Rugby League Central Coast: Wrap, results, standouts from round 16
They’ve claimed the women’s tackle minor premiership with an incredible record. Find out the secrets behind The Entrance’s success.
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There was more shifting of the competition ladder as a string of sides put forward their claims to play finals football during round 16 of the Rugby League Central Coast competition.
One team continued its excellent late-season form to keep in touch with the top four, while another slipped further out of contention with a costly loss.
Elsewhere another one of the contenders kept its hopes of a top-two finish alive with an impressive return to form.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
THE ENTRANCE CLAIMS WOMEN’S GONG
There might still be two rounds left in the regular season, but one side has already claimed the first major trophy of the year, with The Entrance securing the minor premiership in the women’s tackle competition.
In what has been a brilliant campaign so far, the Tigers have won all 10 of their games and received one forfeit, leaving the side five points clear of second-placed Toukley.
Perhaps even more impressive is the fact that the team has sealed the minor premiership while it still has a game in hand.
While the undefeated record is impressive enough, a closer look at the numbers shows just how dominant the side has been.
Over the course of its 10 games the Tigers have scored 276 points to be comfortably the best attacking team in the competition, while they have remarkably conceded just 34, at an average of less than four points per game.
So with such an impressive season so far, what is the secret to its success?
“I think there’s a few reasons,” said captain Charmayne Nathan, who also shares co-coaching duties with Daniel Wilson.
“The main reason would be that the club has put in a lot of effort for the women’s team this year, so that comes from Jamy Forbes in the Denton Cup, to the first grade coach and the second grade coach – they’ve really bought in, they come to our training sessions and have tried to teach us a different style of footy.”
Indeed, while Nathan is a veteran of the women’s game who has represented NSW, she said that the level of tactical awareness has gone to another level this year.
“I’ve been playing for 12 years, and women’s footy used to be just sort of bash-up footy with no structure, no game plan. And when they came in they’ve shifted the game plan and taught us how to run our lines and our shape.
“Our shape is what’s really affecting the women’s comp, because a lot of the other women’s teams are still playing bash-up footy. The reason why our points are so high is because we’ve sort of learnt how the game is to be played in the proper way by creating numbers, creating shapes, so that’s one massive positive.”
In addition to simply running crisp lines and enforcing effective defensive structures, Nathan said that the team atmosphere has been another major contributing factor towards its success.
“We’ve just created a really good vibe. We have our music at every single game and I think that’s pretty intimidating for other teams.
“We’re loud, we sing, we dance – we’re very proud when we put our shirts on. So it’s just the vibe and culture in our team that is one of the reasons why we’ve been so successful.”
Indeed, Nathan can’t emphasise enough just how adding a dose of fun and understanding to the environment has been key to its success.
“I’m friends with a lot of girls in the other teams and they often ask, ‘Why are you so successful, why do you look so happy?’
“I’ve always wanted to tell the other coaches that you have to understand how women work. We all work fulltime outside of this, a lot of the girls in our team are mums and this is an outlet for a lot of women, so getting them to understand the concept of the game and then getting them to come to training is key.
“Every training, we’re getting 17 plus – that’s more than the boys get. That’s from the vibe you create, from the morale you create – that’s why you’ll have a successful team and I’m very passionate about that.”
And with their impressive performances and loud music, it’s clear that the Tigers have won admiration and respect far beyond fellow female footy players on the Coast.
“We’re really, really big within the club and I know we’ve had a lot of great feedback from the club from us just turning up,” said Nathan.
“We’re there every single game supporting the men, the men know us. At training, our music’s on, we’re the only team with it on. All the teams get around it, so it’s really changed the culture in The Entrance as well.
“We do get recognised from the men’s teams and I think they do recognise us as an actual football team and not just women playing football, which is really, really cool.”
TOP-FOUR SHOWDOWN COULD GO DOWN TO THE WIRE
The race for the top four could well come down to a final round, winner-takes-all clash after a string of results added extra spice to the competition ladder during round 16.
While Woy Woy consolidated its hold on fourth with a comfortable 44-12 victory over Terrigal, Wyong emerged as the main challengers after grinding out a 14-0 win over Kincumber.
The victory was the Roos’ sixth in their last eight games, with the team leapfrogging Dora Creek into fifth.
“I think we’re getting a bit of belief now and the biggest thing is that we’ve put ourselves in this situation, so we’re the only ones who can get us out – and we’re doing that at the moment,” said captain-coach Todd Lewis. “Fingers crossed we can make a run for it.”
Although still three points behind Woy Woy, Wyong has an extra game in hand, with the rained-out round four clash against Dora Creek to be played next Wednesday August 21.
If results go the Roos’ way over the next week and a half, it could set up a mouth-watering final round clash against Woy Woy at Morry Breen Oval to decide who plays finals football.
Meanwhile, despite back-to-back losses, Dora Creek is also still in finals contention. The Swampies are four points behind Woy Woy, but have one of the better runs home with games against Kincumber, Wyong and Berkeley Vale and could sneak into the four in their first season in the Central Coast division.
HUGE WEEKEND AHEAD
Speaking of the race to the finals, this weekend could have potentially huge repercussions for a host of teams in the competition.
At the top of the list, Woy Woy and Wyong both face crucial games in their quest to claim fourth spot, with the Roosters taking on second-placed The Entrance and Wyong travelling to Erina to face off with the undefeated Eagles.
And while both teams have a tough task at hand, the Roosters know that a win this weekend could be enough to seal a finals spot and avoid a potentially explosive top-four shootout with Wyong next weekend.
“We’re at a different spot to where we’ve been in previous years,” said Woy Woy coach Blake McLean.
“In previous years we’ve been playing catch-up and playing mathematics at the end of the year to try and have a chance for the semis. This year, we’re not exactly where we want to be, but at least we control our own fate. If we win, we play finals footy. That’s one positive.”
There is also plenty to play for their round 17 opponents. Given that Toukley have the bye, The Entrance will be determined to hold onto second spot and book a second bite of the cherry in the finals.
Elsewhere, Erina could wrap up the minor premiership this weekend, with a draw enough to see the Eagles finish the season at the top.
TERRIGAL, BERKELEY VALE FACE OFF IN ‘GRAND FINAL’
And while some teams are playing for finals spots and minor premierships, in the eyes of others, the most important game of the round will actually take place at Duffys Road Oval, where Terrigal host Berkeley Vale in a game that could well decide who receives the wooden spoon.
In what is a clash between eighth and ninth, the Sharks come into the game in last place, one point behind the Panthers, with both teams determined not to finish bottom.
After a positive opening to the year that saw the team record one win and one draw in its first six games, Berkeley Vale’s season has turned into a nightmare, with a string of players walking out on the club.
The player shortage had a huge impact on the club. During a horror-five-game run, the Panthers conceded more than 260 points and had the mercy rule invoked twice.
However the team has rebounded in the past couple of weeks and was impressive in pushing defending premiers Toukley all the way in the 22-12 loss last weekend.
“We play Terrigal in an all-hands-in game not to finish on the bottom of the table,” said coach Michael Sullivan. “Really, we need to take care of that Terrigal game. They’ll be approaching it in the same way of not wanting to finish last. We want to take something out of the year and salvage it.”
It has also been a frustrating season for Terrigal, who after qualifying for last year’s semi-finals has won just one game in the current campaign to be last on the ladder.
“Obviously it’s been a difficult one for us,” said captain-coach Dylan McKeown. “Anything that could have gone wrong, has. Obviously the rain, I don’t think we played two games in a row until round 14 or 15, so that really hurt us and we didn’t get on the training paddock a lot.
“But everyone’s in the same boat. You can make those excuses but at the end of the day you’ve got to get out there and perform.
“We went down to the wire in a lot of games, to be honest. Dora, Toukley – we tested some of the big teams but just didn’t put in a full 80. Just in those last dying moments we couldn’t get the win.
He added: “We’ve also had our fair share of injuries. Last weekend we had 10 or 11 first graders unavailable through injury or they were away. We’ve had a lot of people backing up. Over the last two weeks we’ve had three or four on our bench who’ve already played two games.
“It’s been a frustrating year for all involved but it’s hard to put your finger on where and what’s gone wrong, but it just has.”
Despite the difficulties of 2024, McKeown said his side is determined to avoid the wooden spoon.
“Me and Groomy (co-coach Aaron Groom) spoke the boys and said, basically, the way this season has gone, this is our grand final. We’re a better team than last, we don’t believe we should finish last.
“If we can put the performances we had against some of those top team together, I think we’ll be right. But we’ve just got to do it for 80 minutes, we can’t do it for 40, 50, 60, which we have done in some games and then really fall away at the end.
“The last 20 minutes of the second half have really been our kryptonite so far, so we just need to play the full 80, no matter how the game’s going and I think if we do that then we’ll go alright.”
ROUND 16 WRAP
There was plenty to play for as a string of teams made moves up the competition ladder during round 16 of the Rugby League Central Coast competition.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
‘COPPED A ROASTING’: TOUKLEY SCRAPES HOME
Toukley has kept pace with the top two, but not without a scare, after the Hawks defeated Berkeley Vale 22-12 at Ted Doyle Oval.
Coming into the game against the struggling Panthers on a good run of form, the defending premiers were sluggish throughout the match, conceding the first points and then leading by just four until a late try sealed the game for the side.
And while Toukley, who rested a string of regular starters for the clash, walked away with the win, the players did receive the infamous hairdryer treatment after the game.
“We had no intent, no effort, no energy – it was super poor from us,” said Toukley captain-coach Jake Fitzpatrick, who took the reins from the sidelines.
“I’ve spoken about how I’m big on the ‘next man up’ mentality and they copped an absolute roasting after the game. We were very, very poor.
“But I don’t want to take anything away from Berkeley Vale. They were good, they fought well, they hung in there, competed and I’m sure Sully (coach Michael Sullivan) would be happy with their performance.”
Indeed, despite coming into the game on the back of five successive heavy defeats, Berkeley Vale started brightly and scored first through prop Tane Tutaki after 10 minutes.
The Hawks managed to work their way back into the contest and scored through Harrison Packham and Ben Neville to take a 10-6 lead into the break.
And while winger Aaron Heaven crossed just a couple of minutes into the second half to extend his side’s lead, Berkeley Vale kept coming back, with a try to Makrau Fonmanu 11 minutes from time bringing the scoreline back to 16-12 and setting up a very nervous finish.
While the upset of the season was potentially in the offing, Jye Tudehope sealed the game for Toukley with a late try to spare his side’s blushes and ensure that the Hawks collected the two points.
Despite his team chalking up its fourth-straight win and eighth in its last nine games, Fitzpatrick was scathing of the performance.
“It was a mental thing, without a doubt in the world. We had eight out of our starting 13 not there on the weekend, whether they were rested or injured or what not.
“So I probably had a handful of guys who probably wished they got the tap on the shoulder, the other half probably thought we’d win convincingly and the other group probably thought, ‘It’s rainy, it’s muddy, I’m not up for this.’ But there are no excuses for that performance, unfortunately.”
He added: “If we didn’t have two or three guys on the field we probably would have got dusted. We deserved to lose.”
The win ensures that Toukley remains in third place on the ladder, equal on points with second-placed The Entrance and four behind leaders Erina with two games of the regular season remaining.
Despite the loss, the performance was a big positive for the struggling Panthers, who will be hoping to avoid the wooden spoon when they take on last-placed Terrigal next weekend.
Toukley 22 (Packham, Neville, Heaven, Tudehope tries; Kessler three goals) defeated Berkeley Vale 12 (Tutaki, Fonmanu; two goals)
HOT AND COLD WOY WOY DOWN TERRIGAL
Woy Woy has consolidated its spot in fourth place and taken another step towards playing finals footy after chalking up a 44-12 victory over Terrigal at Duffys Road Oval.
In what was very much a Jekyll and Hyde performance, the Roosters overcame a horror opening with the ball to eventually run in eight tries to secure a comfortable win.
“The first half of the first half, I want to forget about it,” said Woy Woy coach Blake McLean. “We improved a lot in the second half. But early on we were something like two from 11 with our completion rate.
“I think we finished the first half with five or six from 15 or 16 sets – and three of them were tries as completions – so it was a terrible completion rate in the first half. Especially in the first 20 minutes, all we did was defend.
“We leaked the first try because I think we defended 10 sets on our line. It was back to back, we just kept dropping it. We didn’t complete the first five sets in a row. We definitely need to sort that out before we play the next two games because if we do that kind of stuff we won’t last long.”
Indeed, on the back of poor ball handling, Woy Woy spent much of the opening quarter defending its own line. And while the team did well to turn Terrigal away on multiple occasions, the pressure eventually took its toll as Sharks prop Dylan McKeown crashed over for the first try of the game in the 19th minute.
The try seemed to spark the Roosters into action, with Kane Williams and Leighton Tali scoring back-to-back tries to give the side the lead, before star recruit Andrew Fifita crashed over late in the half to give Woy Woy a 16-6 lead at the break.
And while the first half was an arm-wrestle, it was one-way traffic after the break. Backrower Joel Body and winger Ashton Carroll both scored doubles as Woy Woy piled on five second half tries to run out 32-point winners.
“Second half, I was fairly impressed. I think that was probably the best half we’ve played all year, to be honest,” said McLean.
“We scored some good tries off some good shape, which is what we’ve lacked lately. We’ve been scoring tries off flick passes and one per cent sort of things.
“Everything I asked them to do in the first half, they did in the second half, which was really good. We built some pressure on Terrigal, they made some errors down there and we capitalised on them, which was our game plan going into the game. So I was happy with the second half, building into this weekend against The Entrance.”
The victory takes Woy Woy to 20 competition points, with Dora Creek’s loss seeing the Swampies slip to sixth and giving the side a three-point buffer over Wyong in fifth.
The Roosters take on The Entrance this Sunday in a game that could potentially seal the side’s spot in the finals. However a loss against the second-placed Tigers could open the door for Wyong to close the gap on set up a final-round finals shootout between the two teams.
As for Terrigal, the club faces a huge game on Sunday against Berkeley Vale, with both sides desperate to avoid the wooden spoon.
Woy Woy 44 defeated Terrigal 12
WYONG DOWN KINCUMBER TO GO THREE STRAIGHT
Wyong has continued its late-season resurgence and kept its finals hopes alive after grinding out a 14-0 victory over Kincumber at Morry Breen Oval.
In a game where both sides struggled with the ball in hand, the Roos put in a defensive masterclass to shut out the Colts for the side’s third win in a row, which sees it keep in touch with the top four.
“The game was very scrappy but to hold them to zero and to fight for the 80 minutes was the biggest thing for us,” said Wyong captain-coach Todd Lewis.
“Our attack wasn’t as polished as we’d like but to scramble like that and to keep them to zero, especially given the couple of weeks they’ve had, we’re very proud of the effort.”
In what was a tight contest, the Roos broke the deadlock midway through the first half when forward Jye Boyle went over.
Points were hard to come by, with Wyong five-eighth Chaice Bayley slotting a penalty on the stroke of halftime to give the side an 8-0 lead at the break.
The grind continued in the second half, with both teams struggling to put seriously threaten the opposition line.
At times both Wyong and Kincumber were forced to defend multiple sets deep in their own end, and while things remained tense, the Roos sealed the victory with five minutes to go when fullback Isaac Akuoko scored to put the game out of reach.
And although Wyong struggled at times with the ball in hand, Lewis said he was pleased with his team’s effort.
“We weren’t great in attack, so we made it very hard for ourselves. But our goal-line defence, it was just the boys with back-to-back efforts,” said Lewis.
“We just turned up for each other and that’s what we were really proud of. The boys were saying after the game that they just never gave up and could really feel that, which was good.”
The win, the team’s third straight and sixth from its last eight games, takes Wyong above Dora Creek and up into fifth place in the ladder.
The Roos remain three points behind fourth-placed Woy Woy, although they do have one game in hand and face off with the Roosters in the final round of the season in what looms as a possible finals shootout.
“It’s huge for us, we’ve built on a back-end run. It seems to be the theme for us at the moment. It’s a cliche but we just really need to focus on grinding games out,” said Lewis.
Meanwhile the loss marks another tight defeat for Kincumber, who remain in seventh on 10 points.
Wyong 14 defeated Kincumber 0
BIG GUNS RETURN AS THE ENTRANCE HAMMERS DORA CREEK
The Entrance has bounced back from a two-game winless streak in style, running in seven tries to one to defeat Dora Creek 38-6 at Edsacc Oval.
With key spine players Nathan Cooper and Nick Newman returning to the team after injury and Denton Cup duty, respectively, the Tigers were back to their best with a dominant display that keeps the side in second place on the ladder.
“I was very happy with the performance. It was pretty much the first time we got the majority of our side back together since round eight or nine,” said coach Jarod Hamer.
“It was really good to see them flowing together and we just went back to concentrating on the one-per cent areas and being a defensive-structured side and we were really happy with that.”
With Newman, the competition’s leading try- and pointscorer, returning at halfback, it allowed The Entrance to shift key man Adam McInnes back to fullback, while Cooper’s return from a hand injury gave the side better balance overall.
“Without realising, you put blokes in those positions and it puts confidence in the players around them,” said Hamer.
“We’ve had to move the side around a lot lately. Adam McInnes does a lot for our defensive structure at the back. We had Max (Trueman) playing there who’s a silky fullback himself, but we missed a bit of that defensive structure. And when you put Max from centre to fullback then you miss a bit of a strike centre.
“It was good to do that for a few weeks to know what we can fall back on, but it was good to have the side back together and they picked up where they left off. I was very happy with the discipline and the defensive efforts.”
Indeed, after a tough couple of weeks that saw the side draw 30-all with Kincumber and lose 30-6 to Toukley, the Tigers were back to their defensive best, conceding just one try in the impressive performance.
The Entrance also turned it on with the ball in hand, scoring three tries in the first 15 minutes to race out to an early lead before piling on another four in the second half.
The victory keeps The Entrance in second place, ahead of Toukley on points difference and four points behind leaders Erina.
Meanwhile for Dora Creek, the loss has put a big dent in its hopes of qualifying for the finals. The team has slipped to sixth, four points behind fourth-placed Woy Woy. And although the Swampies have an extra catch-up game remaining, it looks as though they will have to win all three remaining fixtures and rely on other results to sneak into the top four.
The Entrance 38 defeated Dora Creek 6
ROUND 16 RESULTS
Wyong 14-0 Kincumber
Toukley 22-12 Berkeley Vale
The Entrance 38-6 Dora Creek
Woy Woy 44-12 Terrigal
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