NSW Super League Grand Final Review

Tigers clinch Super League Championship in shootout victory over Berries
A well drilled Northern Tigers completed the Super League double, clinching the Grand Final 4-3 on penalties over Bankstown Berries, but not without having to work every step of the way.
It had not been a vintage Tigers display and in truth, the Berries were dominant for large parts of the match. But with the Tigers down to ten after the send off of the influential Tom Spencer with ten minutes of normal time remaining, there was no doubting the graft of the Premiers who showed that even with a man down, they were still a match for anyone.
It had been Spencer in fact who had given the Tigers the lead midway through the first half. A nicely floated free kick outside the box from Jamie Lobb saw Spencer drift in behind the Berries defence, and with the slightest of touches, was able to knock the ball past George Bouropoulos.
Till then it had mainly been the Berries who had held sway. They had plenty of possession, driving forward with a mountain of desire, but the strong Northern Tigers backline gave them little change. With Travis Oughtred and Michael Rolston back in, the most miserly defence this season was in no mood to concede, and while it may not always have been pretty, there was always enough of a scramble, a foot in, to deny the Berries much chance at goal.
When the Berries did breach the Tigers, Stuart Page was the next in line, and he did extremely well throughout the game, not least a fine early save from Kodjo Adjassou.   
When Spencer gave the Tigers the lead, the immediate thoughts were that Northern Tigers would go on with it, but the Berries had other ideas. It took just nine minutes for the equaliser, a sublime cross from the right by Stefan de Jesus being met superbly by Aram Tayebi. Page had no chance with that one.
The second half produced more of the same, the Berries dominating but unable to break through again. For the Tigers, Adam Biddle had caught the Bankstown defence unawares, striking first time but without enough power, while likewise for the Berries, de Jesus underhit when presented with a good chance. Adjassou, who had scored twice against Bankstown City last weekend, was not as clinical today, the crossing particularly being somewhat wayward.
On eighty minutes, and still 1-1, the pendulum swung further to the Berries, with Spencer?s dismissal for a foul on Alex Becerra. It would require a lot of effort to continue to keep the Berries at bay, but the Tigers excelled.
There were plenty of tired legs, and extra time provided the opportunity for some changes. Both sides looked to gain an advantage, the Tigers bringing on the young Ryan Blaker for Max Glanville, while defender Steve Wright made way for Brad Gibson. 
But probably the best chance in extra time fell to Adjassou, who struck nicely but wide while Becerra made Page dive low to hold. Tim Simpson broke clear with seven minutes to go for the Tigers, escaping a possible offside call, and it seemed he would score, but his efforts were quickly charged down.
So down to penalties it was, the first time the Grand Final would be decided this way since 2009. Northern Tigers went first, scoring their initial two, while Dimitri Zakilas saw his strike saved by Page. Bouropoulos brought it back to even stevens when he saved Paul Davies? shot, but with the Tigers scoring their next two, it came down to Bouropolous to keep the Berries in it. The keeper was next in line for the Berries but could only watch in horror as his shot thundered against the bar. 
4-3 on penalties to the Tigers, and it only requires promotion to the NSWPL to cap off their perfect season.
But it had been very hard work, as captain Paul Davies, at the presentation, acknowledged.
?That would have to be the biggest graft we have ever had. Well done to the Berries who made it very tough for us, in every game we have had this season [against them]. But well done to our team as well, that was well grafted?.
Stefan de Jesus was awarded the Man of the Match.
Northern Tigers 1 (Tom Spencer 27?) v Bankstown Berries 1 (Aram Tayebi 36?) aet. Northern Tigers win 4-3 on penalties.
Sunday 16 September 2012
at Jensen Park, Sefton
Referee: Chris Young
Assts: Thomas Lee and Matt Cropper
Northern Tigers: 1. Stuart Page 12. Rhys Williams 2. Travis Oughtred 4. Michael Rolston 3. Jamie Lobb 6. Paul Davies (c) 14. Brendan Salameh (9. Tim Simpson 77?) 16. Steven Baveas (17. Will Thom 118?) 24. Tom Spencer 11. Adam Biddle 8. Max Glanville (13. Ryan Blaker 97?).
Subs not used: 15. Glen Downey 36. Brandon Bowd.
Yellow Cards: Max Glanville, Tom Spencer
Red Card: Tom Spencer
Coach: Jason Eagar
Bankstown Berries: 1. George Bouropoulos 2. David Gardiner (c) 4. Alex Becerra 5. Liam McKenna 3. Steve Wright (16. Brad Gibson 104?) 8. Kodjo Adjassou 9. Ante Deur (21. Ben Delicata 83?) 12. Stefan de Jesus 18. David Stojic (7. Peter Peralta 72?) 11. Aram Tayebi 19. Dimitri Zakilas.  
Subs not used: 14. Nick Paras 40. Nick Tsioustas.
Yellow Cards: Aram Tayebi
Coaches: Tony Pace and Matthew Ribarovski. 
Penalties
Northern Tigers                        Bankstown Berries
Simpson           scored              Zakilas              keeper save
Rolston scored              de Jesus           scored
Davies              keeper save      Gibson             scored
Thom                scored              Adjassou          scored
Blaker               scored              Bouropoulos     hit bar
Sydney University crowned 2012 Champions
Sydney University claimed the 2012 Grand Final defeating champions Spirit FC 4-1, with an overpowering second half display.
It had all started very well for Uni, Nick Nesbit scoring after only four minutes. But it was not until the second half that the goals started to flow. Michael Trotter converted a penalty after keeper Hayden Browne upended Nathan Amore and then Joel Anscomb scored with a superb strike from just outside the box after Spirit had failed to clear.
Substitute Ben Knobel made it 4-0 when he outpaced the Spirit defence to shoot low past Browne, but a couple of changes by Uni provided a small flutter for their supporters. Within a minute of a double change, including a change of keeper, Spirit brought one back through Adin Scalone. But that was to be the limit of any comeback.
An injury time red card to Spirit?s Michael Streeter was the final action of a black day for the Premiers while Uni celebrated their second Grand Final win in a row.
Sydney University 4 (Nick Nesbit 4?, Michael Trotter pen 65?, Joel Anscomb 71?, Ben Knobel 81?) v Spirit FC 1 (Adin Scalone 82?)
Spirit FC: 51. Hayden Browne 18. Robert Polistana (28. Dean Caletti 59?) 19. Brendan Hoyer 22. Justin Miller (20. Adin Scalone 72?) 23. Nathan Lopino (26. Michael Toscano 59?) 24. Andrew Robertson 30. Hayden Pronin (39. David Kanaley 58?) 31. Michael Fakiye 37. Michael Streeter 38. Henry Wells 40. Jake Harris.    
Subs not used: Rgk Justin Biega.
Coach: Robert De Ceglie
Sydney University: Gk Costa D?Addona (31. Riley Keayes 81?) 20. Nathan Amore (38. Lee Ramsden 81?) 23. Aaron Morley 26. Nick Nesbit 27. Michael Trotter 28. Joel Anscomb 30. Adrian Porcu 32. Nathan Clarke 34. Thomas Wylob (22. Ben Knobel 77?) 39. James Townsend (35. Deng Mawian 72?) 40. Harry Ashcroft (24. Matthew Hoenig 46?).
Subs not used: Nil
Coach: Petros Menelaou