Round 15 Review: Royals

Round 15 – Match Report – 1st Grade

The Vikings were keen to get back to their winning ways after suffering their first loss of the season last time out and what better place to do that at the home of the old foe Royals.  With the Wal Scollen Cup also to play for along with celebrating the 100th game of the flying Fijian Max Ravouvou, there was plenty to play for but in a dramatic and at times chaotic afternoon at Phillip, the men in Red would suffer their 2nd loss for the season at hands (or should I say boot) of the Blue Baggers.

On a fine and sunny afternoon at Phillip District Oval, the Vikings took advantage of some good interchanges between backs and forwards that saw fleet footed winger Lippy Davis scoot over out wide after only 10 minutes of play. It didn’t take long for the Red Men to trouble the scorers again after another good build up that would see the strapping Baden Godfrey prove too much for the opposition to hold out as he crashed his way over the line to take the score to 10 nil in favour of the Vikings.  The men from the Valley would strike again with zip zip winger Lippy Davis grabbing his 2nd try of the match following a scintillating break through the ruck to then evade the defense to dot down under the post with JD adding the extra. After holding out the Blue Baggers with some rugged defense on their goal line, the Vikings would then strike through crack centre Junior Time-Toatua who strolled through the defense to grab a converted try with the half almost up.  Royals would nab a converted try to see the half time score of 24 to 7 to the men in Red, with little to prepare our supporters for the drama charged 2nd half to come.

The 2nd half did not start well for the Vikings, with 2 yellow cards in the space of 5 minutes of each other, with the Blue Baggers grabbing 2 tries to get back into the contest to trail by only 5 points with plenty time on the clock. With both sides trying to gain the ascendency, Royals would jump to the lead for the first time in the match with a converted try with around 5 minutes of play.  JD would knock over a penalty goal to see the Red Men back in front with the score of 27 to 26 with time almost up.  The Red Men thought they had secured victory after being awarded a penalty that was unfortunately over turned with the Blue Baggers nabbing a penalty goal to sneak away with the win by 29 to 27 and also secure the Wal Scollen Cup in a frantic end to the afternoon’s proceedings.

So, there you have it, in a game that had pretty much everything and despite consecutive losses, the Vikings have managed to seal the minor Premiership with 2 games of the regular season remaining.  In a gritty team effort, led by the back row, Dean Oakman-Hunt collected the Player’s Player award and the 3 points after a tireless display at blindside flanker. His back rower flank partner in Baden Godfrey would grab the 2 points after another resolute display with the rugged Titi Nofoagatatoa taking the final point.

With next week being the final home game of the season as the Club celebrates Hagar’s and Helga’s Day, the Vikings take on the Queanbeyan Whites and will be determined to keep the Bob Hitchcock Shield in the Valley in front of a large and vocal Vikings Clan.  See you there… go you good things…

Player’s Player:  Dean Oakman-Hunt

3 Points to Dean Oakman-Hunt

2 Points to Baden Godfrey

1 Point to Titi Nofoagatatoa

Round 15 Match Report 2nd Grade Vikings vs Royals @ Phillip

A revamped second grade headed to the home of the Blue-Baggers. Robbo Robinson earning a start in 1st grade off of the back of some dominant displays in Twozapalooza and injuries to Club Captain Reece Chin and Travis Pula altering the spine of the backline that has been dominant this season.

The ‘Kings started well from kick off, poor exit from Blue on receipt allowing Red to spread the ball. Linebreak from Old Man Thompson and interplay between 7 & 8 giving Willi Pentinai an easy dot down at the 54th second. “Big” Wilcox unable to convert, an indication of what was to come from the tee with none of Vikings kickers able to put it through the sticks today. Blue returned fire at the 4-minute mark after Oscar tried to catch the re-start with his face and some poor red defence.

First Scrum of the match a blue feed at 7:45, Blue #9 lucky to get the ball out the back as his pack is on Skates and indication of the dominance to come at Scrum from the ‘Kings!!!! Ratu benefitting from the dominance at the 12th minute mark taking off the back 15 minutes out and bashing through the backs to dot down.

Big Wilcox next to score at the 17th minute with an athletic bounce back to feet from an ankle tap and dot down almost in one minute.

34 minutes gone Goymer-Peak decides he wants some Cheese to go with Oranges and heads to the chair of contemplation for ankle tapping the half-back whilst lying on the ground. The resulting lineout allowing Blue to score giving them the lead 17-15 at Oranges.

3 minutes into the 2nd half and scrum dominance pays again, the Blue TH sent to the naughty chair to think about why he can’t stay straight and flat in a scrum, TJ Sione absolutely dominating time and again.

Pappy Douglas impersonating super man dotting down in the corner as the cover D sends him flying 20-17 to Red at 52 minutes.

Fittingly final score for Red was #8 Red Ratu Maleli off the back of dominant scrum. Red’s lack of cohesion with dramatic changes to the backline was saved by a dominant pack, this was a Forwards victory 25-22 to the Good Guys.

Scorers:

Tries: Ratu “Oscar” Maleli (2), Ryley Douglas, Shane Wilcox, Willi Penitani

Conversions: 0/5 poor day off the Tee for all kickers.

Players Player:  TJ Sione

Points:

3:    TJ Sione

2:    Paddy Atkins

1:     Joel Leiper

Round 15 – Match Report – Colts

Being a Rooster was fun but back to being feather dusters again on a day that promised so much but didn’t really deliver. We lost 22-8 to the Baby Blue Bags on a sunny day at Phillip District in front of a vocal crowd.

Only two regular season games left now and although we can’t fall out of the Top 4 we need to have a crack in those two remaining games. One of those games is at home against a side higher than us and the other is a road trip up the Hume. Given our fluctuating fortunes anything is possible results wise, but this writer is confident of a good showing and maximum points in both.

Back to Saturday, frustrating for all involved given we left potentially three tries out on the paddock due to basic errors. The opposition weren’t world beaters but did the basics a lot better than we executed and got the chocolates.

Positives – Grayson TM was a constant threat at fullback till moved in the second half shuffling. The scrum and lineouts were mostly dominant and provided attacking ball opportunities. Dylan C was again a weapon in his 30min cameo, enough so to earn Players Player. Big Caleb S punched holes in their defence when he chose to run the ball – he even had a wee rest in the naughty chair right on half time. Corey T scored again but it was our only try with Taffy S knocking over a penalty goal for our 8 points.

After Corey’s try it was all one way on the scoreboard to the Baby Blue Baggers.

Home game this Sat on our biggest day – Hagars and Helgas Day and it’s hoped that this squad might absorb some of the emotion of the day and produce something special against the White Walker Underlings before heading up the Hume to Penrith.

Scorers: Corey Thompson try and Taffy Symes a Penalty Goal.

Players player: Dylan Challita

3. Dylan 2. Tony 1.Wil

Round 15 – Match Report – 3rd Grade

The Royals were at home in Windsor … urrg Phillip Oval, Windsor Castle it is not. Well, it may if it ever gets its long-announced government upgrades.   I was going to start off with a Rugby joke rather than a pun, but you’ve probably heard a maul…  How about a joke about Vikings? Never mind there’s Norway you’d laugh at it.  A Fact instead: VIkings are the sixth generation of kings.

A long wait to get to belt the blue baggers again – we hadn’t seen them since round 2 and regal eternity ago.  No one needs a royal rev up for a Royalle Rumble with the Blues, everyone ready to Duke it out. More tries in this game than Henry VIII had wives.

Our fast-striking Vikings were back to their old form – crossing for three quick tries in the first 10 minutes.

The first try coming off a disjointed opening 5 minutes with 2 lineouts and a scrum…  A penalty from a trademark strong scrum saw Vikings sitting pretty-as-a- princess with a 5-meter lineout.  Back jumpers splitting the kingdom for Nic “no royal-pillow” Cushan receiving the ball off the top to crash through the middle of the lineout – just short. Next-in-line to the throne, Semisi pick and go form the ruck to score. Conversion on point by Royal Canadian Mountie Gatto.  0-7 Vikings.

A high ball restart saw the Royal chaser doing his best to emulate an AFL mark – however Prince Maleli was sure under the ball and pressure to easily take the ball – to run the ball back form centre field, 30 meters gained. However, a knock on on the 10-meter line gave Royals the scrum feed and chance to exit.  Vikings 3 are Scrum royalty – winning the TH scrum, Nic taking the ball eagerly in hand off the back to the 22-meter line, second phase saw quick ball snap oto mid field, third phase to an eager pod – an inside ball to Matt “Prince Harry” Wafer with a 30-meter stroll to score under the posts. 0-14 Vikings.

Our ability to turn our own errors into set piece wins is an underrated tactic – but high stakes against better teams. A double set of leading to our third try in in the first 10 minutes.  Restart error saw us with a scrum centre field – a strong TH win pushing the Royal Blues back 5 meters – however the official with the whistle deciding that mercy overruled law – determine a slight divergent push after dead straight 5meter dominance enough to rule Vikings not driving straight, the real cause a collapsing Royal household all on the floor.  Royals opting for the lineout off the penalty.  Our princely pack flying high to steal the line out  – quick ball to Hutch to march through the broken lineout – off load to Grant ‘’ Lukins who was monstered from behind. Two quick phases across the field and Fijian touch offloads ruled the kingdom to see Maleli break the line from 40 meters out – to score.  0-19 to Vikings with the conversion waved away like the Royals on the balcony at Buckingham.

The restart saw more ground gained than the British Royal Empire – a deep kick to Clayton T, great hard run for a 20 meter return and offload to Jack “King-of-Coffee” Mann for another 20 meter gain and offload to Eddie a three phase return into Royals territory. However, Eddie was down – telling us it hurts when I touch my leg, my arm, my chest – trainers telling him all was well – but he had dislocated his finger!  A quick running repair saw ne back less than 10 minutes later… in time for our fourth try.  A Lineout 10 meters out form the try line well set up – a back ball set for a Royal Mauling – but the ruse once set once again as Eddie claimed the pop pass out the back to score, 0-26 Vikings.

The restart saw us back under pressure as the rerun run didn’t pay off – knock-on in contact.  Royals Scrum 20 meters out – another strong TH scrum however Royals clear quickly this time only for the ref to call Vikings offside. Quick tap saw Royals despite to find the line bouncing left and right out for the ruck looking for a way through the solid Vikings defence – heartbreak for the blues as King George and Prince Harry-Wafer pilfered the ball 5 meters for our line – Cushan scooping up the ball for an offload to Jack deep kick into Royals territory, Royals Knocking on – Scrum Vikings on our 10 meter line – Jack the-coffee-king Mann receiving silver service from Hutch hitting the ball at pace to scoot from 22mter to 22 meter – offload to King-of-the-Jungle – Leo to score under the posts.  0-32 Vikings to see us out to Half-time. Five tries a Royal Flush – it’s a pretty great deal.

At some point in the first half King Geogre was officially Crowned – but abdicated at half time sent for ahead knock check. A deep kick by Royals after halftime saw the ball passed across the field three times – to find Ganni on the outer edge – to burst downfield 20-meter gain with a slick ball to Levi on the wing – Levi bumping off more Royals players than Princess Di bumping off tunnel bollards to run away for a 60 meter effort scoring within 30 seconds of the second half.  0-40 Vikings

Try seven another quick Royal execution – the previous try restart gathered Hawke with a big run up field the next ruck our 10 meter line. Semis quick to spot a Ramble at the ruck and an opportunity to pick and go – breaking the line and moving 55 meters up field – to offload to second Mountie Hutch for an easy 5 meter run to score. 0-47 Vikings.

Royals looking to not completely abdicate the day – kept the pressure up.  A loose ball by our Jolley Jester swept up by a loyal Royal – building 5 phase pressure before a kingly hit by Prince Harry-Wafer spoiled the Royal resurgence, however the referee found the Kings to offside.  A quick tap to a Roayl heir in waiting to score in the corner.  5-47 Vikings.

Off the restart Royals looked to play down our end – a kick return nobly charged down though by King George.  Lineout: and a horrendous outcome.  Hawkie landing awkwardly – the sound carrying across the field – players across the field reacting. A break in play to look after Hawkie stretched off – and straight the ER and surgery.  Speedy recovery Hawkie.   Royals in the meantime pleading with coach and ref to call it a day however 15 minutes on the clock play restarted.

Our final try coming in the last 2 minutes A Vikings 5-meter scrum – the backs claiming the crown-jewels with the ball coming to hands Naps catching the Royal defenders napping on the edge to burst at speed – only to slow to a jog over the line in his comeback match to score under the posts.   Grannie testing the old skills taking the conversion with ease. Final score 5-54 Vikings to king-home-the bacon, an easy day on the grass – ruled by the Kings – it was a lawnarchy.

Players-Player:  Clayton ‘hop-along’ Hawke

3-2-1s:

3: Clayton Hawke

2: Maleli ‘Prince’Gagai

1: Jack ‘king-of-coffee’ Mann

Round 15 – Match Report – 4th Grade

4th Grade Sleep through first half

Vikings Frosty Fours turned up to a cold morning at the Graveyard aka Phillip District.

In what was one of our strongest teams on paper for 2023, unfortunately the quality of player didn’t transfer from the team list onto the early morning grass.

Royals had Ben Johnston’s 200th game to play for and we obliged by not tackling BJ or his ex-first grade teammates and so the Blue baggers jumped to an early lead of 12-0 whilst many wearing Red were still rubbing sleep out of their eyes. Royals scored another easy try to take a stranglehold at 17-0 and the Redmen needed a response.

The rest of the first half showed some glimpses of our attack and the hard running Ati Lalofau crashed over with Colt flyhalf Zinni Makene adding the extras for 17-7.

The second half effort was fantastic and a huge improvement but execution, discipline and a heap of dropped balls in contact meant our colours were lowered 27-7. The boys were disappointed and realise with finals looming we need to train harder and start games better, it will come!

Evergreen duo Adam Meyer and Dan Uilelea toiled hard in the back row, skipper Hackett had some strong carries and in the backs Zinni and the returning Liam Stone-Heat were solid. Big game next week against another perennial opponent in the White Walkers from across the border to kick start Hagar’s and Helga’s Day.