Macarthur Rugby League: Full wrap, photo gallery and talking points from round two
The second round of the Macarthur Rugby League season had it all. Catch up on the major talking points from a chaotic weekend, plus check our full wrap and PHOTO GALLERY.
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WITH round two of the Macarthur Rugby League season in the books, catch up on what is making headlines around the grounds.
ONE-WAY TRAFFIC AT THE JUDICIARY
Thirlmere five-eighth Curtis Scott has been suspended for three matches for his role in the ugly brawl against Narellan.
Interestingly, despite the referee’s report including allegations of an eye-gouge, no charges were laid against any player from the Jets.
T-REX FINISHED AT GOANNAS
Tony Williams’ stint as Goannas captain-coach is over after just two rounds.
Following the side’s second heavy defeat, Williams who is yet to lace on a boot in 2023, was released by mutual agreement from his arrangement with the South West Goannas club.
SOUTH WEST CAN’T TAKE A TRICK
Still on the Goannas, it seems like they’ve spent the off-season walking under ladders.
Last week they trailed Camden 10-6 five minutes before the break. In the second half the Rams ran amok on the way to a whopping 80-points.
In the wash up, it can be revealed the struggling club lost four players to season ending injuries, including prized playmaker John Taulaga who ruptured an ACL.
EAGLES HIT AND MISS FROM THE TEE
While The Oaks’ Mitch Brasington has been clutch from the kicking tee in the first two rounds, East Campbelltown can’t buy a goal.
In the Eagles’ win over City, a dusty start saw Brett Lahey relinquish the duties to Jake Williams and between them the pair landed two from seven attempts.
Still on the injured list, last season’s leading point scorer Edwin Connor can’t return fast enough.
TIM SIMONA JOINS THIRLMERE
After a rocky exit from the Wests Tigers in 2017, Tim Simona’s rugby league revival will continue at Thirlmere in 2023.
Still only 31, the former Samoan international has spent the past three seasons in the NSW Cup with Blacktown and Mounties.
A handful on his day, the centre is expected to line-up against Oakdale in round three.
COLLIES THE REAL DEAL
With a couple of sides already struggling, it’s great to see the emergence of Campbelltown Collegians.
After cruising past the Jets in round one, last year’s wooden spooners showed they are a serious finals contender with a spirited 20-18 victory over a strong Oakdale outfit.
SATURDAY EVENINGS A HIT
The Saturday evening timeslot has come up trumps for players and fans alike.
With a 5:30pm kick-off, there’s time to celebrate afterwards and enjoy the rest of the weekend.
The challenge will come as the temperatures drop, but with another two scheduled for rounds five and six, there’s plenty to look forward to.
TSAGALIAS ON THE RISE AT CITY
Flagged in the pre-season as a Kangaroo on the rise, Tyrone Tsagalias is a halfback delivering the goods.
Last week in reserve grade, the slightly built 18-year-old tormented East Campbelltown with two tries and four goals before breaking their hearts in the dying stages with a match winning field goal.
PHOTO GALLERY
FIRST GRADE
RESERVE GRADE
ROUND TWO WRAP
Once again The Oaks left it late and Campbelltown Collegians raised a few eyebrows. But among a host of talented performances, the second round of Macarthur Rugby League was marred by an ugly send off at Thirlmere.
Catch the latest from around the grounds in our round two wrap.
SCOTT SENT OFF AS THIRLMERE BURN JETS
After an opening round bye, Thirlmere have eased past the Narellan Jets 60-10 in a feisty contest marred by the second half dismissal of former NRL firebrand Curtis Scott.
Having already set Thirlmere Sports Ground alight with the opening two tries, five-eighth Scott received his marching orders just after half time when he rose out of a tackle and unleashed a flurry of punches.
Sparked by an alleged eye gouge, Scott was rightly dismissed under the no-punch rule, but can consider himself unlucky not to have been joined by at least two other Narellan players after crowd footage of the incident emerged online.
The incident was a dark spot on an otherwise impressive Roosters first hit out of the season. Centre Blake Ferguson was unstoppable in crossing for a hat-trick of tries, and the former Blues star also had a big day with the boot finishing with 28-points.
But it wasn’t just the big names on show. Hooker Mitchell New was electric from dummy-half and 18-year-old winger James Lee showed touches of class.
Down 38-6, Narellan could easily have rolled over in the second half, but in encouraging signs, the Jets stuck to their task and limited the damaged.
MORE BRASINGTON POST SIREN HEROICS
The Oaks have done it again. After drawing level with Camden after full time in round one, this week a Mitch Brasington long bomb after the final hooter has sunk Picton 24-22.
Coming off last week’s loss to City where they surrendered an early lead, Picton made it back-to-back heartache after jumping clear of the Tigers by 10-points on two occasions before Saturday evening’s chaotic finish at Dudley Chesham Field.
The Magpies struck early through wingers Michael Lett and Harrison Foster yet went to the break trailing 12-10.
With tries to Tim Dengate and hooker Anthony Provost, the Magpies regained the momentum and on the hour held a commanding 22-12 advantage.
But a Magpies turnover on their own 20 opened the door for an Oaks revival, and in the next set Daniel Payne struck against his old club to get the Tigers within six.
And when Provost’s restart sailed out on the full, the Tigers’ roar only got louder. With the penalty, they marched up field and drew level when Nathan Rumsby dived on a fumbled Brasington grubber in the Picton in-goal.
Locked at 22-22 as the final seconds counted down, The Oaks were awarded a penalty for a high tackle in the final play of the game.
Once again the result would hinge on Brasington’s boot. But from 45 metres out and 10 in from touch, there was still plenty to do.
“Yeah, I hit it pretty sweet. There was plenty of supporters there and they were pretty happy about it that’s for sure,” a relieved Brasington recalled.
“It’s certainly good for the moral, to be in the mix against sides like Camden and Picton shows we’ve been putting in the effort,” he said before praising a group of unsung forwards.
“We lost a couple upfront during the week and called up Tony Campbell and Hayden Bunce from reserve grade,” he said.
“Then on the bench, Jaydn Phillips and Jack Bonning were great for us despite having already played a game in reserve grade.”
COLLEGIANS UPSET OAKDALE
Campbelltown Collegians’ outstanding start to the season has continued with a 20-18 upset victory over Oakdale.
Coming off a one sided win over the rebuilding Narellan Jets, this was the perfect test for a Collies outfit going through a hefty rebuild of their own.
Winger Martin Kalamelu Su‘a and Leon Longbottom were first to put their names on the score sheet as Collegians opened a 10-0 lead.
Oakdale’s round one standouts Nathan Davis and hooker Jermaine Haule hit back with tries for the Workers and they found themselves leading 18-10 when prop Michael Bullock crossed for the side’s third straight four-pointer.
But Collies’ new found fitness and spirit ultimately shone through, and they regained the lead with tries to halfback Nautu‘a Masima and centre Ofa Felila to extend Campbelltown’s perfect start to the season.
RAMS RATTLE GOANNAS
The South West Goannas’ rocky return to the top grade has continued with another heavy defeat, this time an 80-6 caning to premiers Camden at Kirkham Park.
The Rams had four multiple try scorers in their tally of 15 including hat-tricks to backrower Brad Hopkins and centre Jack Miller, who finished 28 points.
With Easter and the bye to follow, Camden won’t see any action until late April when they return to the field to tackle the Jets in round four.
FORMER SHARK RETURNS TO ASSIST EAGLES’ REBOUND
Following an opening round loss on the road East Campbelltown have returned home in style, lowering City’s colours 32-16 in a hard-fought battle at Waminda Oval.
On a day of celebrations for the retired John Da Silva, the Eagles called upon every ounce of the club legend’s famed fighting spirit to hold off a determined City in the closing stages.
Centre Abiarthur Tuilaepa had a day out, scoring three tries on a lethal Eagles right edge on an afternoon where former Cronulla Sharks fullback Nathan Gardner returned to the field after an eight-year absence.
Up 18-12 at the break, the Eagles were pushed all the way and only jumped clear when hooker Baden Stewart extended the margin to 12-points with less than 10 minutes still to play. Another to star backrower Kobe Chamberlain saw the margin blowout as the Eagles raced away with the contest finishing with seven tries to City’s three.
“Full credit to City, they always play a tough game but I thought we left a few tries out there,” said Eagles coach Richard Barnes.
“Chamberlain won our players’ player award and Felix Smith and winger Blake Clayton were always dangerous on our right edge. I felt Tuilaepa could have crossed for a few more to be honest.”
With goal kicking playmaker Edwin Connor still on the injured list, Barnes was pleased to see the 32-year-old Gardner in East Campbelltown colours.
“His father Teddy is a club favourite. He scored a stack of tries, so it’s great to see Nathan dust off the boots,” he said.
“It was a heavy track, not ideal for the fast men, but he had a smile on his face the whole game.”
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