RESULTS: 2016 Intrust Super Premiership Preliminary Finals

All the results and scorers from the NSWRL Intrust Super Premiership Preliminary Finals.

All listed times are AEST (NSW/QLD/VIC/ACT).

RELATED: See the full list of 2016 ISP NSW Draw and Results.

Mounties 24 Wests Tigers 18
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Date: Sunday 18 September 2016 at 3:15pm

Mounties (24)
Tries: Eddie Aiono, Zac Santo, Jarrad Kennedy, Adam Clydsdale
Goals: Sam Williams 4

Wests Tigers (18)
Tries: Jeremy Marshall-King 2, Watson Heleta
Goals: Justin Hunt 3

Williams guides Mounties to Grand Final

Sam Williams led a fighting Mounties outfit to the 2016 Intrust Super Premiership NSW Grand Final, with a 24-18 victory over the Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.

The Tigers led 18-6 at half-time, but Mounties remained patient, calm and composed, and never panicked in their inspirational second half fight-back.

The conditions were horrid for the majority of the match, and while ball-control was never perfect, both sides adjusted to the weather to put one of the games of 2016.

The rain was heavily pouring down, but that worked in the Wests Tigers favour in the opening two minutes of the game, when Watson Heleta charged forward after a classy left-to-right shift and was brought down short, but the wet surface allowed him to slide onto the white chalk for a try.

The precipitation was not as friendly for the Wests Tigers in the next five minutes, but they were able to defend an error off the kick-off, and an error on tackle one on their next chance. 

Conditions did not help the ball handling of either side, and try-scoring opportunities were therefore limited.

A ruck penalty gave the Wests Tigers an extra two-points, and then a pinpoint 40/20 in tough conditions by Jack Littlejohn gave them valuable field position.

Jeremy Marshall-King's determination earned the Tigers a four-pointer when he picked the ball up from dummy half, stood in the tackle, but muscled his way over the line to extend their lead to 12.

The nightmares of Mounties shock 2015 Preliminary Final exit were starting to re-appear, and only the Intrust Super Premiership NSW player of the year could get them out of trouble.

Sam Williams put in a perfect chip to an unmarked Eddie Aiono to score a try, and then fought the adversity of wind and rain to slot the extra two-points from the sideline.

The brilliance of Marshall-King halted Mounties' comeback, however, as alike his opening try of the afternoon, he bolted over from dummy half to score a short-range try, and the Wests Tigers took an 18-6 lead into half-time.

Mounties needed to score first if they were to give themselves a chance, and that's exactly what they did when Aiono popped a ball backwards after a right-to-left shift, and Zac Santo picked the ball up and athletically planted the ball down in the corner.

William's certainly packed his kicking boots, as he slotted yet another conversion from the sideline to reduce the deficit to six points.

Mounties dominated the possession and field-position for the next period of the match, but struggled to capitalise on any opportunity thanks to a mix of poor handling due to the weather, and great Wests Tigers defence.

They came extremely close with 12 minutes to go, but an amazing try-saving tackle by Charlie Taylor on Eddie Aiono denied Mounties a potential equalizer.

After seemingly never-ending defence, the Wests Tigers finally cracked thanks to a beautiful short-ball from Williams to a rampaging Jarrad Kennedy, who ran a perfect line as he is renowned for to stroll over.

Williams's perfect day with the boot continued, which locked up the scores at 18-all with seven and a half minutes remaining.

A Tigers error gave Mounties perfect field goal position in the final five minutes, and all eyes were on Sam Williams who was perfectly situated to slot the one.

No eyes, however, were on Adam Clysdale, who sold a brilliant dummy to Williams, fooled the marker and dived over from dummy-half to take the lead.

A short kick-off paid off for the Tigers, who were given one last chance to equal the scores.

Littlejohn put in a perfect grubber for Michael Chee Kam, who steamed through and attempted to plant the ball down, but the referee ruled he had no control over the ball.

Mounties then held on for a dramatic victory, and are the first team to qualify for the 2016 Intrust Super Premiership NSW Grand Final.

- with Matt Buxton via NSWRL.com.au

Illawarra Cutters 18 Newtown Jets 10
Venue: Leichhardt Oval
Date: Sunday 18 September 2016 at 5:15pm

Illawarra Cutters (18)
Tries: Taane Milne, Jacob Host, Adam Quinlan
Goals: Levi Dodd 2, Shaun Nona 1

Newtown Jets (10)
Tries: Kenny Niko, Jacob Gagan
Goals: Nu Brown 1

Cutters ground the Jets

A late surge from a tough Illawarra Cutters outfit has seen them down the Newtown Jets 18-10, subsequently booking them a spot in the Grand Final against Mounties.

Despite trailing for the majority of the game, and the crowd being totally one-sided, the Cutters persisted at the Jets' line, and eventually cracked them twice in the final 10 minutes of play.

Tyrone McCarthy put forward an inspirational captain's knock, while Hutchison's relegation to the bench proved to work wonders for the Cutters, as he had a hand in the match-winning, and match-sealing tries at the end of the game.

The Jets wasted no time to open their account when the ball was shifted to the left edge. Kenny Niko found himself with the ball in hand, and while first contact was a considerable distance away from the try-line, his leg drive pushed him closer and his strength allowed him to plant the ball down.

A Josh McCrone cut-out ball to Taane Milne fractured the Jets' defence, and once Corin Smith slid of the ball-carrier, there was only one way forward and the defenders - despite being carried over the line on his back - didn't stand a chance, and Nona's conversion gave the Cutters a 6-4 lead.

The Jets had various opportunities on the attack, but when they received a penalty on the stroke of half-time, they respected the Cutters defence and the shocking conditions by kicking a penalty goal which locked up the scores.

The opening nine minutes of the second-half was an absolute dogfight, with the conditions meaning that try-scoring opportunities were limited.

A Matt Evans dart down the right edge created a fraction of space for Jacob Gagan, and that is all he needed as he picked the ball up from dummy half and planted the ball down in the right corner to take the lead.

The Cutters best chance of the second half came when Drew Hutchison put in an attacking kick to the left wing, but some desperate cover defence by Evans and Cleeland forced them into touch.

A penalty forced the Jets back onto the ropes, but a one-on-one strip from Cleeland when the Cutters had an overlap saved the day once again.

The Newtown defence worked hard defending on their line, and it finally gave in the 74th minute when Jacob Host charged onto a flat ball and muscled his way through four defenders to score a great try.

Levi Dodd added the extras to take the lead for the Cutters with five minutes remaining.

Off the ensuing set, the exciting combination of Hutchison and Quinlan struck, when the crafty halfback threw an inside ball for the speedy fullback to run in for a try, which was the game sealing try for the Cutters to make the Intrust Super Premiership NSW Grand Final.

- with Matt Buxton via NSWRL.com.au

RELATED: Click here to view the final ISP NSW ladder.