Macarthur Rugby League: Young stars match ex-NRL stars Simona and Gardner, round 15 talking points
There was brawn, brains and runaways in this week’s Macarthur Rugby League as a host of rising stars and former NRL veterans came to life. Round 15 talking points.
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With plenty happening on and off the field in the Macarthur Rugby League, let’s get into it. Round 15 talking points.
UNI BLUES
The best brains of Macarthur footy stood tall for NSW Universities last weekend at North Sydney Oval.
Oakdale’s Jacob Rockwell and Narellan’s Zak Clarke helped the Blues hoist the shield after they edged out the Maroons 16-8.
Following the match, the news only got better for Zak who was named in the Australian Universities squad to tour New Zealand.
TEARS OF PASSION
Passionate young Oakdale centre Jackson Blatch had a night to remember against Mittagong. Not only did he cross on debut, but the Workers climbed off the canvas to claim the season’s most stunning comeback victory.
High on emotion back in the sheds, word is the outside back struggled to hold back tears of joy.
FORMER SHARK REWINDS THE CLOCK
With their season on the line, East Campbelltown trailed Collies 16-14 during the second half at Waminda. But they found their mojo when ex-Sharkie Nathan Gardner rewound the clock.
In a flashback to his fleet footed days at Cronulla, the busy fullback danced then bounced off several defenders before sending Luke Williams away to score under the posts. From there the Eagles were never headed.
VETERAN CLEARS THE RUST
Across the way at Fullwood Reserve another former NRL star revisited the glory days.
Down 18-0, a clueless Thirlmere had no answers to City’s early onslaught and looked like falling further behind until Tim Simona swooped on an intercept.
With an empty field ahead, there were doubts the former Wests Tiger had the legs to see out the journey. In the end it was never in doubt, the 31-year-old hit top gear and looked super smooth all the way to the opposite goal line.
ANOTHER CITY YOUNG BUCK
As the season winds down, City continue to unearth a host of rising talent.
Against the Roosters it was the towering Levi Osei. Back after a stint in Melbourne with the Storm’s SG Ball side, the backrower proved a handful on City’s left edge and powered over for an early try.
UNSELFISH SPEEDSTER
Only eight minutes had ticked over when Mittagong hooker Blake Barbuto burst through Oakdale’s defence from deep inside his own half.
With too much gas for the chasers, the pacy No.9 seemed certain to score near the posts. But in a weird moment, he offloaded to Tom Maloney and the half finished the job grinning from ear to ear.
STATS RACE HEATS UP
The race to finish the season as top try scorer is heating up. Lions fullback James Coyne looked like racing away with the prize until he went overseas. Still on top with 16, he’ll have to get moving upon return as Daniel Payne (15) continues to close the gap.
Collies playmaker Netane Masima leads the way for total points (152), just 12 ahead of Mittagong’s Bryson Goodwin and Camden’s Chris Browne.
ENJOY THE WEEK OFF
Everyone takes a break this weekend before the first of the final three rounds kicks off on Saturday, 5 August at Narellan when the Jets host the Tigers.
ROUND 15 WRAP
There was a stack of big scores and blowouts in a wild weekend of the Macarthur Rugby League, but nothing compared to the miracle at Oakdale on Saturday night. Round 15 wrap.
MIRACLE COMEBACK
A try to skipper Kyle Fraser on the bell has seen Oakdale come from the clouds to sink Mittagong 30-26 in a miraculous comeback victory on Saturday night.
Coming off last week’s hiding to Thirlmere, the Workers’ season looked to be slipping further away as the Lions shot clear 26-4 midway through the second half.
Oakdale centre Jackson Blatch crossed on debut to reduce the margin to 16 points in the 60th minute. Then from the restart Mittagong backrower Liam Cassidy was sent to the sin bin, just minutes after being placed on report, and the Lions folded like a pack of cards.
Oakdale raced in three tries in a handful of minutes to draw level with just over 10 to play. And with all the momentum as the final seconds counted down, Fraser braced himself for the final throw of the dice, brushing away two defenders to power over the line for the match winning play.
The turnaround was just as astonishing as Mittagong’s early dominance. Hooker Blake Barbuto could do nothing wrong in the first half, setting up the opening try with a grubber and the second with a long range bust. Prop Ben Arandt dominated in the middle scoring twice, the second like a hot knife through butter.
But with the Lions a man down, Oakdale quickly found their groove. Centre Cleveland McGhie kick started the avalanche before supersub Jermaine Haule and five-eighth Bailey Steadman took control.
Prop Michael Bullock’s try to level the scores at 26-all was one to savour. With colossal big man Jason Thompson drifting across field, Bullock hit the line at pace, and after accepting a lovely short ball somehow found the wheels to outpace the Lions over 60m.
“Being in the middle, I haven’t scored too many match winners,” said a buzzing Fraser.
“I was just wrapped for the team and the old boys who made the effort to come out and watch.
“I thought we were still in it at halftime, but at 26-4 I was worried they might go on with it. To chase down 22 points after the break is massive, but when we control the ball that’s what the side can do. ”
The win leaves Oakdale in fourth spot, one-point behind Thirlmere. For Mittagong, three points behind Camden in second, the minor premiership is now probably a bridge too far.
“The first half was probably the best we’ve played this season,” said dejected Lions coach James Grehan.
“It just snowballed when Liam went the sin bin. It just seemed like we were defending for the last 20 minutes, I didn’t really know what to say to the boys back in the sheds.
“We need to work out a way to stop sides when we are on the back foot.”
LAHEY RETURN SPARKS EAGLES
East Campbelltown’s finals hopes remain alive after the Eagles got the better of cross-town rivals Collegians 32-16 on Sunday afternoon.
In an even contest, the home side overcame a 16-10 deficit just after halftime, posting the final four tries on a day where five-eighth Blake Clayton and hooker Luke Williams both scored doubles.
The Eagles couldn’t have wished for a worse start. Collies half Netane Masima making them pay for an error in the opening set when found unmarked winger Martin Kalamelu Su’a with a long pass for the opening try.
With the scores locked at 10-all, Masima was at it again just after the break, dummying his way into the back field to send prop Aaron Teariki away to touchdown next to the posts.
After a long lay-off with injury, Brett Lahey came off the bench and sparked the Eagles’ comeback. They hit the front when winger Amanono Tovio pounced on the playmaker’s grubber and he was prominent in the lead up to Williams’ decisive final try.
“It took us a while to put Collies away, they didn’t turn over much ball,” said Eagles coach Richard Barnes before highlighting the return of the side’s key playmakers.
“It was good to have Brett and Grant Lahey on the bench. Brett’s ankle still isn’t 100 per cent but he made a big difference to our attack in his 35 minutes and he also kicked a 40-20.”
The Eagles remain in fifth spot on differential but with several injuries and backrower Kobe Chamberlain suspended, they will have their work cut-out over the final rounds against high-flyers Thirlmere, Mittagong and Camden.
“We are the walking wounded this year. Nathan Gardner tweaked his hamstring but with next week’s break hopefully he doesn't miss any games.”
RAMS JUMP CLEAR AT TOP
Camden eased past Narellan 56-22 to all but lock up the minor premiership.
In a typically dominant opening, the Rams posted six unanswered first half tries to lead 34-0 at the break before the Jets matched them in the second half which finished four tries apiece.
Steele Brown, Jack Miller, Bailey Dickinson and winger John Ryan each bagged doubles in the Rams’ ninth win on the trot.
The victory sees the reigning premiers move three points clear at the top of the table, and with three rounds remaining, they should remain in pole position when the finals get underway.
THIRLMERE OUTCLASS CITY
After an early hiccup Thirlmere worked through the gears on route to overpowering Campbelltown City 58-22 at Fullwood Reserve.
For the second week running City exploded out of the blocks posting three tries inside the first 10 minutes.
Veterans Chris Williamson and Shannon Gallant combined for Jacob Williams to cross in the third minute. Then just as he did last week, centre Villiame Rouvouvou raced away with a length of the field intercept before the towering Levi Osei dived over as an upset loomed large.
Trailing 18-0, a 90m intercept from former NRL veteran Tim Simona whipped the Roosters into shape. From there they took command, Kye Madden, filling in at lock for Curtis Scott, scooped up a fumble several minutes later to score the first of his three tries.
It was 22-all at the break, but Thirlmere had too much power and class and raced away in the second half with six unanswered tries.
Matthew Scott and James Lee finished with doubles in a victory that sees the Roosters maintain third spot on the ladder.
MAGPIES BUILD FINALS MOMENTUM
Centre Rua Hona had a day out for Picton scoring a hat-trick as the Magpies continued their march towards the finals with a comprehensive 64-0 win over South West.
The No. 3 scored three of Picton’s seven first half tries as they took a commanding 34-0 lead to the sheds.
Despite taking the foot off the peddle with five second half four-pointers, the scoreline gives Picton’s differential a healthy boost. While still in eighth, they are just one win shy of the fifth placed Eagles and remain well and truly in the finals mix.
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