Round 17 Review: Penrith and Goulburn

Featured image courtesy of Mona’s Photography

Round 17 – Match Report – 1st Grade

In the final home and away game of the John I Dent Cup before the finals, the Vikings ventured down the Hume to take on the winless Penrith Emus. On what turned out to be a mostly fine afternoon in western Sydney, this week’s run-on side contained a number of personnel changes due to a dreaded lurgy running through the club. A highly motivated Swani Puteho was making his 1st Grade debut, with a number of Colts players also joining the debutant ranks later in the game, which would see the men in Red running out convincing winners in a 10 try demolition.

Compared to the game last year, the players were greeted with a dry/dusty playing surface as the Vikings dominated the early exchanges that saw elusive fullback Lennix Tovo scoot over for his 1st of 3 tries for the match with 12 minutes on the clock and for good measure added the extras as well.  Penrith would grab a penalty goal to close the gap before a clever chip kick by stand-in captain Seamus Smith to see the fleet footed Lennix Tovo grab his second 5 pointer.  With the pigs providing great go forward, Dylan Challita crashed over to see the lead further extend to the visitors.  The Emus took the opportunity to add another penalty goal with 10 minutes before the break.  With the experienced Isaac Thompson controlling play at fly half in his first run game in the top grade in over 2 years, the zippy Lippy Davis would latch onto a long pass to jink his way over out wide. The mercurial Seamus Smith would execute a brilliant chip and chase to send number 8 Baden Godfrey sprinting over untouched for a converted try to see the half time the score of 29 to 6 in favour of the Vikings.

The 2nd half began with the Vikings taking advantage of good field position before Dean Oakman-Hunt backed up a break from the evergreen Isaac Thompson to smash his way over the line. Another of the seasoned campaigners in Andrew Robinson would join the list of try scorers after latching onto a smart pass from replacement half Tommy Lachlan, who also added the conversion with plenty of time remaining on the clock. It didn’t take long before a blistering long-range strike by that man again, Lennix Tovo to complete his hat trick of touch downs to see the score out to 48 to 6 to men in Red.  It was then the turn of the Emus to cross the line for their one and only try of the afternoon with around 15 minutes remaining in the half. Colt’s forwards Harry Davis and Zac Lewis would join the fray as replacements for their 1st games in the top grade, along with outside back Peron Faimalo who would latch onto a brilliantly placed kick by JD Lealiifano to then send a flying Lippy Davis scampering over for his 2nd try of the afternoon.  Another of the jet shoed flyers in Henry Palmer would grab the last try of the match to see the Red men run out victors by 62 to 11.

With Vikings back in the winner’s circle after 2 close losses and a draw in the previous 3 games, the bus trip home was a jovial one, orchestrated by leader Smith and certainly enjoyed by all. A dominant Baden Godfrey collected the Player’s Player award and the 3 points after a ripping display at no.8. The hard to contain custodian Lennix Tovo grabbed the 2 points after another sparkling outing with another onballer and tackling dynamo Dylan Challita taking the final point in a non-stop display.

So, here we stand with the regular season now done and dusted as an all-new ball game begins with the final series starting next weekend. Going to be a massive weekend for all our 6 teams taking part. So, bring your voices and passion to cheer on the guys and girls… it’s going to be big….

Player’s Player:  Baden Godfrey

3 Points to Baden Godfrey

2 Points to Lennix Tovo

1 Point to Dylan Challita

Round 17 – Match Report – Colts

The day started with the alarm going off at an obscene time heralding an impending 4-hour bus trip up the Hume to Nepean Rugby Park against the Penrith Bush Chooks. Uneventful trip with the obligatory stop at Maccas to fuel and hydrate up. Quiet arrival, only a handful of spectators and no opposition but as we were warming up, they came in dribs and drabs with someone suggesting that maybe the nightclubs up that way closed late?

Onto a pitch that was the complete opposite to last years – this years was dusty and bare which wasn’t any fun for anyone with asthma. What followed was a great game of footbrawl interspersed with some quality football. The Bush Chooks were soon down to 14 with the winger using one of our guy’s head as a punching bag leading to a Red card so 15 plays 14 and you know the rest – 42-26 result. To their credit they tried hard, but numbers count, and we ran in 6 good tries with Zinny smacking over 6 conversions from 6 attempts – 100% off the boot with only a few in front so fantastic effort!

So many great efforts across the park but mentions need to go to Jake who manfully played 60mins without any lungs, Taffy who curled up like a possum on the way up and back and Caleb ‘Huge’ Sione who continued to smash anyone in his way at prop before moving to his new position at Number 8. Samson was industrious after his time off with a head wound and we wish Cooper a swift recovery after he left his left shoulder in the far corner of Nepean Rugby Park scoring his try.

Congrats also to those lads who stepped up and played for Firsts on Sat after our game, job well done and not one of you let us down – carry that memory with pride.

Bus trip home was noisy and raucous with senior players initiating some into rights and rituals, who knew you could skydive on a bus??

Looking forward to getting Ollie and Grayson back as well as Tony for the finals but first we need to deal with our nemesis’s Uni-North Owlets this Sunday at 11:00am. Knocking them off third spot relegating them to 4th is just the first step, beating them is the next one!!!

Scorers were Corey (becoming a habit)/Cooper/Moses/Zac/Daniel and Samson and as mentioned Zinny with 6 conversions.

PP: Travis Grady

3/2/1: Caleb/Samson and Sam

Round 17 – Match Report – 3rd Grade

The wheels on the bus go round and round and round… so sang the boys on the bus – up the Hume hwy to play Goulburn away for the final home-away regular season.  Dirty-Reds v the Red men – some wit asked what the difference in Red was, I refused to answer.  It’s just a hue too complex to illustrate.  You cant beet a red pun, or so they say.  Reddy or not here I come. Our Red men were ready to paint Goulburn town red – not with puns… but ‘red-ing’ between the puns I guess Ive left you pund-dering what Im pun-ishing you with next?   Missing a few regulars through injury or family commitments we had a few new handy additions. The mind games started early – in the changerooms a shovel was left leaning against the wall – a ground-breaking invention, but the promise of a burial – went over the heads of a red-hot red men.

Dirty-Reds are always a challenge – our first encounter earlier in the season had them marked as the form team of the division this year – and results for both the dirty reds and Vikings were to show the 1-2 placed team facing off in the last round as one to look forward to – the game didn’t disappoint.

We looked to continue our strong starts – within the first minute Willy left the Goulburn defenders red-faced as he made a great bust down the side-line to off load to a flying Clay (target).  Jack Mann found the ball with time and space to launch a pinpoint cross field kick to Pappy Douglas in the clear – but somehow the ref decided there was no advantage and blew the whistle penalty to Vikings – and easy ground for a lineout.  The forwards taking on the early hard work of seven phases of grind until our Mann Jack saw the gap at the edge of the ruck to bounce the opposite way and cross the line.  Conversion successful 0-7 Vikings in first 2 mins.

Dirty -Reds were quick to bounce back – despite both the try and a mistake of the restart (out on the full).  Vikings clearing kick off the Scrum to give an attacking Lineout to the Dirties. Securing their own ball at the front, they moved the ball quickly form the ruck to ruck – to set up a simple attack of quick hands – the outside backs finding space and ‘beeting’ our now red-faced red men on the outside to score running in form the corner to touch down under the post.  7-7 after 8 mins.

The game settled into a tight contest as each team looked to gain an edge. The Dirties found it first – Vikings fumbling the lineout on the 10-meter line to give position away to the dirties.  Mid field crash ball runners finding the hole to link up with a pod out wide and a sneaky sniff ball inside runner to score.  Try scorer for Goulburn in their 200th game scoring their 300th point. 14-7 to Goulburn.

Robbie “Pocock” McNeil quickly got us back on track with an excellent turn-over penalty.  The subsequent Lineout 25 meters out perfect attacking platform.  However, the ball went sailing over everyone’s head. – Lucky Vikings reclaimed the loose ball.  Centre field the pigs went to work making the hard yards in close quarter battle with the dirties – getting within a meter of the line. However, the dirties infringed, giving us another attacking Line out this time 15 meters out.  The Dirties using the side entrance for our well-formed maul – caught the loving eye of the referee… team warning and a third attacking lineout to the red-men. This time the Dirties aren’t as clever as they think, sacking the maul illegally – patience worn out, a lofty lock sent for a 10 min rest.  Line out number 4, the dirties raise the white flag – as out well-set maul rumbles forwards again.  Scores are locked up at 14-14 all 18 mins into the first half.

The rest of the first half was all Vikings as we looked to turn the screws for a red-hot display for the last 5 minutes of the half. Hacksaw Hackett for the second week in a row finding an easy try out wide – the beneficiary of quick ball from side-line to sideline a lonely Hackett in the 15 meter channel receives the ball 10 meters out – almost unopposed streams forward 10 meters but at the last minute diverts his run into the nearest Goulburn hapless defender, Hackett shows him whose boss to score.  Radar-Gatto solid once again 14-21 to Vikings.  4 minutes left in the half.

Our next try coming quickly – a clearing kick of the back of an attacking scrum 40 meters out  – Jack Mann taken late and high – the dirties caught red-handed –  penalty to Vikings where the ball drops…   Matt Jolley – jolly on the spot takes a quick tap in the confusion to score from 10- meters out while Goulburn still didn’t know what had happened.  Gatto well tuned on the boot 14-28 Vikings.  Less than 2 mines later we crossed the line to see out the first half – Pappy Douglas benefiting from quick hands across the field to see a final wide pass drop onto his chest and arms to score:  14-35 to Vikings and the break.

The second half we wanted keep the foot on the throat – and looked to play hard and fast – however it was Goulburn who were burning red out of the break. Playing up tempo and not letting us set into any pattern or set piece.  A lineout taken quickly after pappy Douglas was taken over the line saw our defence splintered.  Vikings infringing, Goulburn keeping the afterburners on taking quick taps. – and fired the red-hot ball across through the hands and park to find us wanting on the outside. No time to rest as the try scorer slots a quick and easy drop goal conversion.  21-35 to Vikings. However short lived as the dirties once again secured position – this time their forward rumbling the ball forward in close the ruck finding the hole to score – score now reflecting the tightness of the game overall – 28-35 to Vikings.

With the Goulburn’s tails up and the scores looking tight at 28-35 – a crucial penalty within striking distance saw us opt for points on a relatively easy kick.  Radar-Gatto spot on once again to give us a buffer with minutes to go at 28-38.

Goulburn had the last say however with a try right on full time under the posts – a tight and hard second half to close the game at 35-38. Vikings victorious; Monaro Cup club championship safe off the back of 4s and 3s taking the wins, and 3s the minor premiership.  Onto finals next week – where we have the rematch with Goulburn and either a chance to pass Go into the big dance or a fight for survival against the winner of the preliminary final: either the twit-whos or the balding eagles.

Players-Player:  Jack Mann

3-2-1s:

3: Jack Mann

2: Brandon Gatto

1: Nathan Hackett

Round 14 Review 4th Grade

Both Jack “Bushmaster” Wilson along with fellow S&C guru Ben “Cassius” Clay (or Billy goat)  both made their Vikings debut in the final regular season round.   Vikings saw off a feisty Goulburn with a 31-26 Victory that saw the backline dominate the score board off forwards hard yards.

Regular ‘’Home and Away’’ Season complete!

To our players, volunteers, sponsor partners and supporters’ – congratulations on your efforts throughout the regular ‘home’ and ‘away’ season!

As a club, we now start again knowing that with finals commencing next Saturday (12th), there is plenty of work to be done!

More info regarding game times, etc will be released once we have all details confirmed – hope to see you around VP across the finals series!