Penrith District Rugby League: Rotating halves, slippery rakes, round nine talking points
It’s not all plain sailing off the park for one try-scoring winger, while another team keeps winning with new halves. Surprise moves, golden boots and more, Penrith RL talking points.
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A mix of new and old faces stood up for their respective sides in round nine of the Don Feltis Cup.
A regular C-grader grabbed a rare opportunity with both hands, and a first grade regular played his best game of the season.
Winners and superstars, round nine talking points from local Penrith footy.
HANDY BACKUP
St Clair have struggled for continuity in the halves in recent weeks, but the third placed Comets continue to come up trumps.
Earlier this month Isaiah Niumata announced himself with a hat-trick in the round eight win over the Brumbies. However, injury prevented him from playing last week, but he was well covered by former St Pats premiership winner, Todd Hooper, who played a part in several tries.
Niumata’s injury isn’t expected to be long term.
WOLVES’ REPS FIRE
Brothers carried good form into last week’s clash with Windsor, but it was always going to be an uphill battle against one of the major premiership contenders.
Fielding seven reps from the Panthers Juniors outfit that convincingly downed Cronulla in the Luke Lewis Cup, Windsor started favourites and finished the day with eight unanswered tries.
BEATING THE ODDS
Hat-trick hero Luke McDonald continued his outstanding recent form against Brothers, but according to coach Troy Dargin the flying winger’s moves are far less convincing off the park.
“I call him the baby giraffe. He’s always slipping over, but somehow he continues to break tackles – he’s an unsung hero in our team.”
HOOKER FINDS HIS FEET
Ever since rising Colyton hooker Jenson Tuaoi shifted to Penrith’s Jersey Flegg side, the Colts have struggled for zip around the ruck.
Ben Bragg counted that view with three tries in the win over Minchinbury, and coach Scott Thompson couldn’t have been happier for his No.9.
“Ben has played A-grade for six years. It was a good performance, he’s only recently returned from injury.”
GOLDEN BOOTS
The race to become leading point scorer is heating up.
With last week’s bye, Emu Plains kicker Cameron Williams remained at the top of the list with 70. With 10 points in Windsor’s win, Tori Willie closed to within two of Williams, and 28 clear of Glenmore Park’s Noah Smith.
LIGHT IT UP
All four games in round 10 take place under lights on Saturday evening.
But unlike the Magic Round in round 17 at Windsor, all four games will take place at different venues.
ROUND 10 (SATURDAY, JUNE 22)
Colyton v Cambridge Park, Cec Blinkhorn Oval
Brothers v Emu Plains, Parker St Reserve
St Marys v St Clair, St Marys Leagues Stadium
Windsor v Minchinbury, Windsor Sporting Complex
ROUND NINE WRAP
The try hunters found their range in a free flowing weekend of local Penrith footy.
One Wolves winger refused to be contained, while a Colts hooker couldn’t help but cross the stripe. But it was the left corner at Cambridge Park that saw the most action, as a Comets winger kept dotting down in a busy afternoon.
Winners and superstars, round nine wrap and feedback from around the grounds.
WOLVES BOUNCE BACK
Windsor have given Brothers a reality check after the Wolves bounced back to form posting eight unanswered tries in a 38-0 victory.
Coming off a surprise last start loss to Colyton, Windsor hosted a Brothers outfit who after a slow start to the season, were charging towards a fifth straight win.
Teenage half Cohen Benson brought his kicking boots, and continually forced Brothers to work hard from their own end. Upfront, Eton Lindsay was once again at his workaholic best, pumping out another quality 80 minutes.
But Luke McDonald was the star. With three second half tries, the long striding winger easily topped 300m for the day. Hooker Tyrone Shelley snuck over to make it 16-0 at halftime, and 20 minutes after play resumed McDonald had transformed into a hat-trick hero.
First, he raced a Dallas Burns offload 80 metres and was quickly handed another by five-eighth Connor Mason. Then with Brothers on the attack in the 59th minute, the No.2 swooped on a pass and ran the entire length of the field.
“We didn’t need to change too much,” said Windsor coach Troy Dargin.
“So far this season every side seems to be up for the contest against us. I think we lost to Colyton because they wanted it more.
“The score blew out in the end, but I was just as impressed with our defence. We conceded a lot of penalties, and at one stage the boys defended the line for six consecutive sets.”
Asked about Benson, Dargin said he was delighted with the young playmaker’s progress.
“He’s still only 17, but he’s taking the game by the scruff of the neck and really making an impact.”
COLTS ACE BAGS A TRIPLE
Colyton maintained its grip on fifth spot after downing Minchinbury 36-18 at Federation Forest.
Down 22-14 on the hour the Jets weren’t without hope of notching a second victory. But it was the Colts who kicked late with tries to Shaun Va’alepu, Keegan McGrann
and Jesse Poulsen.
Minchinbury made the early running and opened a handy 10-0 buffer when Tikiko Ralulu barged over in the 30th minute. From there, Colyton hooker Ben Bragg smashed the lights out, scoring three of his own in just 14 minutes of game time.
The crafty No.9 quickly pouched a double before the break, then struck from the ruck to make it 22-10 after 48 minutes.
“We were scrappy early,” said Colyton coach Scott Thompson.
“Our regular halfback BJ Hudd was missing and our attack was a bit clunky. But we stuck at it, and once we mounted pressure the points soon followed.
“Minchinbury has come a long way since we first played them. Halfback Dean Blore is excellent at steering them around the park, and the boys said Tuafale Aiomalaga takes a power of stopping.”
ST MARYS LEAVE IT LATE
St Marys’ finals hopes are still alive following a 34-22 win over a defiant Glenmore Park at Ched Towns Reserve.
With 10 minutes to play and the game still in the balance, towering forward Papaseea Tamaseu crashed over to wrap up consecutive victories.
In a seesawing contest that featured five lead changes, Tamaseu was among the best on the ground. The No.15 crossed twice and was instrumental in setting up his side’s second try to winger Preston Joseph.
David Baumann had another blinder for the Brumbies. The edge backrower opened the scoring, and his clever flick pass saw winger Jacob Kelly dive over before the break to level the scores at 16 apiece.
The four-pointers kept coming after halftime, and when Brumbies prop Scott Burns crashed over Glenmore Park led 22-20 after 52 minutes. Although the advantage was short-lived, as Tyrees Feaunati sliced through two minutes later to give St Marys a four-point lead.
The win moves St Marys to sixth spot – just one point behind Colyton. Glenmore Park are 11th, but the Brumbies are only three points outside the top five.
PEARCE SCORES FOUR
On a big weekend for hat-tricks, St Clair’s Liam Pearce went one better, snaring four tries as the Comets zoomed clear of Cambridge Park 32-4.
Pearce hit the ground running on his return from injury, and the winger struck the first blow following a slick pass from hooker Bryson Demanuele. The No.9 continued to dominated and was central in St Clair posting 14 unanswered first half points.
In a strong pack, David Haumono found the stripe after the break before Pearce rattled off another three in just 16 minutes.
Halfback Todd Hooper quickly found his range and after Pearce dived over in the 52nd minute, the No.7 delivered the final pass for the winger to score his third and fourth.
It was a tough afternoon for Cambridge Park who were missing several key forwards, but fullback Jacob Swann-Knight gave the locals something to cheer when he dived over in the final few minutes.
“It was a solid win for us,” said captain Tinirau Arona, after St Clair moved four points clear in third spot.
“We were missing our regular halves but Jackson McBain and Todd Hooper stepped up and were excellent.
“Joseph Otuhiva and Jordan Kalati were strong in the pack, and it was great for Haumono to get off the nudie run with his first try of the year.”
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