Campbelltown Harlequins have booked their place in the 2026 first grade grand final after a heart-stopping 19–17 victory over Shoalhaven in Saturday’s major semi-final at the Showground.
With both regular season encounters between these two heavyweights going right down to the wire, the local semi clash derby turning into a thriller did not surp[rise anyone.
The Quins made an emphatic start, seizing early momentum with sustained phase play before crashing over for the opening converted try.
Shoalhaven responded with enterprise, spreading the ball wide to touch down and trim the gap to 7–5.
Momentum swung right back from the restart when inspirational Quins lock Ben McVick charged down a Shoalhaven clearance kick, gathering the bouncing ball to score and push the lead out to 12–5.
The Harlequins forward pack began dominating, but Shoalhaven responded with their own broken play craftsmanship.
Intercepting a loose Quins pass, Shoalhaven skipper Will Millar raced away to score under the posts, bringing the sides level at 12–12.
The final ten minutes of the opening stanza saw Quins relentlessly hammer the Shoalhaven line.
The powerful Harlequins scrum completely dominated their opposition, forcing repeated penalties, but the referee blew for half-time without awarding what seemed a clear-cut penalty try.
The second half of this high stakes clash had the big crowd on the edge of their seats.
The home side used their dominant forward pack to dictate field position, while Shoalhaven remained dangerous on the counter.
The relentless pressure finally cracked the defence when Quins barged over to take a 19–12 lead with 20 minutes remaining.
The final quarter was pure drama.
Quins missed a kickable penalty goal that would have secured the result, and fatigue began to set in.
Reduced to 13 men after receiving two yellow cards in quick succession, Quins spent the final minutes mounting a heroic defensive stand with no possession.
Shoalhaven eventually crossed out wide well after the final siren, but the missed conversion sealed a famous 19–17 victory for Harlequins.
Alongside the outstanding scrum in the engine room, captain Faiva Faiva and centre Ben Faavre were masterful in midfield, completely neutralising Shoalhaven’s dangerous backs.
Head coach Adam Choice and his staff will now turn their focus to managing the fortnight gap effectively as they prepare for the big dance.
Heartbreak for Under 18s; Under 10s claim silverware
The Harlequins Under 18s bowed out of the Southern Sydney competition in agonising fashion on Sunday, falling 21–17 to ladder leaders Oatley.
Trailing for most of the match, the brave Quins boys dug deep to take the lead with only minutes remaining. However, a lapse from the restart gifted Oatley field position, and the heavy weight of possession allowed the opposition to snatch victory in the dying seconds.
Meanwhile, the Quins junior ranks were proudly represented across the Sunday finals by the Under 10s, 11s, and 13s. While the 11s and 13s fell just short, the Under 10s put on a clinical display to bring home a well-deserved Premiership trophy.
ANDREW CHOICE
