In a match where all the points were scored into a howling southerly, Pirates led 14-0 at the break before they defended their way to victory on the back of the breeze.

Coach Darren Williams was proud of the gutsy effort shown by his side whose ill-discipline threatened to cruel their chances of victory with two players yellow-carded in the second half.

"We made it hard on ourselves with ruck infringements; they were getting penalised for coming off their feet but I think it went a bit both ways anyway so it evened out," he said.

Williams said the message at halftime was a simple one - keep control of the match.

"I thought we could have controlled the ball a bit better around the rucks in the first half rather than spreading it wide into the wind," he said.

After only conceding 95 points throughout the season, it was the Pirates' defence that stood up in the biggest game of the year.

"We may have put a few more points on, but the boys' motto is if they can't score points they can't beat you," Williams said.

"The defence in the first half was phenomenal and I told them not to take their foot off and put it on their throat."

After claiming his second-straight premiership with the team, Williams would like to go around again next year.

"I'll be looking to put my nomination in to see if I can get three for them," he said.

"They always put on a great team effort and that's why they've won the last two years running."

Meanwhile, Pirates under-16s suffered a 17-12 defeat to Kempsey earlier in the day.

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