Round 8 Review

Round 8 – Match Report – 1st Grade

The Vikings were on the road again to play the Gungahlin Eagles at an unexpected balmy and sunny day out at Nicholls, with some silverware up for grabs in the Warcuba Cup and Hitchcock Shield, both currently held by the men in black. The Redmen were expecting a tough and physical game, which certainly was the case in a high scoring affair to run out winners on day and maintaining their position at the top of the table.
Both teams took time to settle into the game, with the Vikings having good field position but the Eagles struck on the 12 minute mark with a long range intercept try and conversion to grab an early lead. The Vikings struck back not long after with English import Monty Royston crashing over after controlled play by the forwards. JD Lealiifano added the extras and also grabbed a penalty goal for the Redmen to take a 10 to 7 lead midway through the first half. Not to be out done, the Eagles grabbed a converted try to reclaim the lead before the Monty would grab his 2nd 5 pointer close to the line to have the Vikings leading by a point. The backs then swung into action to see try scoring machine Lachie Davis dot down out wide and then Seamus Smith would snipe down the blind side to cross out wide for a half time score of 25 to 14 in favour of the Vikings.
The scoreboard continued ticking over with the men in Black opening the scoring soon after resumption of play in the 2nd half to close the gap to 4 points before Dean Oakman-Hunt would grab a converted try to extend the lead again with plenty of time remaining in the match. In a fluctuating game, the Eagles were next to score before a penalty try from a rampaging Viking’s scrum to see lead extend again. Slammin’ Sam Thomas would add to his burgeoning season try tally to grab his 10th try of the season with the score out to 46 to 28 to Redmen with just over 15 minutes remaining. The Eagles would not go away and grabbed a converted try to narrow the margin again with JD Lealiifano nabbing a penalty goal to complete the Viking’s scoring for the game. The dogged Eagles would grab a try in injury time to see the final score of 49 to 40 victory to the men in Red in what was an entertaining game.
With a hard-fought win, the Vikings have grabbed the season’s first lot of silverware in the Warcaba Cup and Hitchcock Shield and certainly had the hit out they wanted as they remain undefeated at the half way point of the competition. With English Import, the Full Monty Royston, settling right into the Viking’s engine room and grabbing a brace of tries for good measure to collect the 3 Points as well as the Player’s Player award. Towering Jack Wright would nab two points in his best game of the season with captain Hammer Holt leading from the front to take the final point.
The Viking’s have a bye next weekend and will enjoy some well-earned R and R with 7 games remaining before the finals. Enjoy the time boys and girls..
Player’s Player: Monty Royston
3 Points to Monty Royston
2 Points to Jack Wright
1 Point to Cameron Holt

Round 8 – Match Report – 2nd Grade

Twozapalooza packed a lunch and set off an adventure. They travelled North to the battle the Orcs in Mordor under the baleful eye of Sauron. Nicholls was a surprise, the drainage was sorted so no longer a swamp and the sun was shining … unheard of this far north, it was a false promise with the usual Nicholls weather arriving just before kick-off.

Not the start Red were looking for with a lineout error followed by a succession of penalties putting us under the pump and allowing the Eagles to draw first blood at the 3-minute mark. Followed by a ten minute period of error ridden football until Peaky spoofed a missing pillar at a ruck and a 5 metre pick and go got him off his nudey-run. Score 7 all and it looked like the repeat tight tussle from 4.

A repeat of the head hunting from Travis’ mate now moved to #6 saw him in the naughty chair and the Red-Maul started to put in place John’s teaching with 20 metre drive allowing Swaniso to break away and score. The Shane “Big” Wilcox show began combining with Dash Palmer and Teapot Hargan to put Robbo over for the 3rd.

A poor Red kick receipt put them under pressure allowing Black to trouble the scorers for the final time this match.

Wilcox, Hargan and Palmer combined again for a sip of Champagne rugby with a 70 metre try. Gungahlin had no answer to this trio they started finding gaps like it was Swiss cheese. The first half ended with Robbo snapping the Gungahlin player in half over the sideline.

Gungahlin ill-discipline saw #6 replacement JP lucky to avoid a Red card after continuing the headhunting pattern on Baby Face Leiper and Willy P spending another 10 minutes in the chair of contemplation.

The Red Back three combined their magic in the second stanza with Robbo’s hard straight line running, cutting defence apart like it was tissue paper. A second victory in this 3-game match up 45 – 12 with 7 tries and 5 conversions.

Scorers:

Goymer-Peak, Puteho, Robinson, Hargan, Palmer, Wilcox and Chin. Wilcox and Hargan both only missing a single conversion.

Players Player:  Shane “Big” Wilcox

Points:

3: Shane Wilcox

2: Kerry McInerny

1: Jak Mcalister/Tom Hargan/ Bailey Goymer-Peak

Round 8 – Match Report – Colts

Not often I can start a review about a game at Nicholls by not saying “on a cold, wet and windy day out at Nicholls” but the weather was reasonable – for our game anyway!

Another close one but we seem to do that, and a win is a win. Tied for 2nd on the ladder too, just need to up our percentages now.

Eaglets were the first on the board with a penalty 0-3. Then 25mins in some very delightful backline passing saw Matt D catch the defence out to gap them and pass to Grayson TM for a try – Grayson is building in confidence each week and scoring good tries! Jacob ‘Taffy’ S did his Taffy thing and booted it over to make it 7-3.

That was really it for the first half, except it went for 41mins? Twice that’s happened to us this season…

Right at the start of the second half the Eaglets took advantage of huge overlap and scored in the corner 7-10. 7 minutes later they were in again after exploiting a blindside lacking in numbers to score in the corner 7-15. Hmmm, déjà vu? Nope….read on.

A very nice offload from replacement hooker Corey T to Grayson TM who passed to Oliver K who must have tried to engage every Eaglet defender on his way to the line. Jinking, jiving and jerking his was over, Ollie has a knack for finding that line….albeit the hard way. The joy around that try tho was palpable and uplifting with most of the guys getting around him. Missed conversion and the score now at 12-15.

55mins in and after attacking their tryline with the big boppers not really making a dent Travis G resorted to the alternative and popped the ball out to Soma T (looking more comfortable at centre than on the wing) who unselfishly passed it on to Matt D for his try.

The Referee then called it quits at the 68 min mark, maybe to compensate for the first half – who knows?

Final score 17-15 and second spot on the ladder points wise.

Scorers: Tries – Grayson Te Moana, Ollie Kemp and Matt Davis. Taffy Symes kicked over only one conversion.

Players Player – Matt Davis

3/2/1 – Soma T, Matt D & Travis G