The Finals Week 3. The analysis

Winners by Default. A draw was enough to get the merry men from Sherwood forest home, oh it hurts to be Hamilton. It must also hurt to be Sherwood as he is out for the big one with a broken leg. The only fortunate thing is he didn't do it stupidly playing indoor soccer, like Hamilton's Crozier, he did it putting a foot up Monty Simes' backside after he shot his mouth off at coach Theckett after the game.

Getting back to Crozier, Hamiltons back line organiser, Coleman had to contend with a re shuffled back line. This time, no aces were drawn and he had to stick with Paul Dan at no. 10. His decision making skills in the last portion of the match cost them the game. Coleman himself should have put himself in at no. 10 toward the end. Wells, who is brilliant individually, but can't pass, should have been brought closer to the action. Dan became a speed hump for the back row of the Wanderers.Surely all coaches have the aptitude to close out a game which was dominated by the aging forward pack of Hamilton.

Wanderers certainly were anything but winners. A flawed finals system saw them win by default. They have now not won a game in the finals series, and will be in serious doubt with Sherwood out. Apparently his leg was snapped in 152 different places.Maybe they should bring back Jeremy Sergent, former lower grade Grand Final hero, as they certainly don't have many other options floating around in their lower grades.

The game proved to be an anti climax, with no clear winner on the day. Maybe Merewether could play Hamilton in one half and Wanderers in the second half. Maybe they could pick a Hamilton Wanderers rep team to take on the green wave. Wanderers have essentially been rewarded for being the most consistent team all year, and if the game did have an extra time component, its hard to see Hamilton's aging pack being able to get their legs moving after the final whistle for another half of Rugby.

The only ones happy with the result will be the board and the NHRU. The games two fiercest rivals look set to play to a crowd of about 100,000 come grand final day. Townson will bring itself to no. 1, with Carlton having every grade in the Grand Final. 6 Teams and one hill, converging in on the No.1 sports ground. Lets hope the board get it right and hire that same Carlton bus - bar that was used for the AFL grand final at the same venue.

If Wanderers get half the support Merewether do to the game, I will be impressed. For Merewether, there is nothing better than supporting your team, your suburb. For Wanderers, a team lost and confused for so long, it will be the biggest gathering for gay pride since mardi gras, the San Fransisco marches and the village people rolled into one. A band called Ween, once sang - "All the colours of the Homo Rainbow," this weekend, all those colours are blue on blue.