MATTS
South Sydney were red hot at a soggy Campbelltown
last Saturday, thumping Wests 46-4 in the Harold Matthews.
Handling errors aplenty marred the opening of the
game, but Wests held on long enough to send the ball wide off a dropout, Nathan
Patolo touching down in the left corner for a 4-0 lead after eight minutes.
Souths hit back at the halfway mark of the first
stanza, some lateral attack moving the Magpie defence around before Daniel
Fifita went through the meat of the pack to reach out alongside the posts for a
6-4 lead courtesy of the kick from Mawene Hiroti.
Wests were dominating proceedings, but the third
try went to the visitors, a lucky ricochet off a Gus Garzaniti kick allowing
Mawene Hiroti to capitalise after Souths went 100 metres in two plays, the
Bunnies ahead 12-4 ten minutes out from halftime.
Souths registered their third just before the
interval, Malla Chan-Foon going over after Souths spread the ball in good field
position after a poor Magpies turnover. Hiroti nailed the touchline kick, the
Rabbitohs going to halftime with an 18-4 break.
The second half could not have started worse for
Wests, putting down the kick-off and giving Souths a scrum, from which Mawene
Hiroti crashed over on the left flank before converting to make the score 24-4.
Momentum had swung violently after the break to
Souths, and they quickly scored again, Campbell Graham put away off an inside
ball from Josh Cook, Hiroti unable to add to the 28-4 lead.
Wests could not keep a handle on the ball, Souths
pouncing by going wide and, although Wests came up with the cover tackle, Dean
Hawkins strolled through off the ensuing play to extend the lead to 34-4 with
18 minutes still to play.
Wests defence was struggling under the mountain
of dropped ball, and Josh Cook took full toll, going through the ruck almost
untouched to score. Hiroti added the extras and the visitors broke 40 with ten
minutes remaining.
Wests could not take a trick, a right spread
going to ground, Jonny Mitsias on hand to scoop up the scraps and race 80
metres to touch down for Souths’ eighth try , the Rabbits running out 46-4
winners.
SOUTH SYDNEY 46 (Mawene Hiroti 2, Daniel Fifita, Malla
Chan-Foon, Campbell Graham, Daniel Hawkins, Josh Cook, Jonny Mitsias tries; Mawene
Hiroti 7 from 8) defeated WESTERN SUBURBS 4 (Nathan Patolo try; James
Tautailalefua 1 from 1)
Penalties: Wests 2 Souths 2
Halftime: Wests 4 Souths 18
WESTERN SUBURBS
1 James Tautaiolefua (C)
2 Billy Omerod
3 Sam Rembridge
4 Nathan Patolo
5 Maurice Faaae
6 Gus Garzaniti
7 Ailand Davis-Pihema
8 Hyrum William-Pulotu
19 Roy Satchi-Brown
17 Ben Seufale
11 Lucas Castle
12 Henry Lealuga-Puhotau
13 Alex Potifara
9 Christian Urso
15 Zane Rifai
20 Denzel Tavui
23 Lachlan Natupu
SOUTH SYDNEY
1 Mawene Hiroti
19 Malla Chan-Foon
3 Campbell Graham
4 Jonny Mitsias
5 Raine Dellow
6 Bailey Fitzgerald
7 Dean Hawkins (C)
8 Daniel Fifita
9 Josh Cook
10 Ky Rodwell
11 Joey Lo’se
12 Bobby Nader
13 Jake Kambos
14 Wesley Veikoso
15 Che Hyslop
17 Egan Butcher
18 Harrison Smith
BALL
A dominant first half was enough to get Souths
home 30-20 against a spirited Western Suburbs last weekend at Campbelltown in
the SG Ball competition.
Souths were in first after a physical opening
four minutes, Dylan O’Connor strolling through a hole opened up by a neat decoy
play. Siosifas Talakai split the uprights perfectly, and Souths were away 6-0.
Souths quickly doubled their lead, Emre Guler
spinning through some soft defence after an offload from Siosifas Talakai, who
converted the try for a 12-0 lead.
It was all red and green, handling errors
cruelling the Magpie attack and defence, as Gabe Hamlin crashed over after two
neat offloads for an 18-0 lead.
Wests needed to score next to stay in the
contest, and they did just that, Elijah Mannah in adjacent to the uprights and,
courtesy of Hosea Leuea’s conversion, the score was back to 18-6.
South Sydney hit back to undercut the black and white
momentum, Dylan O’Connor sneaking out of one tackle before carrying three
Magpies over the line in an incredible show of strength. The kick, from almost
bang on the touchline, was dead straight from Siosifas Talakai, Souths taking
their 24-6 lead to the break.
Wests came out firing after the break and struck
first, a kick through from Toa Mata’afa allowing Jye Brooker to dribble ahead
and score for the Magpies to reduce the deficit to 24-10, Hosea Leuea slicing
the kick.
Wests were holding their own against the
aggressive Souths pack, and took advantage after a knock on, Hosea Leuea
scoring out wide after a nice shimmy and go, although he couldn’t convert his
own try, Souths ahead by ten with as many minutes remaining.
Wests made it a grandstand finish with four
minutes remaining, Hosea Leuea breaking through before kicking wide and putting
on a sixpence for Jye Brooker to mark and claim his second of the day, Leuea’s
coversion making it 24-20 Souths.
However, the Bunnies would not be denied, Henry
Fuimaono crashing over with Wests attempting the steal. Talakai threw it over
from in front, Souths prevailing 30-20.
SOUTH SYDNEY 30 (Dylan O’Connor 2, Emre Guler,
Gabe Hamlin, Henry Fuimaono tries; Siosifas Talakai 5 from 5) defeated WESTERN
SUBURBS 20 (Jye Brooker 2, Elijah Mannah, Hosea Leuea tries; Hosea Leuea 2 from
4)
Penalties: Wests 5 Souths 2
Halftime: Wests 6 Souths 24
WESTERN SUBURBS
1 Jamen Johnson
2 Manisela Teuhema
3 Toa Mata’afa
4 Harrison Coskerie
5 Jye Brooker
7 Hosea Leuea
16 Cody Benson
19 Julius Taavao
9 Ryan Leet
18 Lenny Suani
11 Pj Leifi
12 Ray Stone
13 Elijah Mannah (C)
8 Taniela Paseka
10 Evander Titie Anatela
14 Jake Scott
17 Tala Mauigoa
SOUTH SYDNEY
1 Dylan O’Connor
22 Blade Perri
2 Jalen Reweti
23 Rangi Paea-Boyce
5 Johnathan Tufuga
6 Jade Anderson
7 Kurtis Preece
8 Emre Guler
9 John Neil
17 Brody Fitzgerald
15 Tristan Alvarado
3 Siosifas Talakai
10 Gabe Hamlin
11 Wiremu Tuiletufuga
14 Henry Fuimaono
18 Keenen Ngamoto
21 Ricardo Rahme
SYDNEY SHIELD
Western Suburbs and Asquith played out a 26-26
draw last weekend in the Sydney Shield at Campbelltown, a result that left
Asquith ruing a poor day of goalkicking, while Wests were frustrated at letting
in two late tries.
A tough and grinding opening ensured first points
took a while to come, Nathan Hourigan pouncing to intercept an Asquith pass and
race 40 metres to open Wests’ account for the afternoon, Tyson Tie Tie adding
the extra for a 6-0 lead after 16 minutes.
Asquith hit straight back, Ben Mooney sliding a
grubber in behind the line for Meli Katia to fly through and touch down despite
the close attention of Wests fullback Falcon Peni, Brad Horder unable to draw
scores level.
Asquith continued to explore with the football
and found paydirt 12 minutes from the interval, Luke McDonald playing the role
of trombone in the violin section as the front rower crashed over one in from
the wing, Brad Horder again off line, leaving the score at 8-6, which Asquith
carried to halftime in a drab, grinding game of football.
Asquith, aided by a couple of penalties on touchjudge
advice, opened the second half scoring with a try to Meli Katia after Wests
failed to shut down the overlap. Brad Horder was having an unhappy day with the
boot, missing his third consecutive shot at goal.
Wests were quick to respond, Esan Masters
shoving, propping and bouncing his way past five Asquith defenders to touch
down. Tyson Tie Tie was having a much better day than Brad Horder, the scores
locked at 12 after 54 minutes.
Wests doubled down, a bomb from the next set off
the kick-off seeing Falcon Peni swoop to clean up the spill from Asquith and
Wests suddenly found themselves in front 16-12.
Asquith went to water with Wests’ kicking game,
even straight forward punts being put down, this one allowing Simona Ene to
notch his first of 2015, Tyson Tie Tie’s kick sailing wide to leave Wests eight
points clear.
Asquith needed to score to stay in touch and did
so, Luke Hanson crossing out wide from a nice long ball courtesy of Ben Mooney.
Brad Horder couldn’t buy one, his touchline attempot striking the upright on
this occasion, Wests with a 20-16 lead entering the final 15 minutes.
With Asquith looking to push up and get the ball
back to go on the attack, Tyson Tie Tie slipped a little grubber in behind the Asquith
defence, Peter Ta’auso swooping to score, Tie Tie extending the lead to 26-16,
but it was short lived as a short kick off saw Asquith get the ball back,
Jackson Williams going over to bring the score back to 26-20, Asquith finding
no luck with a new kicker in Sam Buttel.
Shae Jarvis ensured the crowd held their
collective breath as he scored from dummy half just inside the siren. Sam
Buttel converted from close range, the final score an underwhelming 26-26.
WESTERN SUBURBS 26 (Nathan Hourigan, Esan Masters,
Falcon Peni, Simona Ene, Peter Ta’auso tries; Tyson Tie Tie 3 from 5) drew with
ASQUITH 26 (Meli Katia 2, Luke McDonald, Luke Hanson, Jackson Williams, Shae
Davis tries; Brad Horder 0 from 4, Sam Buttel 1 from 2)
Penalties: Wests 4 Asquith 7
Halftime: Wests 6 Asquith 8
WESTERN SUBURBS
1 Falcon Peni
2 Simona Ene
3 Nathan Hourigan
4 Jaiman Iroa
5 Apaola Tea Lama
6 Damien Doan
7 Tyson Tie Tie
8 John Joseph
9 Cheyne Pike
10 Ben Mitchell
23 Esan Marsters
12 Ronnie Palumbo
19 Peter Ta'auso
14 Jack Wheelhouse
16 Jamie Hill
17 Daniel Bell
21 Rhys Tucker
ASQUITH
1 Sam Buttel
5 Meli Katia
16 Aaron Papera
24 Junior Rika
3 Luke Hanson
6 Ben Mooney
7 Brad Horder ©
18 Ina Papera
21 Shae Jarvis
8 Luke Mcdonald
11 Sol Foster
12 Tom Young
19 Jackson Williams
9 Dylan Van Noort
10 Justin Eves
13 Jared Palmer
22 David Ryan
RMC
Asquith have defeated Western Suburbs 28-10 in a
spiteful Ron Massey Cup match marred by five sin binnings and a woeful
refereeing display that left both sides fuming.
Asquith opened the scoring after just five
minutes, the greasy surface seeing Wests lose the ball, Jaco Marketo burrowing
over from dummy half on the ensuing set. Jamie Ingram nailed the touchline
conversion beautifully, Asquith ahead 6-0.
Asquith doubled up from the kickoff, some flimsy
Wests defence seeing a break through the middle, Mick Pearsall backing up to go
around under the posts and Asquith were ahead 12-0 after eight minutes.
Twice Western Suburbs had tries disallowed for
being in front of the kicker, much to the chagrin of the local crowd, before
Mick Pearsall notched his second try off a slick backline move and an 18-0 lead
after 25 minutes.
Wests finally got on the board after half an hour,
a loose ball finding its way to John Sila, who beat his opposite number before
heading back inside and beating two more in going over. Shannon Gallant was
unable to add the extras, Asquith maintaining their lead by 18-4 through to
halftime.
Wests were first on the baord in the second half,
Shannon Gallant slicing through to score adjacent to the posts before
converting his own try to reduce Asquith’s lead to eight.
Referee Josh McGowan quickly lost control of the
game, a brawl seeing two Wests players and one from Asquith dispatched, the ten
metres quickly becoming five, Asquith taking advantage with Mick Pearsall
grabbing his third for a 24-10 lead at the halfway point of the second stanza.
With the teams level at 11 each after Asquith
lost another player to the bin, the visitors found space on the left, Jaco
Marketo racing in for his second of the day after a penalty for a late
challenge, Jamie Ingram’s kick unsuccessful, leaving the final score at 28-10.
ASQUITH 28 (Mick Pearsall 3, Jaco Marketo 2 tries;
Jamie Ingram 4 from 5) defeated WESTERN SUBURBS 10 (John Sila, Shannon Gallant
tries; Shannon Gallant 1 from 2)
Penalties: Wests 13 Asquith 9
Halftime: Wests 4 Asquith 18
WESTERN SUBURBS
1 Shannon Gallant
15 John Sila
3 Limoni Kamuta
4 James Goring
5 Kenny Niko
6 Blake Lazarus
7 Wayde Dunley
8 Jim Laulilii
18 Peter Nay
16 Jacob Nansen
11 David Harris
14 Kurt Atkinson
13 Chad Mcgill
10 Marcel Owens
17 Dane Coskerie
19 Hayden Johnston
25 Tom Harris
ASQUITH
1 Jack Hawkins
2 Jamie Ingram
15 Jaco Maketo
4 Greg Davis
17 Mick Pearsall
6 Ben Fisher
7 Aaron Groom
8 Brendan Hurd
9 Aiden Carney
10 Joel Tubbs
11 Josh Nichols
14 Dylan Mckeown
13 Joel Latham
16 Matt Hurd
22 Mark Daoud
23 Francis Tuigamala
24 Lachlan Piper
