Macarthur Rugby League: Speedsters shine, round nine talking points
In a weekend of Macarthur Rugby League that featured several stunning comebacks, there was a host of magic individual plays. Eight talking points from Round Nine and 30+ photo gallery.
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Here’s what is making news after nine rounds of the Macarthur Rugby League.
SPEECHLEY DOUBLE KICK BRILLIANCE
In the end, Camden’s final try against Thirlmere proved just as decisive as it was brilliant.
Up 14-6 after 50 minutes, Rams captain Brad Speechley backed himself with a chip-kick in the slippery conditions. Pressured by the cover defence after running onto a room service bounce, the No. 7 used his left foot again.
This time an angled grubber, where the ball avoided looming traffic before coming to rest under the hands of Toby Huxley in the left corner.
UNDERSTRENGTH ROOSTERS STILL A FORCE
Thirlmere finished on the wrong end of the scoreboard, but with a host quality players returning in coming weeks, the fact they almost ran down the Rams should be of concern to the rest of the field.
MUIR FINDS HIS STRIDE
Speaking of being run down, Tigers winger Casey Timmer knows the feeling better than most.
Seemingly try bound after snatching a Netane Masima kick on his own tryline, Timmer had a 10m start on his opposite Daniel Muir. But once the long striding Muir hit top gear, the gap closed real quick and the Tigers No. 5 was brought down several metres short.
FOSTER BACK IN THE FAST LANE
After an unsettled start to the season, Picton flyer Harrison Foster showed why he’s still regarded as the quickest in the comp with two blistering tries against Mittagong.
The second, a 70m stunner also included a neat step that left fullback James Coyne grasping at thin air.
WILLIS HEADING ABROAD
Camden’s form five-eighth Jackson Willis was forced from the field against Thirlmere with a knee injury. Now heading overseas, Chris Browne is expected to fill the void for the next month.
LIONS BIG NAMES SET FOR A BREATHER
Mittagong will also need to cover the absence of backline talent. Bryson Goodwin heads overseas for the remainder of June, before James Coyne misses matches in July.
OAKDALE FLYING UNDER THE RADAR
Oakdale have snuck under the radar recently. Now on a four match winning streak, the Workers have largely been out of sight, out of mind with only two matches in the past month.
Underwhelming against the Goannas and in the first half against Narellan, Oakdale are slowly building and remain on target for a top-three finish.
NO GAMES ON LONG WEEKEND
With no play during the King's Birthday long weekend, the action returns for round 10 on Sunday, June 18.
It promises to be a beauty too. Frontrunners Mittagong tackle second placed Camden, while at the other end of the table, one of City or Narellan have a golden opportunity to land a precious third victory.
PHOTO GALLERY
FIRST GRADE
RESERVE GRADE
ROUND NINE WRAP
Round nine of the Macarthur Rugby League kicked off on Saturday evening when Narellan hosted Oakdale in a classic. Sunday saw four matches, including several late comebacks and some stunning individual performances.
See how round nine unfolded and what the coaches had to say.
OAKDALE FLY HOME WITH WHIRLWIND SECOND HALF
Oakdale ended Narellan’s two-game winning streak, overcoming an eight-point halftime deficit with five unanswered second half tries to win 34-16.
The hard fought victory was Oakdale’s fourth in a row, but was only secured in the final 15 minutes when Gerard Bryant and fullback Jacob Rockwell both crossed in quick succession.
Winger Cooper Dupond was on fire early for the visitors, scoring Oakdale’s first from a clever Nathan Davis flick pass, then running in another off a pinpoint Jake Steadman chip kick.
But it was Narellan who enjoyed the better of the first half, taking a 16-8 advantage to the sheds.
Punishing winger Kana Tunupopo finished off some clever Levi Dodd footwork and they ran in two more including a long range effort to centre Shane Kiel who finished a Faaletino Tavana break through centrefield.
But for all their good work, Narellan’s impressive start unravelled in spectacular fashion as Oakdale posted the next three tries to start the second half.
First, winger Hamish Oxley scooped up a Jacob McKinnon cut-out pass to score out wide. And they hit the front shortly after when Kyle Fraser couldn’t believe his good fortune, pouncing on a fumbled bomb to score under the posts.
From the restart, Narellan kicked short and the pressure intensified when the ball failed to make the 10-metre line.
From the next set, the Workers went further ahead through backrower Josh Carr to jump clear 24-16 in the 50th minute.
Narellan regained their composure and worked back into the contest and if not for an obstruction, prop Eddie Faalua may well have narrowed the gap to two points.
More chances followed, but with Dodd sidelined with a groin injury Narellan failed to capitalise and Oakdale rounded out the evening with two late tries.
Oakdale captain-coach Kyle Fraser was impressed with Narellan and his side’s second half effort.
“The Jets have come a long way, we wanted to weather the early storm but they got the jump on us,” said Fraser.
“We worked our way back into it, and it was a good middle battle. But once we got into the grind, we slowly got on top.
“Prop Michael Bullock was best for us, he plays 80 minutes and just does all the little things for us.
“To keep them to zero after the break ranks as one of our better second half performances of the season.”
TIGERS LEAVE IT LATE TO PASS COLLIES
The Oaks have overcome a 10-point second half deficit to down Campbelltown Collegians 34-24 in a highly entering contest at Bradbury Oval.
In a match featuring several lead changes, the Tigers clicked into gear after Collies centre Ofa Felila raced away to put the home side up 24-14 in the 43rd minute.
On a day where the playmakers from both sides stood tall. It was the Tigers duo of Mitch Brasington and Daniel Payne that fired the winning shots.
Brasington narrowed the gap to six, before No. 7 Daniel Payne defied a hamstring strain with a slashing 50m solo effort.
Trailing by two with 13 minutes left to play, Brasington then brushed past some tired defenders to put the Tigers ahead 28-24.
In an epic contest, Campbelltown kept coming and nearly levelled from a grubber and then through five-eighth Norwin Latu, who was held up over the line.
A long range effort to winger Bailey King in the dying minutes secured the win for the The Oaks, and they now turn for the finals in outright third spot.
After a tough win, Brasington said he was impressed with several aspects of the Tigers’ performance.
“We made it hard for ourselves at times,” said Brasington. “But they’re a very big and strong side, they certainly had us on the ropes.”
“Masima almost kicked us to death at one point, but our goal line defence was probably the best it’s been this year.”
After playing Jersey Flegg for Canterbury earlier this year, Cooper Smith has returned to The Oaks and appears headed for a strong finish to the season.
“Cooper is an unbelievable talent, he’s still only 20, and can easily handle back row and centre,” said Brasington.
PICTON PUSH MITTAGONG ALL THE WAY
A strong finish has seen Mittagong return to winning ways after edging out a gallant Picton 30-22 at Victoria Park.
The Magpies dominated possession to open a 12-6 halftime lead and they were on target for a major boilover after extending the advantage to 22-12 in the 60th minute.
In the end, Picton paid the price for several crucial errors as Mittagong seized the advantage with three late tries to maintain their two-point buffer at the top of the table.
Lions fullback James Coyne only needed four minutes to put his name on the score sheet, winning the race to a Thomas Maloney kick for a 6-0 lead.
Picton levelled two minutes later through Matthew White, after the lock forward dummied his way across to score next to the posts.
Following a glut of possession, Picton prop Nicholas Soloa Toomata barged over but was unable to ground the ball, but the points came when fullback James Tautaiolefua planted the ball down in the left corner.
Hooker Blake Barbuto’s solo effort three minutes after the resumption put Mittagong back on level terms.
From there, it was a Harrison Foster clinic as the dashing winger showcased his electrifying speed with two tries within nine minutes to send the home side 10-points clear.
But when Keiran Rankmore poked his head through the line and offloaded to a flying Coyne, the comeback was on.
Mittagong were then gifted field position after Picton fumbled a clearing kick, and they hit the front 24-22 when winger David Eccleston crossed out wide in the 67th minute.
Picton lost hooker Anthony Provost to the sin bin in the closing minutes, and Mittagong’s iced the win when Rankmore barged over for the last try of the day.
Captain-coach Jimmy Grehan says Mittagong were off the pace in a few areas and it almost cost them victory.
“We kept dropping the ball in the first half and gave them too many chances,” said Grehan.
“If they had scored one more try in the first half, I reckon they may have beaten us,” he said. “Our defence wasn’t the best either, more about positioning, we had a few blokes caught out of position.”
Prop Keiran Rankmore was one of the Lions’ best on a day where they missed try scoring backrower Liam Cassidy.
“Liam smashed his finger at work during the week, so he could be missing for a couple of weeks,” said Grehan.
DEFENCE GETS RAMS HOME AT THIRLMERE
Reigning premiers Camden had to dig deep in the closing stages before holding off a fasting finishing Thirlmere 18-14 in drizzly conditions on Sunday afternoon.
In a torrid contest through the middle, Camden grabbed the ascendancy midway through the first half when form centre Atini Gafa beat several defenders to score following a Brad Speechley break.
And they quickly doubled the advantage to 12-0 through Chris Browne. With regular No. 6 Jackson Willis sidelined by injury, Browne shifted to the halves and quickly showed his class, scoring from his own grubber.
Missing a host of players to suspension and injury, a patched up Roosters struck back on the stroke of halftime to trail 12-6.
Browne slotted a penalty goal early in the second half and the Rams bounded to a handy 18-6 lead after more Speechley brilliance.
Devoid of options, the Camden skipper kicked for himself, and kicked again after regathering. Perfectly weighted, the ball pulled up just in time for Toby Huxley to secure a crucial four-pointer.
On a difficult day for attacking footy, Thirlmere’s Waqasaqa Qiolevu made it look easy. While falling to ground in a tackle, the winger sent Harrison Coskerie away to cross in the right corner.
Trailing 18-10 with seven minutes to play, gun Roosters hooker Mitch New was dragged down by Speechley close to the line. The Camden skipper was immediately marched to the sin bin for holding down.
In the next set, New burrowed across to close the gap to four points. And Thirlmere continued to press Camden’s line in the final minutes but were unable to breakthrough a 12-man Rams.
For Speechley, the win was one of the side’s best of the year.
“It was a hard grinding game, it’s certainly the hardest match we’ve played this season,” said Speechley.
“And Mitch New is unbelievable,” Speechley said of the Thirlmere No 9. “He’s gone to a new level this year, we did plenty of homework on him, but he’s really tough to contain.”
While disappointed with the result, Thirlmere coach Darren McLeod was pleased with his team’s effort.
“I thought the effort was great, and I was happy with our defence, it was three tries each and two of Camden’s came from kicks,” said McLeod.
“Full credit to Camden though, we attacked their line for most of the last 15 minutes but we just couldn’t break them down.”
EAGLES GOOD FORM CONTINUES
East Campbelltown moved to within one-point of fifth place following a comprehensive 56-12 defeat of the South West Goannas.
The Eagles didn’t have it all their own way in the opening exchanges as South West repelled several early raids with committed goal line defence. And when Jared Ross finished a clever blindside play by hooker Penaia Leveleve, South West led 6-0.
But from the moment former Cronulla fullback Nathan Gardner dashed over in the right corner it was one way traffic. A relentless Eagles cashing in on the momentum swing with five tries in the final 20 minutes of the opening half.
The second half was a repeat of the first as the Eagles continued to apply the blowtorch with another five tries to one. Winger Jayke Lealuga Puhotau and centre Abiarthur Tuilaepa bagged doubles while Sean Connor had a day out landing eight goals from 10 attempts.
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