PREVIEW: 2016 Ron Massey Cup Grand Final

Josh Robertson runs the rule over the 2016 Ron Massey Cup Grand Final, to be played Sunday at Pirtek Stadium between St Marys and Mounties.

St Marys v Mounties Sun September 25 2016, 2:15pm at Pirtek Stadium

Emotions will be running high on Sunday as Mounties take on St Marys in the Ron Massey Cup Grand Final, less than a week after the competition's namesake passed away after a battle with ill health.

The initial format of the Ron Massey Cup began in 1963 as the second division, with dominance by Wentworthville - bar the 1966 grand final when Penrith were crowned premiers and gained promotion to NSWRL first grade. By the 1970s the competition had slipped from its high ranking, and fell down the charts. After missing a period of almost 15 years in the Rugby League fixture calendar, the competition returned with the name 'Metropolitan Cup' which was followed by various sponsor names including Jim Beam Cup and Bundaberg Red Cup, before the NSWRL finally settled on the 'Ron Massey Cup' in 2013.

Since the name change to the Ron Massey Cup, Mounties have been the most dominant side in the competition, but despite that fact Mounties have only the one grand final victory - and that came last season when they defeated Asquith 30-14. Although the Mulga are the defending premiers, they made news for all the wrong reasons two years ago in the 2014 decider when an all-in brawl overshadowed a Golden Point loss. Like previous sides, they come into the grand final as favourites to win, having been minor premiers. But their season was far from being as dominant as their Sydney Shield compatriots, with the minor premiership being decided by just 2 points. Mounties qualified for the grand final the long way with a shock narrow first-week loss to their eventual grand final opponents St Marys before smashing Hills Bulls, then accounting for Wentworthville in the rain at Leichhardt in last Sunday's preliminary final.

Despite their opponents having strong recent success, St Marys - who are returning to the competition in their own right for the first time in 15 years - have had great success throughout the 1990's and early 2000's with grand final victories in 1993 and 1994, and a victory in 2001. A return to the competition has been a success this season compared to the moderate success the side had when acting as a merged entity between St Marys Saints and the Penrith Panthers, as the St Marys-Penrith Cougars. The path to the finals for the Saints has been easier than their opponents, with that first week victory over Mounties, before a comfortable defeat of Western Suburbs at Campbelltown last Sunday.

2016 meetings: Round 15 - Mounties 44 St Marys 16 at Aubrey Keech Reserve; Qualifying Final - St Marys 26 Mounties 22 at Campbelltown Stadium.

Road to the Grand Final: St Marys - QF: def. Mounties 26-22, PF: def. Western Suburbs 20-14
Mounties - QF: l. St Marys 22-26; SF: def. Hills 48-0; PF: def. Wentworthville 16-6

Who to watch: Despite not having the first grade experience that St Marys offers, halfback Jake Walsh is the key to the performance and with an experienced head Mounties will have an advantage after Walsh steered Mounties to victory in the 2015 decider.

St Marys bring three players with first grade experience to their grand final including their captain Nathan Smith who brings 8 years of NRL experience with the Penrith Panthers and over 120 games however their main man to watch is the opposing halfback Adrian Davis. A graduate of the Holden Cup in 2010, Davis has spent time in both the QLD Cup and NSW Cup most recently with the Penrith Panthers and through this experience he has amassed 142 points to sit second on the pointscorers list.

My tip: Personally for me this is a battle between the head and the heart, with St Marys being the local team for myself with the connection to the Penrith Panthers but the head says that Mounties have the ability to overcome the faults of the previous meeting which saw the Saints get victory. Overall, It may be the heart ruling the head but the experience of a player like Nathan Smith and the fact that St Marys will take confidence from their first week victory over Mounties will see them have enough to win in a close contest. St Marys by 4.

1. Alan Eisenhuth 2. John Tuliatu 3. Ray Lesoa 4. Geoff Daniela 5. Chris Aunese-Scanlan 6. Sam Jones 7. Adrian Davis 8. Atonio Pelesasa 9. Cameron Collins 10. Josh Butfield 11. Tom Eisenhuth 12. Joe Vaegaau 13. Nathan Smith
Interchange: 14. Blake South 15. Thomas Romer 16. Henry Seumanu 18. Sonny Tuigamala 19. Lakehm Aiono 21. Mose Felio 23. Jamie Hill

1. John Kennedy 2. Finlay Dibley 3. Allen Mulia-Malau 4. Paul Simona 5. Jordan Martin 6. Chad Porter 7. Jake Walsh 8. Jacob Mayer 9. Jarrod Brackenhofer 10. Mitch Kennedy 11. Sonny Bristow 12. Steven Tavita 13. Matthew Whitehouse
Interchange: 15. Brandon Raeli 16. Mitch Beggs-Mowzcan 17. Jake Goodwin 18. A. Bristow

Referees: Ryan Jackson;Sideline Officials: John Woods, Mitchell Stone;