By Shane Jones
They didn’t know it at the time but Easts win over Hervey Bay last Saturday gave them some silverware for the first time in a long time in A-grade.
The side won it’s eighth game in a row with a 30-20 win over the Seagulls at Salter Oval.
Easts centre and hooker, Trent Seeds and Arden Lankowski respectively, both scored a double in the win.
The result at the time put Easts five points clear of the rest of the competition, which was enough to give them the minor premiership with two rounds to go.
But Wests, in second, had the opportunity to reduce the margin to three points and keep the premiership alive if the team defeated The Waves.
The Waves, in a fight for the last finals spot in fifth, had the last laugh, beating the Panthers 26-18 to give Easts their first minor premiership since 2005.
In that season the Magpies went unbeaten on their way to the title.
The Tigers stormed to an early lead against the Panthers, leading 20 to 6 at half time, before the Panthers fought back.
But The Waves held on despite doubles to both Daniel Clancy and Caleb Tull.
The win might have ended the Panthers but it helped The Waves almost secure their spot in the finals.
The Waves’ win put them four points clear of the Wallaroos for the fifth and last spot in the finals on the ladder with two games to go.
The Wallaroos lost to Past Brothers 38-18.
The two sides face each other this weekend so The Waves have the chance to make it their spot with a win.
Even if the team loses, with its for and against, it should have enough to hold off any challenge from
The sides play at 3pm at Salter Oval before Past Brothers take on Easts.
The other games see Hervey Bay take on Western Suburbs at 5pm at Stafford Park.
