NRL Schoolboy Cup: Endeavour Sports High vs Matraville Sports High
Endeavour proved too strong for Matraville to progress to Round 2 of the NRL Schoolboy Cup. Watch a full replay of the match NOW.
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Endeavour Sports High has produced a string of backline NRL stars but if Wednesday afternoon’s showing at Mascot Oval is anything to go by, there is a production line of forwards waiting to be discovered.
The likes of Blake Ferguson, Alex Johnston and Curtis Scott have come through the Shire based school but on Wednesday, Endeavour’s forwards stole the show against Matraville Sports High School.
Endeavour’s pack scored or had a hand in all eight tries in the school’s 46-6 defeat of Matraville.
CHECK OUT THE FULL REPLAY IN THE VIDEO PLAYER ABOVE
“Our forwards practice with the ball, moving the ball, passing the ball so once they got back to doing what we practiced the space opened up for them, especially in the second half. It was good to see,” Endeavour coach Brad Kelly said.
After an early Matraville mistake the ball landed in the hand of big prop forward Josh Finau, who made a 50 metre break.
Only moments later Finau crashed over the line to post first points after 10 minutes.
“Josh our number 10 there was good for the majority of the game, he had some devastating runs and he was a handful for them,” Kelly said.
Matraville hit back with their own big guy with Matt Chapman, a towering presence on the field. The St George Illawarra SG Ball representative powered his way over the tryline taking three defenders over him.
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The forwards continued the point scoring after lock Dranza Hawe De Thierry extended Endeavour’s lead to 12-6 with Burke adding the extras.
But the forwards weren’t done just yet. The roles reversed in Endeavour’s third try with bulky bench prop Izayah Tuigamala feeding halfback Iverson Teo a deft pass to put the no.7 over to score in the 23rd minute. When Tuigamala wasn’t setting up tries, he was making try saving tackles up the other end of the field on his own tryline.
Despite his impressive showing, the teenager seemed to be his own harshest critic. When the coach praised the forward for his effort as he came from the field in the second half, Tuigamala responded “not good enough” as he made his way back to the bench.
“He’s a great kid and he loves playing for the school and he’s very passionate about that. It was great to see him playing today in that black jersey for the first time,” coach Kelly said.
Kyle Weathrall sent a scare through the Endeavour camp when the fullback went down clutching his leg mid-way through the first half. But after a short stoppage, the fullback was given the all clear and remained on the field.
But the news wasn’t as good for Matraville after Drey Mercy suffered a game ending leg injury just before half-time and needed to be helped from the field.
Continuing the forward domination in the second half, Finau extended Endeavour’s lead to 24-6 only minutes after the break.
Endeavour turned defense into attack with a length of field try in the 39th minute. Some second phase play from Finau put Teo through a hole and he made a break down the sideline, finding winger Te Wehi Waitere in support, who dived over to score.
Fellow prop Endeavour prop Chase Roberts put the game beyond the reach of Matraville in the 43rd minute with Burke extending the lead to 36-4.
Five-eighth Callum Perryman set up fullback Weatherall for a try in the second half taking the score to 42-6.
Endeavour continued the pile on with winger Lajuan Vito crossing with an acrobatic put down in the left corner.
The game ended on a sour note with Anwar Chahine needing medical assistance after he suffered what appeared to be a serious ankle injury.
FINAL SCORE
Endeavour 46: Tries: Finau 2, Hawe De Theirry, Teo, Waitere, Roberts, Weatherall, Vito Conversions: Burke 6, Gibbs 1
Matraville 6: Tries: Chapman Conversions: Parnell
TEAMS
ENDEAVOUR SPORTS HIGH
1 Kyle Weatherall, 2 Jaiden French, 3. Lajuan Vito, 4. James Roach, 5. Te Wehi Waitere, 6. Callum Perryman, 7. Iverson Teo, 8. Joshua Finau, 9. Kobie Wilson, 10. Chase Roberts, 11. Sam Jinks, 12. Lachlan Gibbs, 13. Billy Burke, 14. Thomas Siumaka, 15. Dranza Hawe-De Thierry, 16. Selwyn Smith, 17. Izayah Tuigamala, 18. Blake Canavan, 19. Nik Smith
COACH: Brad Kelly
MATRAVILLE SPORTS HIGH
1. Byron Parnell, 2. Thomas Bardossi, 3. Jackson De Lisle, 4. Kazeious Tahere 5. Yahya Sadek, 6. Gabriel Reweti, 7. Patrick Taukafa, 8. Kayde King, 9. Jai Langlands Doi, 10. Matthew Chapman, 11. Anwar Chahine. 12. Drey Mercy, 13. Dane Lester 14, Levi Clarke
15. Hamish Caple, 16. Derek Betham, 17. Archie Donnelly, 18. Noah Dymock
COACH: Reuben Wilson
PREVIEW: ENDEAVOUR SPORTS HIGH VS MATRAVILLE SPORTS HIGH
By Jocelyn Airth
Earlier this year, Billy Burke was bedridden, recovering from back surgery.
The Endeavour Sports High School skipper had ruptured two discs in his lower back that were impacting on his spinal cord.
For most of the 2019 season, Burke lived with hamstring pain in both legs so intense that he couldn’t put on his own footy socks.
At times, the ruptured discs even caused complete numbness to his left leg.
On Wednesday, a fully recovered Burke will lead Endeavour in their Round 1 Schoolboy clash against Matraville Sports High.
SCROLL DOWN TO CHECK OUT THE TEAMS FOR ENDEAVOUR AND MATRAVILLE
“He had back surgery in November last year, we didn’t expect him to play this year, but he’s worked super hard. He missed most of the SG Ball season with Cronulla but he’s worked super hard to get himself back,” Endeavour coach Brad Kelly said.
“The surgery was quite invasive, he was flat on his back for a couple of weeks, could only do minimal movement in the the weeks after.
“If they didn’t find it, it could have left him paralysed, because the damage was so close to his spinal cord.”
After six weeks lying flat on his back, Burke started hydrotherapy and slowly introduced strength training.
He had to completely retrain his posterior chain to prepare his body to return to rugby league.
“The COVID-19 break has probably helped him too, so he’s back and ready to go. He’s one of our leaders in the team, with his words and actions” Kelly said.
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Burke first earned selection into Endeavour’s top side in 2018 as a Year 10 student and his return will be a major boost for the school.
The coach said his side’s effort at training has been impressive all year and is expecting many students to step up against Matraville.
“There’s Joshua Finau, he’s contracted down at the Sharks, he was one of our standout players last year when he was in (his first year), he plays front row for us,” Kelly said.
“With another 12 months under his belt since last year, we’re looking for big things from him, he’s the spearhead of our forward pack,
“There’s Kobie Wilson, he’ll start at hooker for us, he was an Australian under 15s rep a couple of years ago, he came off the bench last year … he’s a very creative player around the ruck.”