Macarthur Rugby League: Finals formula, legend beats judiciary, round 17 wrap
With one round left of the Macarthur Rugby League, calculators will settle the top five sides. At the bottom of the table, the noise is even louder. Round 17 talking points, 40+ gallery.
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The Macarthur Rugby League is at the pointy end of the season but there’s still plenty to play out before the finals get underway. Round 17 talking points.
THREE INTO ONE DOESN'T GO
East Campbelltown currently hold down fifth spot but the Eagles are level on points with The Oaks and Picton. This is what can unfold in the final round.
East Campbelltown (20 points, 5th, +70 diff): Face minor premiers Camden on the road where even with a win there is no guarantee of finishing fifth. With The Oaks relegated to sixth by less than the value of one try, expect the Eagles to chase points from the outset.
The Oaks (20 points, 6th, +67 differential): Head to Campbelltown where they should be too strong for a struggling City. Even with a loss, the Tigers can still finish above East Campbelltown if the Eagles fall to Camden by a greater margin (+4). If the Eagles win, The Oaks will require a victory with a four-point better margin.
Picton (20 points, 7th, +16 differential): Pack away the calculators, it looks like Picton have left their run too late. With a poor differential, if one of the teams above them wins, they’ll have to shoot Thirlmere’s light out and then some.
GOANNAS CRY FOR HELP
Despite going agonisingly close to recording their first victory of the season, South West still teeter on the edge of oblivion.
Unable to field a reserve grade side and still hampered by restrictions at their temporary Onslow Oval home base, club president Mark Baird came out firing on Monday morning.
“Without a permanent facility we can’t field under-18s and we are no hope of getting juniors,” said Baird.
“Without the support of the league and council, we’re sitting ducks.”
FROM MELBOURNE TO HERO
There’s more to Amanono Tovio than meets the eye. The unassuming Eagles stalwart goes about his job with minimal fuss and last weekend played a major role in keeping East Campbelltown’s season alive.
Now 36, the local junior flew like someone half his age to create the first try. And after the game, coach Richard Barnes revealed it’s not the only flying the Melbourne-based winger does.
OAKDALE RICHES
Without the services of regular playmaker Jacob McKinnon, Oakdale have continued to function with the addition of Brandon Maycock.
After starting the season with Sydney Shield side Cabramatta, Maycock is three games into a seamless transition, one that is sure to give captain-coach Kyle Fraser a welcome headache when McKinnon returns.
WORKERS SHINE CARR
Speaking of riches, the Workers have struck gold with the return of Josh Carr two weeks shy of the finals.
Last sighted back in round nine, the man mountain owned the Tigers in the second half last week and his NSW Cup experience will prove invaluable in the big games coming up.
CITY LEGEND CALLS ON PAST
City legend Chris Williamson runs out for the final time this weekend against The Oaks in what will double as the 15-year veteran’s testimonial match.
But after being placed on report for spraying the referee in round 16, his season looked shot amid a potential five-match suspension.
Thanks to an impressive record and a willing referee, the charge was eventually dismissed.
EAGLES REGGIES PULL PIN
The reserve grade scorecard shows Mittagong downed East Campbelltown 46-0 last Sunday. But that was actually the halftime score.
After starting with 11 players, the Eagles did their best before pulling stumps at the break.
RESERVE GRADE FINALS RACE
There’s still plenty to playout in reserve grade in the closing round. Collies are fourth on 22 points, followed by Oakdale and Picton who are also on 22.
With a difference in differential of 16 separating fourth to sixth, whoever misses out will consider themselves unlucky.
ROUND 18 DRAW
Thirlmere v Picton at Thirlmere (Saturday, 6:30pm)
Campbelltown City v The Oaks at Fullwood Reserve
Camden v East Campbelltown at Kirkham Park
Mittagong v Campbelltown Collegians at Mittagong
Oakdale v South West at Sid Sharpe Memorial Oval
Bye: Narellan
ROUND 17 WRAP
Local bragging rights were settled on Saturday night in the Macarthur Rugby League, but the finals race is still wide open after there was a massive upset at Campbelltown on Sunday. Round 17 wrap
OAKDALE RETAIN BRAGGING RIGHTS
Oakdale were never headed in recording their second win of the season over cross-town rivals The Oaks, outlasting the Tigers 32-18 to retain the Chesham Sharp Cup.
After an even opening 14 minutes minus the fireworks of their round six clash, Workers fullback Jake Steadman opened the scoring courtesy of a Nathan Davis offload. Oakdale headed left again 10 minutes later, and when Davis sliced through following a smooth interchange of passes from Emmitt Carlile and Steadman it was 12-0.
Things got ugly for the home side in the 30th minute when Oakdale skipper Kyle Fraser plunged over for an 18-0 lead.
But as they often do the Tigers wormed their way back into the contest, scoring two tries just before halftime.
Halfback Daniel Payne struck first, and when backrower Andrew Madden raced away in the next set the Tigers had clawed their way back to trail 18-12.
The return of Oakdale’s Josh Carr after a long lay-off proved crucial in the second half. The towering No.12 crossed twice within five minutes, the second from a clever Bailey Steadman double-pump play that blew the margin out to 28-12.
Davis then added another, before Tigers winger Bailey King powered over for a consolation try just before the final siren.
“We didn’t want to get caught up in the emotion of the rivalry and compromise our finals charge,” Fraser said of his side’s disciplined approach.
“Apart from a couple of defensive lapses near halftime we were pretty good. I thought we played well for 70 minutes and with several players returning we are in good shape.
“Initially I wanted to start Josh off the bench, but he wanted to start. He ended up playing 80 minutes, with his NSW Cup experience he’s just the ultimate player and makes a massive difference to our team.”
EAGLES UPSET, FINALS HOPES ALIVE
East Campbelltown’s roller coaster season continued after the Eagles bounced back from last week’s heartbreaking defeat to upset competition heavyweights Mittagong 18-16 in a heart stopper at Waminda Oval.
Now back in fifth spot on differential, the victory revives the Eagles’ finals hopes, and it may have ruled a line through the Lions’ hopes of securing second place and a home final.
Unsung winger Amanono Tovio proved East Campbelltown’s go-to-man with direct involvement in his side’s first three tries. First, he plucked a Sean Connor bomb out of Mittagong’s grasp before offloading to centre Christian Savaiinaea for the opening try.
Mittagong counted through James Coyne and Kyle Lodge to lead 12-4 but the Eagles regained the lead following four-pointers to Tovio either side of halftime.
With 20 minutes to play, Lions No.9 Blake Barbuto was sin binned for deliberate off-side and the Eagles jumped clear 18-12 when winger Blake Clayton won the race to the in-goal to ground a Brett Lahey grubber.
As the seconds counted down and Mittagong winger David Eccleston dived over out wide, Eagles fans feared the worst.
Bryson Goodwin had the chance to level the scores from touch, but it wasn’t to be.
“I thought Bryson had kicked the goal, off the boot it looked on target but it fell short,” said relieved Eagles coach Richard Barnes.
“We are a good team, we’ve just been unfortunate at times and are now paying the price for several games we had the chance to win.
“It’s a hard one to swallow, especially given the way we lost against Thirlmere.”
The defeat was Mittagong’s second in three starts and sees them slip to third on the ladder.
“We are our own worst enemy,” said annoyed captain-coach James Grehan.
“The good thing is, we know what we have to fix. We’ve dropped too much ball trying to be fancy in our own half, and we certainly don’t train like that.
“We were flat in the warm up. It’s a little upsetting because we’ve probably cost ourselves a home final.”
RAMS CLAIM MINOR PREMIERSHIP
Another scorching first half performance has seen Camden power past Campbelltown City 50-16 and jump four points clear at the top of the table to secure the minor premiership with one round to play.
Now on an 11-run unbeaten streak, the Rams are firm favourites to land back-to-back titles.
City’s squad of rising youngsters simply had no answer to Camden’s class.
In a blistering opening 23 minutes, Camden raced in seven tries to lead 36-0. Centre Logan Matapuku and winger Kienan Power-Tempest carved up City’s left edge with doubles before veteran fullback Shannon Gallant pegged one back for the home side on the stroke of halftime.
The onslaught slowed down upon the resumption. Matapuku completed his hat-trick but City held their heads high scoring two tries to three in the second half.
THIRLMERE LATE BLITZ
Thirlmere showed their power and class after halftime as the Roosters were forced to work hard before overcoming a gallant Campbelltown Collegians 44-22 at Bradbury Oval.
Star Roosters recruit Tim Simona finished the day with three tries after Collies had the better of the opening half to lead 14-12.
Collegians winger Justin Stowers struck in the third minute before Simona returned serve three minutes later out of dummy-half. Fullback Norwin Latu continued his good season, racing through the heart of Thirlmere’s middle to put Collies ahead 10-6 after 20 minutes.
The sides traded four-pointers leading into the interval before Roosters backrower Louis Meehan stamped his authority immediately after the break.
Stationed on the left edge, the imposing No.12 powered over for a double inside 10 minutes of the restart to open a commanding 24-12 advantage.
Simona then finished a Hayden Sutton break and winger Josh Bryant quickly followed from a Meehan offload as the Roosters opened the medicine cupboard on a floundering Campbelltown defence.
Simona and Bryant crossed again in the closing stages while Collies replied with late tries to Leon Longbottom and Aaron Teariki.
Now with seven wins on the trot, Thirlmere have moved past Mittagong into second spot and with Curtis Scott due to return for the finals, the Roosters appear to be timing their run.
GOANNAS HEARTBREAK
With a final round bye, Narellan have squeezed past South West 24-18 to finish the season in ninth spot with five wins an 11 losses.
In a strange afternoon at Onslow, Narellan captain Levi Dodd was sin binned after halftime before he copped his marching orders in the final minute of play.
Both sides crossed twice in the first half but the Goannas couldn’t buy a goal and trailed 12-8.
Pacy South West winger Mitchell Baird levelled the scores in the 54th minute after he grounded a pinpoint Tinetali Papalii kick. Narellan regained the lead with a Dodd try and opened a 24-12 advantage when fullback Kayne Mave gifted prop Josh Campbell a try under the posts.
In an unfortunate way to end the season, Campbell was assisted from the field with a leg injury in the 72nd minute. Play restarted with a scrum, and when Brenton Doyle O’Donnell raced 50m to score, the Goannas trailed by six and sensed their first victory of the season.
The Goannas pressed the Jets’ goal line in the final minute, but with plays still under their belt they were ultimately denied by the clock.
“We’re still looking at improving but we just can’t take a trick this season,” said Goannas club president Mark Baird.
PHOTO GALLERY
First Grade
Reserve Grade
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