Schoolboy Cup highlights, full replay: St Gregory’s College v Hunter Sports High

St Gregory’s College Campbelltown’s quest to break a 20-year title drought is off to a flyer after beating Hunter Sports High. Watch the replay here.

The sleeping giant of schoolboy football may have awakened as St Gregory’s Campbelltown got their NRL Schoolboys Cup campaign off to a scintillating start with a 28-8 win over Hunter Sports High.

In a physical, fiery encounter it was halfback Liam Sutton and backrower Thomas Fletcher who led the way for St Greg’s as a heaving home crowd created a rowdy atmosphere which helped spur the Campbelltown side to victory.

“It was a massive build up. When we came out of the sheds and we saw hundreds of boys ready to go, it was a crazy atmosphere, I couldn’t believe it,” said Sutton.

“To have them back us through the game was something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”

■ WATCH FULL MATCH REPLAY ABOVE OR HIGHLIGHTS BELOW

(L-R) Thomas Fletcher, and Liam Sutton led St Greg’s to a big win. Picture: David Swift

Fletcher, who starred for Western Suburbs in SG Ball this season, opened the scoring after he won the race to a deflected Sutton grubber in the opening minutes.

But Hunter struck back shortly thereafter with a long-range effort with fullback Lachlan Fitzhenry, their best on the day, finding space off a kick return before linking with Kynan Toomey in support and the nippy halfback cruised the final 30 metres to score.

From there Hunter enjoyed a sustained period of pressure on the St Greg’s line but were consistently turned away by a number of last gasp efforts.

“They had the ball for about three or four sets in a row and I said to the boys at halftime how proud I was that we turned them away,” said St Greg’s coach Michael Bullock.

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St Greg’s fullback Emmanuel Kandidaki. Picture: David Swift

“For Principal Lee MacMaster to allow the whole school to come down was unbelievable and the boys fed off that atmosphere.

“That’s the culture we used to have and that’s so good that it’s coming back and the boys get to experience it because these are memories these boys will remember forever.”

The match was in the balance but St Greg’s bench props Thomas Carroll and Zak Clarke helped the home side regain the ascendancy with some strong charges in the middle of the field.

Then it was Sutton and Fletcher who again found the killer blow, this time linking up via a short ball for the backrower to charge over for his second.

Sutton picked up his third try assist of the half with a short ball to fullback Emmanuel Kandidakis to plunge over and when centre Charlie Guymer cut back against the grain to cross from close range St Greg’s carried a 22-4 lead into halftime.

Guymer was at it again just after the break with the Parramatta SG Ball centre breaking into space from deep inside his own half before finding winger Will Grabowski backing up with the speederster crossing under the posts.

William Grabowski grabbed a try after some nice work from Charlie Guymer. Picture: David Swift

“They were a good side, we played well in the end but we were unfortunate with that one kick chase that got them up,” Sutton said.

“But we showed our St Greg’s culture, we backed up and played some good footy in the end.

“Me, Tommy and Charlie all played last year and we’ve been working on our combo for a while, I love it.

“There’s probably nine or ten of us who backed up from last year and I think we can get the job done if we keep playing good footy.”

To Hunter’s credit they never stopped fighting, but errors killed their chances of mounting a serious fightback.

Despite getting some chances at the St Greg’s line they struggled to find the killer blow.

Towering forward Connor Cromarty was tireless in the middle of the field and thunderous prop Royden Taape had some good touches in a late cameo.

Taape also plunged over for the final try of the match.

2021 NRL SCHOOLBOY CUP: Round 1

Wednesday 5 May

Holy Cross College 30 defeated All Saints College 12 @ Cessnock Sportsground

Wednesday 12 May

Patrician Brothers Fairfield 40 defeated Farrer MAHS 14 @ Farrer MAHS

Endeavour Sports High 20 defeated Patrician Brothers Blacktown 16 @ Panthers Stadium

Thursday 13 May

St Dominic’s College defeated Bass High 26-0 @ Belmore Oval, 10am

St Gregory’s College defeated Hunter Sports 28-8 @ St Gregory’s Campus, 11:30am

Hills Sports v Westfields Sports @ Ringrose Park, 1:30pm

Wednesday 19 May

Illawarra Sports v Erindale College @ Ziems Park, Corrimal, 1pm