WARILLA-Lake South will have the chance to go one better in 2014 after being the first team to book their spot in the South Coast Group 7 Rugby League first grade decider.
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The Gorillas downed traditional arch-rivals Shellharbour City 22-4 in a fiery major semi-final at Cec Glenholmes Oval on Sunday.
After they lost last year's golden-point thriller, Warilla will line up for the big one at Collegians Sports Centre on September 21.
They led 18-0 at the break with the game petering out after Sharks centre Bronx Goodwin was sent off for dissent in the second half.
Aaron Henry was at his ball-playing best throughout the first stanza, playing a role in all three Warilla tries.
The Gorillas opened their account in the eighth minute when a few penalties afforded the home team excellent field position.
As Shellharbour desperately willed Henry's pin-point grubber kick over the dead-ball line, Chad Lisch pounced for 4-0.
A Henry cross-field bomb also paid dividends.
The kick was reeled in by Tyson Brown and winger Jarryd Pepper easily brushed aside his opposite number to nab an unconverted four-pointer.
A penalty against the visitors for off-side from the kick-off handed Warilla easy passage up-field and led to a Craig Nolan penalty goal.
The fullback soon capitalised on another infringement, following it with another goal and a 12-0 buffer.
A combination of desperate Gorillas goal-line defence and a few missed attacking opportunities meant there was no addition to the scoreboard.
The Gorillas dimmed their opponents' hopes of a victory and a week off mere seconds before the siren.
Henry was involved heavily again when Nolan crossed.
The Sharks fought their way back into contention when a slick backline movement, capped off by Goodwin's deft hands, enabled Jamie Manukonga to score in the corner.
Goodwin's early shower with less than half an hour left snuffed out any realistic possibility of a Shellharbour comeback.
Warilla coach Peter Hooper was pleased the club had made its fifth grand final in six seasons.
He praised his forwards' efforts but emphasised that the job was only half done.
"The defence in the second half when Shellharbour came at us was really pleasing. We did well to only allow the one try."
The Sharks have a second crack at reaching the grand final when they meet Nowra-Bomaderry at Kiama Showground on Sunday.
Hooper said he didn't have a preference for which team they would meet in the decider.
Shellharbour suffered a heavy injury toll and face a worrying week going into this Sunday's final against the Jets at Kiama Showground.
The Jets ended Gerringong Lions title defence in a thriller at Nowra Showground on Saturday, scoring a try on the final play of the day to snatch a 22-20 win after trailing 20-6 midway through the second half.
