THE Macksville Sea Eagles have two grades playing in Grand Final action this Sunday at C.ex Coffs International Stadium.

The Under 18s will be looking for six straight premierships when they take on local rivals the Nambucca Roosters, while the Reserve Grade takes on last year’s premiers, the Coffs Harbour Comets.

The Macksville and Nambucca Under 18s met twice during the regular season, with the Sea Eagles winning 24-6 in Round Two at Coronation Park and the Roosters getting a 22-16 win in Round Nine at Allan Gillett Oval.

They played again in week two of the finals, with Macksville booking themselves a Grand Final spot with a 28-10 win at Coronation Park.

Both teams are close to full strength in what should be a battle for the ages.

“I am extremely proud of the whole squad,” Macksville Under 18s coach Karl Spear told News Of The Area.

“We get great numbers to training, we have worked really hard to put ourselves in this position and I feel confident that all nineteen players that take the field will do their job.

“We have had a successful season regardless of the result.”

Spear noted the side’s ability to get results despite facing significant player absences.

“We have played without our top squad for parts of the season, compounded by injuries to significant players at the same time,” he said.

“For a while we let ourselves down in the effort areas of footy and played a mistake-riddled brand of footy, but over the last month we have rectified this and go into Sunday confident.”

The Roosters will also come in confident after a dominant 24-10 win over a strong South Grafton side.

“We have been building up to this all year, working on all aspects of our game, and we are in a good place with our football,” Nambucca Roosters Under 18s coach Geoff Batten told NOTA.

“[We are] confident and very excited about playing the Grand Final but we know we are meeting a very experienced Macksville team and a win will not come easy.”

The number sevens for both teams are the key to their success, with Rielly Laverty for Macksville and Toby Batten for the Roosters both seeing plenty of time in First Grade this season.

They are the conductors for their respective sides and whoever wins that battle will go a long way towards winning the Premiership.

Another key match-up is in the number thirteen jerseys, with Gus Single for Macksville and Rave Brazier for Nambucca leading the charge in the forwards.

The Reserve Grade game is a must watch as well, with undefeated Minor Premiers Macksville taking on a strong Coffs Harbour Comets side.

Coffs Harbour are experienced in pressure situations, having lifted the trophy last year.

In the sides’ Round One matchup, a Macksville penalty goal from 40 metres out after the final bell made it a 18-18 draw at Allan Gillett Oval.

The drawn result was Macksville’s only blemish for the season.

The teams met again in Round 12 in Coffs Harbour in a spiteful affair which saw four players get suspensions.

Macksville got the win 32-6.

They met again in week two of the finals, with Macksville booking their Grand Final spot with a 34-24 win.

Macksville are led by lock forward and captain/coach David Lindsay, who is the season’s top try scorer with fourteen tries.

His hard running and brutal defence leads what is a strong Sea Eagles pack featuring the likes of Tyler Heke, Luke Shields, Jordan Leckie and workhorse Murray Spear.

Macksville boasts a strong forward bench rotation which includes Brodie Moore and the hard-to-handle Ulysses Roberts.

There is plenty of speed in the backs too courtesy of Jai Whaddy, Jimmy Cutmore and Josh Bartlett, led around the park by the impressive halves combination of Rhiley Maxwell and Andrew ‘Bully’ Welsh.

Coffs boast plenty of talent themselves with a strong pack, the guile of evergreen Joey Cudmore in the halves and try scoring magnet Maxwell Cutmore on the wing.

By Nigel WIBOW and Mick BIRTLES