Central Coast Rugby League: wrap, results, standouts, talking points from round 11
A couple of teams kept their perfect seasons alive, others made big runs to the finals, while one club broke an 800-day drought on a very special occasion.
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There was plenty of movement and milestones during round 11 of the Central Coast Rugby League, with a couple of teams laying claims for finals positions and one club breaking a two-and-a-half-year drought.
Elsewhere, a new competition leader emerged while some sides kept their perfect records alive during an action-packed weekend.
Keep up to date with a wrap of the results and key talking points with the CCRL Set of Six.
1) Upset of the season
By most accounts it was the upset of the season. Fifth-placed Woy Woy flipped the script by downing defending premiers Toukley 36-6 at Darren Kennedy Oval in an absolute boilover on Sunday.
It was just the Hawks’ second loss of the season, with the team entering the round leading the competition.
While the Roosters have been in impressive form of late, losing just one of their last five games, the fact that they were able to put seven tries on the notoriously tough Hawks – the best defensive team in the competition – was certainly a surprise to many.
2) New leaders emerge
The big upset has meant that Erina are the new competition leaders after round 11.
The Eagles’ 44-0 victory over The Entrance takes the team to 18 points, one ahead of Toukley.
While the team’s record of nine wins and two losses is excellent in its own right, perhaps most impressive has been Erina’s attack, with the team amassing an incredible 370 points across their 11 games.
This is an average of 34 per game and some 76 points clear of the second-best attacking team in the competition, Woy Woy.
3) Eagles have plenty to celebrate
Reclaiming top spot and keeping the Tigers to nil wasn’t the only thing the Erina faithful were cheering on over the weekend, with the club celebrating its women in league and old boys’ days.
With a big crowd at Erina Oval – and then later at the leagues club – the club also paid tribute to the 35th anniversary of the Eagles’ premiership-winning side of 1988.
The club, which traces its history back to 1915, is one of the oldest on the Central Coast with a long and storied history. With its first grade side currently sitting in first place with three rounds of the regular season to play, the club will be hoping it can add celebrate another team of premiership winners on August 19.
It’s not the only grade where the Eagles have a chance of bringing home glory. The reserve grade side is currently second, just two points behind the leaders, while the open grade, under-19s and league tag teams are all in third.
4) Kincumber break 800-day drought
It might have been somewhat of a tough season for Kincumber so far, but the club certainly had a day to remember on Sunday, breaking an 800-day drought to win all four grades on a very special occasion at MacKillop Oval.
It all started with the league tag team who ran out 36-0 nil winners against Berkeley Vale. Then it was on to the under-19s, who recorded an excellent 16-14 win over second-placed The Entrance.
Reserve grade kept the winning formula going with a 26-12 win over the Panthers while first grade won their second game of the season with a 24-12 victory over Berkeley Vale.
And in an added sweetener, Umina – the Colts’ stablemates in the open grade competition this season – also claimed the two points with a 36-8 win.
“We’ve been a bit hot and cold this year, so it was definitely good to get the two points,” said first grade captain-coach Brad Bennett.
It was the first time the club has made a clean sweep of a match day since 17 April 2021, when the firsts, reserves, under-19s and league tag teams all beat Ourimbah and the open grade side collected the two points from the bye.
Breaking the 800-day drought was made all the sweeter as the club celebrated indigenous round at MacKillop.
“It was a cracking day. We had a big indigenous day: we played in indigenous jerseys, we had some dances, didgeridoos and acknowledgement of country – it was awesome,” said Bennett, who along with wife Brooke was a driving force behind the concept.
“We knew we were going to be up for it because we’ve got a fair few aboriginal teammates in our side. One of the boys’ partners designed the jersey and she came into the sheds before the game to give us a rundown of what it represents, so it was a big day for us all round.”
5) Wyong on a roll
Wyong has stormed into the top four following its impressive 24-10 victory over third-placed Terrigal.
The victory is the Roos’ third in a row and marks quite a remarkable turnaround in form over the past few weeks.
After coming into the first wet weather round with a record of three wins and three losses, Wyong suffered back-to-back defeats at the hands of Woy Woy and Toukley, putting their finals chances on life support.
However after an honest chat at training and a focus on actions rather than talking, the team has responded in exactly the right fashion, knocking off The Entrance, Kincumber and Terrigal in consecutive games.
While the team’s overall form has been strong, there is one aspect that has been particularly pleasing for captain-coach Todd Lewis.
“We backed our defence and we’ve been talking about reaction – things aren’t always going to go the way we want them and it’s all about how we turn up, and I was really proud of that.”
Indeed, while the Roos outscored the Sharks four tries to two on Sunday, they were forced to defend large periods of the game on their own line, with the Sharks having to six back-to-back sets at one stage in the first half.
6) Tigers keep unbeaten runs in tact
While all teams in the first grade competition have tasted defeat this season, there are a couple of other sides throughout the CCRL who remain unbeaten after 11 rounds.
In reserve grade The Entrance is flying high at the top of the table with nine wins and two byes to their name in what has been a perfect season so far.
Perhaps even more impressively, the Tigers’ league tag team is also unbeaten with a record of 11 and zero.
In a sign of their dominance over the competition, the team has scored an incredible 390 points and conceded just 58 for a whopping points difference of 332.
ROUND 11 WRAP
There was plenty of movement on the competition ladder following a huge boilover and another surprise result during round 11 of the Central Coast Rugby League.
Elsewhere, one team broke a five-match losing streak while another climbed to the top of the table.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
Roos beat Sharks to go three straight
Wyong has moved into the top four for the first time this season with an important 24-10 victory over Terrigal at Duffys Road.
The Roos got off to a great start with the first two tries through Kye Leaudais and Bailey Frost, but were then forced to rely on some excellent defence to continue their strong recent form and secure their third-straight victory of the season.
“We started really strong,” said Wyong captain-coach Todd Lewis. “It was a really good first 20 minutes from us defensively. They made a few errors and we capitalised on them, so it was really promising to see that we didn’t go away from what we talked about all week.”
He added: “For us that was the goal, to grind them out for the 20.”
And while Terrigal pegged a try back late in the first half through Aymn Hamilton, Lewis was pleased with his side’s defensive effort.
“In that first half I think they had six back-to-back sets through repeat sets or when we’d make an error on the first tackle, so we were out on our feet, but to keep defending and for them not to break us was great.”
The Sharks then came out from the sheds firing and managed to bring the scores back to 14-10 with a try to Eden Syme.
“They were starting to get a roll on, it felt like their big boys were on roller blades rolling down the hill, they were making really good metres,” said Lewis.
“Last year we played Terrigal there we were up 18-nil at halftime and they came back to have a draw with us, so that was definitely in the back of our heads as well.”
However another try to Frost, a late four-pointer to Aaiden Wright and a couple of penalty goals help seal the win for the Roos.
The victory takes them to fourth position on 12 points, ahead of The Entrance on goal difference, while Terrigal remain third on 14 points.
Wyong 24 def Terrigal 10
Roosters down Hawks in huge boilover
Woy Woy has arguably pulled off the upset of the season with a thumping 36-6 victory over Toukley at Darren Kennedy Oval.
The sixth-placed Roosters crossed for seven tries to one to easily account for the defending premiers, who entered the round on top of the table.
The match started very much according to the form guide, with Toukley backrower Jakob Giles crossing to give his side a 6-0 lead.
However Woy Woy hit back with two quick tries to take a 12-6 lead into the break.
The Roosters then continued the pressure in the second half, crossing for another five to seal the excellent win.
The victory takes Woy Woy to nine competition points, keeping their slim semi-final hopes alive.
Meanwhile the loss puts Toukley in the unfamiliar position of two games without a win after the side drew 10-all to The Entrance last weekend.
Woy Woy 36 def Toukley 6
Colts overpower the Panthers
Kincumber has recorded just its second win of the season with a 24-12 victory over fellow struggler Berkeley Vale at MacKillop Oval.
The Colts put a horror month behind them to score five tries to the Panthers’ two to seal the much-celebrated win and break a five-match losing streak.
Winger Jaylen O’Sullivan bagged a double, while Tyrone Dorrell, Kaituu Kaufana and captain-coach Brad Bennett all crossed for the home side.
The win, which reverses Berkeley Vale’s 17-8 victory over Kincumber in round four, lifts the Colts to four points on the ladder, two ahead of their rivals who remain eighth with just one win so far this season.
Kincumber 24 def Berkeley Vale 12
Eagles crush Tigers to go top
Erina has reclaimed top spot on the competition ladder after a 44-0 thumping of The Entrance at Erina Oval.
Five-eighth Nick Newman scored a hat-trick and the try-scoring machine Riley Burke crossed for a double as the home side ran in nine tries while also shutting out the Tigers to nil.
The victory takes the Eagles into first on the ladder with 18 points on account of Toukley’s loss to Woy Woy.
The 44-point victory also well and truly establishes Erina’s position as the competition’s most lethal attacking outfit, with the side having racked up an incredible 370 points from its 11 games – at an average of just under 34 per game.
As for The Entrance, the loss sees them fall out of the top four on goal difference.
Erina 44 def The Entrance 0
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