KIAMA ROCK SOLID PREMIERS

On the east coast of Antarctica: The singing started and is yet to finish for the 2006 Illawarra District Rugby Union reserve grade premiers Kiama.

KIAMA Rugby Union Club have secured the reserve grade Illawarra Rugby Union premiership thanks to superb second half defensive effort, to win 19-12 over Tech-Waratahs.

Spurred on by the imminent retirement of second rower Norm Gallagher the players made a commitment to each other to own every inch of Win Stadium as a fired up and passionate Al Marsden put it before the game in his pre-game talk to the players.

In stark contrast to the second half of defence the Kiama boys strung a series of set plays together to score in the first five minutes with an early try to Paul Glover.

Tech hit back almost straight away before Kiama again lifted the intensity, attacking the opposition line resulting in a second try to Glover just before half time.

Ben King Gee led the attack in the first half with Ryan Burke, Ben Strong and Matt Archer dominant over their opposite numbers.

Captain Richard Payne was full of praise for his team mates, as he reflected on his first premiership.

Right throughout the semis we defended like champions, he said.

We wanted to show early dominance and we scored our best two tries of the year, but it was our second half defence that stood out. We defended in our own 22 for over 30 minutes and it is a good reward for the boys as we have showed that commitment all year, he added.

Second grade coach Tony Rogers echoed Paynes thoughts with a parting message to his players, after announcing his retirement from coaching at the end of the match.

It was great for me to come back from holidays and coach the boys in the grand final, a proud Rogers said.

We were greeted by about 80 people back at the clubhouse and there were about 200 supporters from Kiama cheering the boys on.

Some people knocked us all year but you proved to them you could do it and I always knew you could.

My aim when I decided to coach this year was to get you to believe and that is what you did. You had the talent all along and you had to get out and go do it and you did. It has been a pleasure to coach you in my last year, he added.

In the second half it was the retiring Gallagher who showed a cool head under pressure and Cameron Butcher Boyal played his best game of the season.

In true club spirit first grade and third grade turned out to cheer on the boys after the annual river float and the ensuing silly Sunday and Monday resulted in a few headaches on Tuesday.