Water Rats stumble in finals but can still claim premiership
Subscriber only
RUGBY UNION: The Warwick Water Rats have gone down in the first week of the finals series and now have to win three successive finals games to win the club's first premiership since the mid-2000s.
Warwick and Dalby were 17-all at half-time before Dalby scored a converted try to take the lead.
The Water Rats responded with a try to Anthony Hartwig in the corner but the conversion was missed and the Wheatmen had a 24-22 lead with 20 minutes to go.
Dalby then put two converted tries on the Water Rats and the Warwick team could not respond.
B-grade manager Alastair Costello said fullback Lachlan Winten, centre Paul Christensen and prop James Bradbury were the best for Warwick.
The finals game between fourth and fifth resulted in a 78-0 win to Goondiwindi against Rangers.
Warwick will now play the knock-out semi against Goondiwindi at 12.10pm on Saturday at Goondiwindi.
