UNIVERSITY coach Josh Meads reckons no one would have predicted that the Students would rise to second on the Hunter Rugby ladder.
And Meads has a message: "we are not finished yet."
University stunned Maitland 33-22 at Marcellin Park on Saturday in a showdown for second place.
The visitors led 19-5 at half-time and added two quick tries after the break to take control at 33-5.
The win moved the Students above the Blacks and sealed a major semi-final date with Merewether, who iced the minor premiership with a 45-14 triumph over South Beaches.
Maitland will meet Wanderers in the minor semi, after the Two Blues won a last-round try-fest with Hamilton 38-32.
The competition has a break next weekend, with the finals starting on August 22.
University's last premiership was 38 years ago in 1988. The last time they featured in a decider was 2008, going down 35-20 to Hamilton.
"I don't think anyone would have thought that Uni would have been playing off for second place," Meads said.
"Then to win up at Maitland in front of a big home crowd, that is pretty unreal.
"I told the boys, 'I could not be more proud of your efforts, but this is just the first page of our next chapter'.
"Whilst it was one of our better performances for the season, the positive side is that we have still got more to improve.
"The skill level across the squad is huge. The thing that will haunt me is if we cannot put together an 80-minute performance.
"It's just small things. We don't have to change the world to put together a performance. It's just little adjustments that we need to make.
"We will make those and head into Merewether in a couple of weeks."
Although crossing for five tries, Meads credited the Students' defence, especially early, for setting up the win.
"We knew they would come out firing, especially with their forward pack," Meads said. "The forwards bring the intensity. They are right at the front line of the defence. We started well in that aspect. We forced some turnovers which was huge.
"We defended our line a few times and then we pounced on opportunities."
Kirk Tufuga crashed over to put the Students ahead 7-0 after 15 minutes. Then quicksilver fullback Paddy Small swooped on a mistake and ran the length of the field. Prop Devante Manu rumbled over in the 39th minute to make it 19-5.
"It was probably the best 40 minutes that we've put together, to be honest," Meads said.
Centre Ueta Tufuga scored a brilliant individual try two minutes into the second half and the Students were away.
The only downside for University was a serious ankle injury to winger Tiaan Brownless.
At No.2, Wanderers did enough to hold out the Hawks, who played the last 25 minutes with 14 men after Lachie Summers was given a red card for contact to the head.
Both teams scored some spectacular tries in a game that signaled the end of the tenure of Brisbane bound Marty Berry at Hamilton.
"Hamilton threw the ball around a lot. It was the last game for them and they played a very expansive game," Wanderers coach Lue Sherwood said.
"It wasn't the performance we were hoping for to finish the regular season, but we held on and got the win.
"Now our attention is on Maitland.
They have had the wood on us the last couple years. They have had the wood on us in the last couple of years, but have showed that we can match it with them. We were up by 15 points in the last game at No.2. We have a bit more belief in us now and know how to close a game out."
At Townson Oval, the Greens had to work hard to overcome a Beaches side boosted by the return of Tom Shields and Charlie Moroney from the Hunter Wildfires.
NSW Country centre Isaako Enosa led the way for the Greens with two tries.
Meanwhile, the Hunter Wildfires' women went down 21-17 to Sydney University in the minor semi-final of the Chikarovski Cup on Saturday.
Sydney Uni led 14-0 before a spirited fightback by the Wildfires. Ashlea Bishop, Maia Madden Khan and Susannah Cooke crossed for the Wildfires.
It was also disappointing result for the Wildfires in the Shute Shield, going down 33-24 to West Harbour at Concord Oval.
