryan McQueen, Taniela Moa tries; Howie Brown 2 goals)
