Macarthur Rugby League: Injuries and more, round 18 talking points

On the doorstep of the Macarthur Rugby League finals not everyone’s in shape to lace up the boots. Among a host of talking points, we look at the big names battling injury and mishaps.

Goannas captain Eddie Faalua proved difficult to handle at The Oaks on Saturday night in round 18. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

After months of jostling, the race towards the Macarthur Rugby League title has been narrowed down to the best five teams.

Unfortunately, some of the competition’s top talent won’t be on show. From bumps, niggles and a major fishing catastrophe a host of names will miss the opening week.

All that and more. Latest talking points.

RUNNING BATTLE

Not much phases former Kiwi international Greg Eastwood on the field these days, but last Saturday against The Oaks the Goannas prop reached his threshold.

After cutting Daniel Payne in two with a textbook tackle midway through the opening half, the pair continued a running battle until tensions boiled over in the 56th minute.

Held up by several defenders, the 37-year-old exploded after substitute Tigers hooker Kyle Bell arrived late to take out his legs.

With order restored, the referee sent Bell from the field, and he was quickly joined by Ben Mitchell after the South West backrower was ruled to have thrown a punch.

Oakdale’s Kyle Fraser is in doubt for the opening week of the finals. Photographer: Warren Gannon Photography

FISH HOOKS AND NIGGLES

On the cusp of the finals, a host of clubs are poised to be missing some of their biggest names.

At Mittagong, key playmaker Jake Brisbane is in severe doubt for the Lions’ elimination battle with Thirlmere. A keen fisherman, the five-eighth came unstuck when a lure opened up his calf and required more than a dozen stitches.

He’s not the only Lion in doubt. Fullback whiz James Coyne is nursing a shoulder injury and halfback Nicholas Eccleston remains doubtful with a hamstring strain.

The Roosters could be without their gun fullback, after James Lee damaged his left ankle in the win over City.

The news in no better at Oakdale as the Workers prepare for the derby clash with The Oaks. Inspirational leader Kyle Fraser continues to recover from a syndesmosis injury, Hamish Oxley looks set to miss another week and there’s no certainty Jake Steadman will make a return in the No.6 jersey.

Tigers prop Evrett Vaurasi is on track to return with outside backs Chris Taripo and Cruise Iosefa, while at the time of writing Kyle Bell’s availability remained subject to suspension.

Jake Brisbane’s season has hit a snag. Picture Warren Gannon Photography

MODERN RIVALRY

Come Sunday afternoon Dudley Chesham will be rocking when The Oaks and Oakdale kick off the headline act. But fans shouldn’t underestimate the rivalry building between Thirlmere and Mittagong.

Since the Roosters took aim at the Lions for reporting their players to the judiciary last year, the gloves have been off ever since.

Thirlmere squared the ledger late last season when Josh Bryant sent Mittagong packing in the final minute of the preliminary final. This year, following consecutive victories it's all been green and gold.

Former Thirlmere centre Josh Bryant crossed for the match winning try to end Mittagong’s 2023 season. Picture: John Appleyard

TOUGH EXIT

Collegians had plenty of work to do last weekend to be any hope of making the top five.

Sitting sixth, Collies were faced with the difficult task of rolling premiership contenders Oakdale on the road.

In a cruel twist, they got the job done only to miss the cut. In defeating Thirlmere by 24 points, City nailed down the final spot with a superior points differential.

WIND TUNNEL

The Oaks are always a handful on home turf, even more so when it’s blowing a gale.

The Tigers have only slipped up once in eight starts at Dudley Chesham this season, and that was back in round four against the unbeaten Rams.

Arguably the most windy venue in the comp, it’s a proven graveyard for opposition kickers in both general play and off the tee.

WEEK-1 FINALS

Thirlmere (4) v Mittagong (5), Dudley Chesham Sports Ground, 1:15pm

The Oaks (2) v Oakdale (3), Dudley Chesham Sports Ground, 3:00pm

(L-R) Nathan Rumsby and Daniel Payne will be in action for The Oaks against Oakdale. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

ROUND 18 WRAP

The finalists had already been decided before the last round of the Macarthur Rugby League, but those that missed out showed plenty of cheek in round 18.

All the Campbelltown outfits failed to make this year’s cut, although, all three showed there are foundations in place for improved returns next season.

Round 18 wrap.

SEND OFFS MAR SPICY CONTEST

The task for The Oaks heading into the final round was clear. Down South West on Saturday and return home next week to kick off the finals.

But with nothing more than pride to play for, it was the Goannas who hit the ground running as props Greg Eastwood and captain Eddie Faalua set the wheels in motion for an upset.

In a physical contest that saw both sides finish the evening with 12 players, Faalua edged the visitors to within six points of the lead in the 70th minute before Mitchell Brasington saw the Tigers across the line 28-16 with a try on the final siren.

South West dominated the early field position but the points didn’t follow, and they found themselves behind 6-0 after Ragen Gilbert came down with a Brasington cross-field kick after 15 minutes.

Although they quickly returned serve through Larry Greig-Williams, when the electric winger scooped up a pass from his boot laces and dashed over in the left corner.

Immediately after halftime Daniel Payne made the Goannas pay the price for a couple of handling errors before Shelby Somoracz added another to make it 16-4.

On debut, the winger made it one to remember when he out paced the cover defence to the right corner.

Payne looked dangerous all evening, but Eastwood was never far away and the former Kiwi international cleaned up the No.7 with several punishing tackles. But tempers eventually boiled over when the No.8 became the victim off a gang tackle midway through the second half.

For his part, Tigers interchange hooker Kyle Bell was sent off for driving at Eastwood’s knees, and he was joined on the sidelines by Goannas backrower Ben Mitchell who was marched for throwing a punch in the subsequent melee.

Kyle Bell received his marching orders following a controversial tackle. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

From there, halfback Sato Ketia Opo narrowed the margin to six but it quickly returned to 12 when front-rower Joseph Ualesi barged across in the 63rd minute.

While it wasn’t The Oaks’ finest performance, Brasington was reluctant to blame complacency.

“Maybe there was a little bit, but the Goannas showed up, they had good intent,” the Tigers captain-coach said.

“I’d say South West played their style for the bulk of the 80 minutes. And to be honest, it might not be a bad thing.

“It was a pretty tight tussle and a bit of a bash up. So it’ll certainly get us ready for the finals next week.”

Greg Eastwood was one of South West’s best players in round 18. Picture Warren Gannon Photography

Quizzed on the send offs, the Tigers skipper was more interested in what lies ahead.

“I don’t really know what happened there. There was lots of niggle, it’s a bit annoying,” he said.

“We didn’t really get much flow in the game, but it’s done now. We’ve sewn up second spot and a home semi, so we’ll take that and start preparing for next week.

“The most pleasing thing is we’ve got all four grades in the finals. Our girls will play next weekend, and our third and reserve grade sides both finished third.

“And we finished second, so it’s a big effort from the club and it’s great for everyone involved.”

RAMS’ CLEAN SHEET

Camden extended its perfect record to 16 matches after the Rams wrapped up a massive day of celebrations at Kirkham Park with a comfortable 64-8 victory over Picton.

Having already claimed back-to-back minor premierships, Brad Speechley’s men put on a show to celebrate Old Boys Day and the club’s 1994 premiership.

In a remarkable return from suspension, centre Jack Miller crossed for a hat-trick and landed 10 conversions to finish the preliminary rounds as the competition’s leading scorer with 196 points – 26 clear of Tigers superboot, Mitchell Brasington.

Rams sharpshooter Jack Miller scored 32 points in round 18. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

Miller wasn’t the only Ram on fire in the 11-try avalanche. Josh Goulton capped off a fine season with four tries, and since returning from retirement the winger is now poised to add to his 2022 title.

Rewarded with a week off to start the finals, the Rams fined tuned their preparations with a full strength line up that proved too classy for a Picton outfit that finished the season in ninth spot with four wins.

SCARE AT FULLWOOD

It wasn't pretty, but Thirlmere have locked down fourth spot after edging out a vastly improved Campbelltown City 26-16 at Fullwood Reserve.

Plagued by defensive woes earlier in the season, the eighth ranked Roos showed plenty of grit and remained within striking distance until the closing minutes when fullback James Lee crossed for his second to put the result beyond doubt.

In worrying signs ahead of Sunday’s elimination final with Mittagong, after icing the contest, Lee was assisted from the field nursing his left leg.

Working outside Curtis Scott and Kye Madden, Ken Sio also crossed twice for Thirlmere, while he was joined on the scoreboard by fellow winger Marika Tuilau.

Bryce Wilson opened the scoring for City, and the halfback continued to stamp his presence in another fine all around performance.

Behind 20-4 midway through the second half, Wilson raised hopes of an upset when he grubber kicked for Brayden Topine to score and then assisted Amosa Manu across the stripe from a bomb.

At 20-16, City came close but were undone when Lee pounced late from dummy-half.

Kye Madden had several nice touches on Thirlmere’s right edge. Picture Warren Gannon Photography.

OAKDALE REST STARS

Oakdale have booked a finals showdown with cross town rivals The Oaks, after the Workers accounted for Collegians 38-24 at Sid Sharpe on Sunday.

Despite the absence of key forwards Kyle Fraser and Michael Bullock, Oakdale jumped ahead 20-0 following an impressive first 30 minutes.

Collies struck back through Tifa Iuta and flying winger August Tuala to trail by 12 at the break, but Oakdale kicked again and were never headed in a seven-try performance to finish the preliminaries in third spot.

Workers prop Francis Tuigamala was at his damaging best and alongside supersub hooker Jermaine Haule, both finished with two tries.

Francis Tuigamala scored either side of halftime for Oakdale. Photographer: Warren Gannon Photography

LIONS DOWN EAGLES

Mittagong overcame an early deficit to finish the better of East Campbelltown 30-12 at Waminda Oval.

Missing skipper Keiran Rankmore and gun half Jake Brisbane, a clunky Lions slipped behind 12-6 after 30 minutes before levelling at halftime and then adding three unanswered tries in the run home.

Shaun Sauni-Esau struck first for the Eagles when the centre latched onto a Flynn Pickering pass and raced 80m to score untouched.

Regular fullback James Coyne lined up at centre but quickly found his feet, running off Pickering’s hip to get the Lions’ scoring underway.

The tries kept coming against the run of play. Eagles fullback Viliame Saukuru showed his wheels, outpacing everyone to score from a 90m kick return. But just as East Campbelltown looked like getting on top, Michael Meadows swooped on a loose pass to level the scores at 12-all.

Next week, Mittagong head to Dudley Chesham in a week-1 eliminator against Thirlmere.