THERE was plenty of emotion and camaraderie between the Moruya Sharks and the Batemans Bay Tigers reserve grade teams in the first Robbie Stewart Shield fixture played between the two clubs on July 18.
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The Tigers scored in the final two minutes and intecepted Moruya's last-gasp effort to post a 20-18 win at Ack Weyman Oval.
Stewart's widow Carlie Remm and daughter Melody led the Sharks onto the paddock as both teams also celebrated an Indigenous round fixture.
After 16 minutes Sharks' lock Justin Zutt carried a clump of Tigers defenders across the try line to score and Craig Cottington's conversion put Moruya ahead 6-nil.
Five minutes later Warren Potts scored out wide off the work of Charlie Nye and the score remained 6-4 at half-time.
Early in the second half Moruya benefited from three consecutive penalties and were deep in the Tigers' territory.
A deft short pass by Jack Keating set Zutt up for his second try.
He ran an angled line through a gap and despite being tackled, he was able to reach out and slam the ball down over the try line.
Cottington's conversion was successful and Moruya led 12-4.
Five minutes later Batemans Bay forced a drop-out but a desperate pass on the fifth tackle of the set was intercepted.
However, two tackles later Moruya knocked on.
Batemans Bay's Scott Belcher benefitted on the next set of tackles, with a barging run, to score next to the posts.
Joey Brierley duly converted and the Bay trailed 12-10.
Moruya was next to score when Gavin Olive's one-arm cut out pass found Keating, who ran around the in-goal area to plant the ball as close as possible to the posts.
Cottington converted and Moruya led 18-10 with 15 minutes remaining.
It was a back-and-forth contest and Batemans Bay scored next.
A quick play-the-ball by Joey Brierley was scooped up by Jim Thomas, who fired a long pass from dummy half to Ashbee Reid, who scored an easy try near the corner.
Brierley failed to convert and the Bay trailed 18-14 with 12 minutes remaining.
With three minutes remaining some good lead-up play by Warren Potts deep in the Sharks' half, set up Thomas, who carried a gallant Sharks defender across the try line to score next to the posts.
A roar from the Tigers' fans and players rang loudly and Brierley converted with almost a minute remaining.
The Sharks regained the ball after a Tigers knock-on but ran out of time as the Bay ran out 20-18 victors.
After the match Melody Stewart handed Tigers' captain Joey Brierley the shield before both teams captains gave quick speeches about the significance and quality of the match.