Round 16 Review: Queanbeyan

Round 16 – Match Report – 1st Grade

The Vikings were keen to get back on the victory dais after consecutive losses and with the Bob Hitchcock Shield on the line as well, the penultimate game of the regular season against the Queanbeyan Whites would again provide its fair share of drama with a nerve racking draw the result on a fine and sunny afternoon at Viking Park.  The game also saw the return of Wallaby Noss Lonergan in a rare appearance for the club, along with flanker Lachlan Hooper back from Junior Wallaby duties in the World Rugby U20 Championship.

With the annual Hagars and Helgas day celebrations in full swing, the large crowd had barely time to take their seats and refreshments before the Whites would strike with a try in the first 40 seconds of the match. Wearing a special kit for the game, the Vikings would hit back quickly with robust flanker Baden Godfrey crashing over for a converted try after 4 minutes on the clock. Play settled down with both teams feeling each other out before rugged number 8 Titi Nofoagatatoa would stroll over out wide from a scrum to extend the lead to 7 points to the Vikings with 20 minutes gone in the game.  The visitors grabbed a penalty goal to close the gap before taking the lead with a converted try to see the score of 15 to 12 in their favour. The Vikings were unlucky not to grab the ascendancy after being held up over the line on 3 separate occasions, with the teams heading to the sheds for half time in what was proving to be a close encounter between these old rivals.

The 2nd half would begin in similar fashion to the 1st half with this time, the Vikings striking with a try after only 90 seconds of play with centre Junior Time-Toatua doting down out wide after some controlled play by the forwards to see the Vikings retake the lead by 17 to 15.  It wasn’t long before Junior would nab try number two following a long-range scintillating break and bamboozling the defense to see the Vikings out to handy 9 point lead following JD’s conversion with plenty time left on the clock. The Whites would then grab a converted try to close the gap with 20 minutes remaining before JD grabbed a penalty goal to see the score 27 to 22 with the clock ticking down. Queanbeyan setup a barn storming finish after scooting over a try out wide to level the scores with time almost up. With hearts in mouths for the Vikings Supporters at the Red Army, the conversion attempt was unsuccessful and scores remained tied. With time up, the Red Men had one last chance to grab victory but once again were held up over the try line.

So, after another dramatic finish to the game for the 3rd week in a row and despite drawing the match, the men in Red were able to secure the Bob Hitchcock Shield for season 2023. In another polished display, Junior Time-Toatua collected the Player’s Player award and the 3 points after a dynamic performance. Effervescent fullback Lennix Tovo grabbed the 2 points after his usual lively display with the consistent and tireless Baden Godfrey taking the final point.

With the final home and away game of season on Saturday, the Vikings make the journey up the Hume to take on the Penrith Emus and will be keen to get through the game unscathed and ready to rumble into the finals.  On your marks….

Player’s Player:  Junior Time-Toatua

3 Points to Junior Time-Toatua

2 Points to Lennix Tovo

1 Point to Baden Godfrey

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Round 16 – Match Report – 2nd Grade

A fitting Team list for Hagar’s and Helga’s Day with club stalwart Isaac Thompson starting at 1st 5 and Mat Wafer and Beau Mokotupu coming off the bench to close out the game.

• 3:30 in sustained pressure gives Baby-face Leiper the easiest try at Tail-Gunner on a white overthrow 7-0 Red.
• 08:30 Red chooses to lineout to maul 7meters out, White retreat on lineout defence and are lucky not be penalised for leaving. Lineout leader Goymer-Peak takes the ball ensures no transfer and waltzes over the line to the usual outraged cries from an ignorant white defence. 12-0. 4 minutes later the veterans combine inside ball from Robbo putting Saaks through the narrowest of gaps to score with ease 19-0. 45 seconds Pappy Douglas on the receiving end of great link play 26-0. 16 Minutes in and Teapot dances through White appear to have no answers 33-00.
• Assistant-Refereeing empathy shifts to sympathy and Red struggle to adapt to the enforcement of law. After the 6th call of high tackles Goymer-Peak takes one for the team at the 30th minute and heads to the naughty chair. White finally string some phases and score under the sticks.
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• 35:50 White Scrum, Red Pack win a TH with no 8 in place Tommy “Tumbleweed” Lachlan scoops and darts to dot down in the corner. 39 Minutes another dominant 7 man Red Scrum sees Chop-Chop Challita score from the push-over.
• 47 mins some ruck watching on the Right wing allows white to score in that corner 45-12;
• 49 minutes another lineout to maul allows Baby-Face Leiper to score a hookers try 50-12.
• Henry “George North” Palmer decided to make a defensive statement in the 55th minutes carrying the white fullback up the field like a small child.
• 64th minute wind back the clock Mokotupu to Thompson on slicing line Try, Try, Try!! 55-19

Final Score 60-26 to the Red Men

Round 16 – Match Report – Colts

What a game on Saturday at the Park against a side higher on the ladder than us and containing a few players with higher grade experience. The Redmen Colts totally embraced the emotion and meaning of Hagar’s Day and beat the Queanbeyan Underlings 35-22 in a 4 try each match, difference being their kicker brought his little sisters boots with him and Taffy didn’t!

This result puts us in a good position to attack the Finals with belief and conviction, with even 3rd spot in sight as season end.

Sure, it got sloppy, and the boys went to sleep late in the second half letting Queanbeyan score 2 late tries but damage done!

Timeline

• 7min mark – Logan crashes over after a several phases thru the backline
• 22min mark – Soma glides over close to the corner after some very nice slick passing by the backs
• 37min mark – the ‘Human Wrecking Ball’ Caleb busts their defence and deftly passes the ball to the ever-present Matt L to score.
• 49min mark – Caleb gets one of his own by crashing thru their flimsy defence (this writer has seen the bollards on Monaro Street offer more resistance)

Taffy had a great day with his boots, converting 3 and knocking over 3 penalties. Caleb was a huge (pun intended) handful for their defence and Wil T finally worked he may have been the biggest bloke out there and used that to his advantage, gaining meters every time he ran. Final score 35-22 – tries to Logan, Soma, Matt L and Caleb. Taffy knocked over 3 cons and 3 pg’s.

There were some coincidences between this game and the last time we played them – Logan scored, Taffy kicked 3 penalties, their kicker once again got the Yips and they scored 22 points – totally useless info but entertaining.

Away, a trip up the Hume next Saturday with a very early start from VP – bring your pillows boys!

PP: Wil Taylor

3/2/1: Grayson, Wil, Caleb

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Round 16 – Match Report – 3rd Grade

White-out at Viking Park:  We did all-white in this game – upping the try count to 9 meat pies against the all-whites, kia ora bru. There’s not much you can pun with Whites, Queanbeyan, or 2620 – so will have to be all white without it.  White down to business then…

Our first half saw six tries to the red-men.  The all-whites looked decidedly pale in comparison – especially as most of the all-whites backed up from their 4th grade.

Vikings first try of the day came but 2 mins into the game as the all-whites knocked on from the kick-off. The all-whites raised the white flag on scrums before kick-off – so uncontested was the order of the day – a big disadvantage for the red-men’s strong set-piece platform.  Quick uncontested ball from the scrum saw slick hands Jack ‘Van-Dam’ onto a quick Leo the lion to a wide ball for Clay ‘Playdoh’ Thomson to score.  ‘Brand-Gatto’ slotted the conversion 7-0.

After a promising build up in attack Vikings found easy territory as the all-whites conceded a penalty – offside.  A kick for touch and a well-positioned Lineout attacking platform saw the ball delivered to a hard running Cushan – the all-white defenders certainly not feeling like they were hit by a pillow but a rampaging bullock bumping off defenders with glee, however just short of the line.  Waffles for breakfast – saw the opportunity for Wafer to grab his first of 2 tries, pick and go to smash over the line.  Brand-Gatto RADR well-tuned – 14-0 in under 10 mins in.

Our dominant scrum was depowered by the white-flagged all-whites uncontested stance – however we made up for it with a series of lineout steals.  The first of the day coming to Eddie ‘Na Drua’ Waqua has he sailed on to the loose ball – quick ball distributed to the backs to find ‘Hutch-Buble’ on the wing, afterburners lit, flying down the side-line for a 40 meter run, bundled into touch by despite all-white defence.   With the All-whites lineout set, Harp-strings sang as Harper flew high to steal the floating ball.  Second phase saw a well-timed inside ball to Matt ‘McCaw’ Jolly busting d-line and finding a steaming Leo in support for him to finish the move 20 metres out to score:  21-0.

The all-whites found some mana after they found themselves with good field position and an uncontested scrum mid field 5 meters out from our line.  Easy ball to the backs for a hard runner to find the gap and score under the posts.  All-whites, white back in business. 21-7.

Try number four came soon after – another all-whites line out deep in or Red zone – stolen again by Eddie cleaning up the all-white over throw – to find a quick offload to Semisi, open run for 20 metres down field for a slick offload – ‘clearly’ backwards out the hands to pass to find Matty J with a clear 40 meters to the line – however the referee didn’t want to run that far and called a forward pass. Justice quickly returned to our favour as the all-whites found themselves isolated in the first phase after the scrum, penalty holding-on desperately.  Vikings with field position and lineout throw on the 22.  Cushan doing the hard work with the ball, breaking the advantage line – ‘pigs-with class’ the forwards doing the hard yards – reward for Harper crashing over the line for a pie. 28-7 to Vikings.

Try five:  reward for the hard working Cushan – a Vikings scrum 5 meters out, ball to Jack Mann, dummy to the outside, nice inside ball to a steaming Cushan – try time, Brand-Gatto converting 35-7 in the first 25 minutes of the game.

Try six to see the half out:  once again All-Whites overthrow the ball at lineout 30 metres from their line.  The loose ball was cleaned up by Semisi ‘boy-wonder’ Qalova this time – to again combine with Eddie – now the ‘dynamic duo’, Eddie broke though the line quicker than batman for an offload to Harper – no room to move bundled into touch.  This time all-whites opt for misplaced trust in a slower lower throw at line out – Vikings keen eyed get up at the front to steal the ball just 10 meters out.  First phase ball to a waiting Eddie – to be driven over the line by Dan ‘the-man’ Uilelea.  42-7 Vikings:  the ref had seen enough and called half-time 5 minutes early.

The second half saw the All-whites with better enthusiasm early on – maybe just a sugar rush from the half time lollies – Vikings with ill-discipline, feeling the Referees rath with four penalties in the first 5 mins of the half.  A series of quick taps bring the all-whites within 5 meters of the try line.  An attacking line-out for the all-whites putting us under more pressure – however a steal and looking to set up an exit from our 22, Dan a crash ball runner – not so much a crash ball and set up for the exit – but crashed through some poor all-white defence – to motor 70 meters down field before the all-whites seatbelt tackled to stop the momentum.  Penalty to Vikings to set up a 22-meter Viking line out.  Try number seven for the red-men and a second for Waffle, with a hard line close to the ruck after forwards rumbled the phases within striking distance of the line. 49-7 to Vikings.

Ill-discipline remained a feature of our second half as more penalties were found by the man with the whistle.  Another series of five penalties in succession and quick taps by the all-whites  – hoping to force us into an error and keep us on the back foot, splintering our defensive line.  The All-whites eventually finding space as the halfback crabbed sideways to put the 12 through space on a hard running line to score under the posts.   48-14.

Looking to regain control – the red-men settled the play, especially after Coach Talina made his 2023 debut off the bench with 10 minutes to go – barking coaching tips on the jog.  Good field position found us with a Scrum on the attacking 22.   Three phases of bounce plays from the ruck eventually found space out wide – our front row lined up in the 15-meter channel v two hapless all-white backs.  Hackett received the cut ball to score.  54-14 Vikings – Conversion looked wide, but the referee blew the whistle, conversion made, Brand-Gatto 7 from 8.  Vikings 56-14.  Our last try of the day came minutes later as the All-whites waned.  Ati receiving a well-timed pass mid field – the All-whites jam defence missing their mark Ati burst forward bumping off 3 defenders to cross for the try for 40 out.

The all-whites wanted and got the last say in the game as they got a sniff at the white-line as well as the try line. A late try well earned in the 68th minute wide passes working the ball for sideline to sideline – to eventually find space on the edge – to dot down in the corner. Conversion to be taken by Vikings MRP player and Queanbeyan 4s-3s marquee player Nic Townsend – unfortunately just shy under the crossbar on a difficult kick but to the biggest cheer from both teams and supporters. Smiles all around.

Players-Player: Matt Wafer

3-2-1s:

3: Dan Uilelea

2: Matt Wafer

1: Jack Van Lohuizen

Round 16 – Match Report – 4th Grade

4ths machine sputtering into finals

The good news for the Vikings frosty fourths, we have qualified for finals and will play a minor semi final (sudden death) at Viking Park v’s the Uni/Nths students on Sunday 13 August. The bad news is, we are not performing well and need to lift our effort and execution really quickly and try and repeat 4th efforts last year in fighting through to the GF. As the Nike commercial says, Just do it!

Kicking off Hagar’s and Helga’s Day v’s a regular nemesis, the Qbyn Whites from NSW the game was fast and entertaining. Try for try and brilliant to see old stagers Beau Mokotupu, Andrew Talaina and Cameron Shaw join regular stalwart Adam Meyer in his 99th game.

Down by two quick Qbyn tries orchestrated by the Prince of Queanbeyan, Robbie Coleman, the Redmen bounced back with tries to Adam Meyer and a long range effort from the powerful Wes Tameifuna to keep the first half locked up at 12 all.

The second half saw Vikings take the ascendancy and the “General” Mokotupu who has seemingly lost none of his charm or magic crossed and a strong run from fast winger Liam Stone-Heat into the corner also helped the Red scoreboard.

Unfortunately tackling (a problem all year) wasn’t in our repertoire and Qbyn crossed for a couple of good tries and another that was laughable but still went on Scoreboard.

Final score 31-22 to the Whites and lots of work over the next two weeks and we look to our trip to Goulburn and our looming semifinal.

Best were the usual suspects of Meyer, Hackett, the returning James Knight and the wrecking ball Ati Lalofau as well as Mokotupu and Caelan Caldwell