Central Coast Rugby League: results, standouts, takeaways from round eight

Two cult heroes celebrated huge milestones, an incredible purple patch has continued while one club has put in a huge turnaround during round eight of the CCRL.

Players from the Woy Woy Roosters, The Entrance Tigers and Toukley Hawks during the 2023 Central Coast Rugby League season. Picture: Jodie Ward/Sue Graham

It was a big weekend for a couple of competition stalwarts who brought up big milestones during round eight of the Central Coast Rugby League.

Elsewhere, an incredible try-scoring run has continued, while one team has capped off a stunning turnaround.

ROUND SEVEN: wrap, results and key takeaways

MID-SEASON REVIEW: see how the teams stand

Catch up with the main takeaways and a wrap of the action below with the CCRL Set of Six.

1) Kene cracks the double ton

Te Whata playing for Wyong back in 2014.

There were special scenes at Morry Breen Oval on Sunday as Toukley forward Kene Te Whata played his 200th first grade game on the Central Coast.

It was quite fitting that he lined up against the Roos, the club that he made his top grade debut for more than 15 years.

After stints at Parramatta, Erina and Dora Creek, the prop joined Toukley in 2018 and has since become an integral part of the club, not only leading from the front every week, but also coaching the club’s women’s tackle team.

The big forward put in a man-of-the-match performance as the Hawks won 28-4 in the local derby.

While he might not have scored a try on Sunday, Te Whata slotted a penalty goal late in the Hawks’ win to honour his achievement, much to the delight of the fans.

2) Party Boy celebrates in style

Troy Adams played his 100th game for the Tigers against Berkeley Vale. Picture: Sue Graham

That wasn’t the only milestone of the weekend, with The Entrance’s Troy Adams bringing up his 100th game for the club in the Tigers’ 56-6 victory over Berkeley Vale.

“It was good to get a win on the big day,” he said. “They made it special. Mum and all that came up from Sydney and all my family was there, which was nice.”

Originally from Sydney, Adams first joined the Tigers back in 2012, and after a stint with Terrigal and back down in Sydney in the Ron Massey Cup, rejoined the club a couple of years ago.

“I was travelling up for the first five or six years, fell in love with the place here on the coast and then moved my family up here to Bateau Bay,” says Adams, who lives with his wife and four children.

“We love it, we’re well and truly Bateau Bay people now.”

It’s not just the areas he loves, with Adams saying that he couldn’t be happier at the Tigers.

“It’s just a big family club, they make you feel like you’re part of the furniture,” he said. “My two sons play there as well. It’s great, I love everything about it.”

As an 88-kilo front rower, the 35-year-old gives away plenty of size to his opponents in the middle, and has gained somewhat of cult status among the Tigers’ players and fans alike for his enthusiasm and attitude.

“I’ve got wingers in my first grade team who are bigger than me,” he laughs. “I’m only 88 kilo and I’m coming off the back fence playing front row. You’ve just got to love it. I love the contact. That’s what I’m about, really.”

And while he is a fan favourite at EDSACC Oval, ‘Party Boy’, as he is affectionately known, is equally loved back at the leagues club.

“That probably started when I signed for the Tigers, to be honest – ‘Party Boy Troy’. I’m known to have a good time. I don’t go out very often at all but when I do I like to have a have a good yarn and enjoy myself,” he laughs.

“My kids call me ‘Party Boy’ too now, just as a laugh. It’s stuck, everyone knows me as ‘Party Boy’ here. They don’t even know my name too much.”

In fact, it’s particularly special to see Adams crack the milestone. It took an off-season chat with Denton Cup coach Jamy Forbes and leagues club boss Colin Woods to convince him to take his boots off the rack.

“I retired last year,” he said.

“After some persuasion with the wife, because I’ve got four kids, I thought I’d give it one more crack. And I’m glad I did, to be honest, because I’ve been playing some good footy, which I’m quite proud of.”

And as we head into the second half of the season, The Entrance is sitting in third position, and a real chance of sending Party Boy out in style.

“I feel like we’re hitting our straps. There’s a good camaraderie around the team at the moment, the lads all like being around each other, which is great,” he said. “My halfback at the moment is 17 – half my age – so it’s nice to be around the young lads.”

3) Incredible purple patch continues

Burke has been in incredible try-scoring form. Picture: Jodie Ward

It seems like a weekly headline, but Erina winger Riley Burke has continued his incredible try-scoring run by bagging a hat-trick against Kincumber over the weekend.

This comes after he scored four last weekend against Berkeley Vale and a double a fortnight ago against Terrigal.

Unsurprisingly the young gun, who only made his first grade debut in round two, is sitting at the top of the try-scoring charts with 12, six ahead of teammate Josh Martin and Woy Woy’s Wade Hannell.

4) Woy Woy’s big turnaround

Woy Woy has bounced back well from their wet weather round loss. Picture: Jodie Ward.

It has been a big fortnight for Woy Woy, who have bounced back from their most disappointing result of the season with some excellent performances.

Despite being competitive all season and losing by no more than eight points in a single game, the Roosters’ season appeared to be at a crossroads two weeks ago when they were hammered 42-6 by Terrigal in the wet weather round.

The loss left the club with a record of one win and five losses from its six games, and raised concerns that Woy Woy’s strong performances without getting results may have started to take its toll.

However the Roosters bounced back with an excellent 24-14 victory over Wyong last weekend and then took it to fourth-placed Terrigal with an 18-all draw on Sunday.

Given that they were beaten by 36 points by the Sharks just a fortnight ago, it shows just how much Woy Woy has rebounded in the last couple of weeks.

5) The floodgates open

It was a disappointing weekend for some of the teams towards the bottom of the table, with Kincumber and Berkeley Vale both on the receiving end of heavy defeats in round eight.

The Colts conceded 10 tries in their 46-4 loss to leaders Erina while the Panthers let in nine against third-placed The Entrance.

While admittedly playing against competition heavyweights, the results will be nevertheless disappointing for Kincumber and Berkeley Vale, who have both been competitive in several games this season, often only falling away in the second half of matches.

Both sides will be looking to turn things around this weekend when the Panthers host a resurgent Woy Woy side and the Colts travel to Terrigal to take on the Sharks.

6) Club championship heats up

It looks like it’s becoming a two-horse race in the club championship, with Erina and The Entrance streaking ahead after eight rounds.

After wins in firsts, reserves, open grade and league tag, Erina remains top with 244 points.

The Entrance narrowly closed the gap with wins in all grades except under-19s, who had the bye, to go to 224.

Meanwhile Wyong remain in third, back on 186 points.

Round eight wrap

There was late drama as two teams played out a tense draw, while one of the competition favourites returned to form in style during round eight of the Central Coast Rugby League.

Elsewhere, two top-four teams flexed their muscles with some excellent attacking football in what was the first round of the second half of the season.

Hawks take down Roos in local derby

Toukley has bounced back from its first loss of the season with a strong 28-4 victory over Wyong in the local derby at Morry Breen Oval.

The Hawks proved too strong for their local rivals, scoring four tries to one to claim not only the two points but also bragging rights after doing the double over the Roos this season.

Jake Fitzpatrick’s men claimed the 2023 double over their local rivals Wyong. Picture: Sue Graham

Toukley certainly weren’t hindered by last weekend’s loss to Terrigal and came out of the blocks the quicker, with Jakob Giles scoring in the sixth minute to give the side an early 6-0 lead.

Josh Kessler extended the lead to eight midway through the half with a penalty goal, before his brother Jarrod crossed for a try five minutes later to give the Hawks a 14-0 lead.

Wyong hit back through centre Stephen Gordon just before half time to leave the scores at 14-4 at the break.

However just like in the first half, the Hawks were the first to score once again, with Kiran Page crossing after about 15 minutes and then Aaron Heaven scoring with just over 10 to go.

A late penalty then put the icing on the cake as Toukley ran away 28-4 winners.

Toukley 28 def Wyong 4

Roosters and Sharks in nailbiting draw

The Roosters and Sharks played out a tight draw. Picture: Jodie Ward.

Woy and Terrigal have shared the points after playing out a nailbiting 18-all draw at Woy Woy Oval.

A late penalty goal to Sharks goalkicker Josh Moffitt ensured the scores remained level after both sides scored three tries a piece.

In what was an even contest, both teams crossed for two tries each in the first half, with Justin McDermott and Tupou Teaupa scoring for the Roosters and Saimone Lasalo and Hemi Knebel bagging tries for Terrigal.

Goal kicking proved to be the only difference, with the home side taking a slender 12-10 lead into the break.

The teams traded tries again in the second half with Wade Hannell crossing for his sixth of the season for Woy Woy and Knebel grabbing his second for the match for Terrigal to leave the home side trailing by two points.

However just as he did last week to win the match against Toukley, Moffitt slotted a second half penalty goal to tie things up at 18-all and share the points for what was Terrigal’s second draw of the season.

Woy Woy 18 drew with Terrigal 18

Tigers too strong for the Panthers in catfight

Chase Partridge crossed the stripe for The Entrance in its win over Kincumber. Picture: Sue Graham

The Entrance has moved into outright third place on the ladder after a comprehensive 56-6 victory over Berkeley Vale at EDSACC Oval.

Winger Logan Sipple and backrower Lachlan Bell both crossed for doubles as the home side ran in nine tries to one in the rout.

Other try scorers included Jake Slee, Josh Walsh, Haydan Ritchie, Chase Partridge and Brodie Green, while five-eighth Jeffrey Fields scored the sole try for the Panthers.

It was also a good day with the boot for Slee, who nailed nine from nine and slotted a conversion for a personal haul of 24 points.

The Tigers are now unbeaten in four and move onto 11 points, three shy of the competition leaders Erina and Toukley, while the Panthers remain in eighth.

The Entrance 56 def Berkeley Vale 6

Eagles blow Colts off the park

Erina has maintained its hot streak with a 46-4 victory over Kincumber at Erina Oval.

Winger Riley Burke continued his great try-scoring form with a hat-trick, while Josh Martin and Ben Taylor both bagged doubles as the Eagles ran in 10 tries to one.

Riley Stevenson, Jack Carlisle and Nick Newman were the other scorers for Erina, while Luke Heather crossed for the Colts’ only try.

The win stretches the Eagles’ unbeaten run to six and sees them stay at the top of the competition, ahead of Toukley on goal difference.

It also continues the side’s great attacking form, with Erina having scored more than 30 points in six of its eight games so far this season.

As for the Colts, the team remains in seventh position and will be hoping to bounce back next weekend against fourth-placed Terrigal.

Erina 46 def Kincumber 4