![(From left) Stingrays' Tyson Wood, Sharks' Jye Brooker, Bulldogs' PJ Thornton, Lions' Wes Pring and Jets' Tom Latta. Picture by Adam McLean. (From left) Stingrays' Tyson Wood, Sharks' Jye Brooker, Bulldogs' PJ Thornton, Lions' Wes Pring and Jets' Tom Latta. Picture by Adam McLean.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/157749079/fc8a1c4b-3061-427a-91ae-be40c8cebc60.jpg/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
This time has come and five sides remain heading into the culminating weeks of the 2023 Group Seven Rugby League season.
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The Gerringong Lions, Shellharbour Sharks, Nowra-Bomaderry Jets and Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs all hope to keep their seasons alive this weekend, while the Stingrays of Shellharbour have secured a week off thanks to their first-place finish.
Representatives from all five sides spoke to the South Coast Register ahead of their weekend clashes, and made it clear that the fifth-place Bulldogs are the 'dark horse' team that could really make a run to win-it-all, however each player backed their side to take out the premiership.
The finals start on Saturday, August 26, with an elimination final between the fourth-place Jets and fifth-place Bulldogs.
The following day, second-place Gerringong hosts the third-place Sharks at Michael Cronin Oval, fighting to see who will play in the grand-final qualifying match against the Stingrays the following week.
The loser of the Lions and Sharks match-up will clash against the winner of the Jets and Bulldogs clash.
Milton-Ulladulla prop PJ Thornton said he's confident in his sides ability heading into the weekend and said he "can't wait' for their clash against rival Nowra-Bomaderry.
"I'm excited for the Nowra clash because I'm mates with all of them. I've played a lot of footy with most of those guys," Thornton said.
![Nowra-Bomaderry Jets' Tom Latta and Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs' PJ Thornton. Picture by Adam McLean.
Nowra-Bomaderry Jets' Tom Latta and Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs' PJ Thornton. Picture by Adam McLean.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/157749079/190f047d-4171-4682-8b50-420b9ecdda60.jpg/r0_0_6000_4000_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's one of those games where I'll be wanting to play my best and they'll be wanting to play their best. There's definitely a lot of bragging rights, it's going to be a good game."
Thornton praised the play of his younger teammates this season and said he's keen to see how they respond on the bigger stage going against a Jets side full of experience.
"We've got a younger side, and they've got quite a bit of experience, so we have to make sure the nerves of such a big match doesn't get the better of us."
"We just need to come out and play how we know we can."
Nowra-Bomaderry Jets second-rower Thomas Latta echoed a similar level of excitement for the elimination final.
He said for the Jets to put their best foot forward on Saturday they just have to continue to play the way they have all year.
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"We have to do what we've been doing all year," he said.
"Pushing up through the middle, everyone getting tip-ons, and just backing each other up out there."
Latta praised the leadership of skipper Adam Quinlan this season and gave him a lot of praise for the side's turnaround.
"He's a weapon!"
"From the jump there was a real hard push in the pre-season. Adam always talks about attitude and making sure that effort is just as much there for training as it is for the games."
"We have to just play our game this weekend and stick together as a team."
The side's played twice this season, being deadlocked in round one 18-18 at Bill Andriske Oval, while in round ten the Bulldogs were able to get the upper hand in a 27-16 win at Bomaderry Sporting Complex.
![Shellharbour Sharks' Jye Brooker and Gerringong Lions' Wes Pring. Picture by Adam McLean. Shellharbour Sharks' Jye Brooker and Gerringong Lions' Wes Pring. Picture by Adam McLean.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/157749079/04028f88-16e8-46f5-b597-e0ad099d8eef.jpg/r0_0_5629_3753_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The Gerringong Lions and Shellharbour Sharks were two of the most in-form sides to close out the regular season.
The Sharks started the season shakily before finding their form and winning their last 10 clashes.
For the Lions, it was yet another impressive year as they balanced consistent roster movement and changing lineups.
This meant a lot of time for their younger players, one of those being Wes Pring who played a key role this year for the side.
Pring said it was tough dealing with the consistently shifting lineups but said it made the side resilient and flexible to take on any challenge.
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"We've had a few games where the lineups have changed the night before or even the morning of, so it's been hard to find the balance, but in the last month we've managed to have pretty similar lineups which has helped," he said.
"All the senior blokes have really helped us young ones to put our best foot forward. They do the same thing each week, they always turn up, and we've just tried to copy that."
Pring said the side is aware of the Sharks' strengths and know it's going to be a battle on Sunday.
"They are really strong through the middle," he said.
![(From left) Tyson Wood, Tom Latta, PJ Thornton, Jye Brooker and Wes Pring. Picture by Adam McLean. (From left) Tyson Wood, Tom Latta, PJ Thornton, Jye Brooker and Wes Pring. Picture by Adam McLean.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/157749079/315b7219-d1fc-42d6-b02f-e2a41629c93d.jpg/r0_0_5333_3555_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We just need to complete our sets and 'd-up' pretty good."
"Last time we gave them too much ball, that's what hurt us then so we have to avoid that this time around."
"We just need to use our strengths right. We have some quick guys, some strong guys, it's all about getting them in the right positions."
Sharks' Jye Brooker said the key to Shellharbour's turnaround this season was their emphasis on a strong defensive game-plan.
"It's all been built off our defence this year, keeping teams to as minimal points as possible," he said.
"I think there's only been four games this season where we've had more than three tries scored against us, which is the standard we set from the start."
Brooker said he's expecting a grinded out affair between the two sides on the weekend with how much either side takes pride in their defensive side of the ball.
"We have to keep them to as minimal point as possible, they are on the same end as us and we know they'll be wanting to do the exact same thing," Brooker said.
"If I had to pick someone besides us, Milton are always tough. They've seemed to come out of nowhere this year just like us, they've kicked from the bottom."
The Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs and Nowra-Bomaderry Jets will kick off at 3:30pm on Saturday, with the Gerringong Lions and Shellharbour Sharks kicking off at the same time on Sunday.