NELSON Bay Rugby Club’s hopes of back-to-back Hunter Suburban Mens Rugby titles have been shattered.

Cooks Hill Brown Snakes sent the Gropers tumbling out of premiership calculations with a gripping 12-7 victory in last weekend’s preliminary final at Newcastle No 2 Sportsground.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Michael Wiringi’s talented charges, who bowed out of the title race in disappointing fashion.

Matthew Cannon’s Brown Snakes will now square off with Singleton Red Bulls for the Presidents Cup Suburban trophy in this Saturday’s Grand Final showdown.

For the much vaunted Nelson Bay squad it was a case of what could have been with the reigning premiers finishing their 2024 campaign just as they had started it – with narrow losses to the Red Bulls and Cooks Hill.

After succumbing to the Brown Snakes (19-17) and Singleton (15-10) in the opening two rounds, the Gropers reeled off thirteen successive victories to wrap up the minor premiership title.

They then squandered a 15-3 second half lead as Singleton claimed a 23-22 triumph in the Grand Final qualifier.

Last Saturday the Gropers led 7-0 early in the second half through a converted try by number eight Mitch Workman before Cooks Hill stunned their rivals with two quick tries in the space of five minutes to turn the match.

Both were scored with Nelson Bay’s experienced centre and skipper Michael Hotene in the sin-bin after receiving a yellow card.

In another telling blow for the premiers, rugged prop Nathan McLeay was forced from the field with a fractured hand in the opening minutes before utility Dan Arnfield also picked up a yellow card after the interval.

The inspirational Hotene produced a top-class performance for the Gropers, who went into the final minus the services of injured key forwards Sam Rocher, Hamish Bartlett, John Lundie, Zion Takarua and half back Jake Langsford.

“We didn’t nail our opportunities during the finals and paid a heavy price for momentary lapses,” a crestfallen Wiringi told News Of The Area post match.

“But the club continues to invest in youth and will come back bigger and stronger next season,” quipped the Kiwi mentor.

Flying winger Alex Kirk notched the Brown Snakes opening try after 49 minutes before captain-coach Cannon burst through the Nelson Bay defence to score soon after, with centre Cameron Logan adding the extras to give Cooks Hill a five point advantage.

Dashing centres Hotene and Kailen Williams, fullback Will Dunn, winger Taj Turner and the versatile Ilisoni Vonomatairatu tried hard to spark the Gropers attack but to no avail.

They were supported by industrious forwards Adam Edwards, Lewis Affleck, Ryan Marshall, Ronan O’Connell and emerging prop Nathan Perry.

Cook Hill’s powerhouse forward pack led by the indefatigable Cannon, Tyler Gallienne, Nick Niven, Te Kapuamatoturu Heremaia, Barnaby Wellings, Rory Adams and Oscar Alcorn laid the foundations for victory with strong games.

By Chris KARAS