Mid-season review: Darwin Rugby Union A, B and Women’s reports
It’s hard to believe it but we’ve hit the halfway point of this season’s Darwin Rugby Union competition. See how your side is faring ahead of the competition’s resumption.
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It is hard to believe it but we’ve hit the halfway point of this season’s Darwin Rugby Union competition.
With some clubs sitting comfortably during the break, others have been left wanting, hoping their fortunes turn in the new year.
The NT News Sports team has taken a look at how the A/B-grade Men’s and Women’s side’s have fared through the opening eight rounds of the competition, and have provided our thoughts on each.
*Stats are not properly tracked and have been sourced from NTRU’s website. The site does not always provide accurate information, player names, nor specifies specifically which player has scored if the last name occurs more than once in the team. Hence, the stats are as accurate as possible with the information available at time of writing.
A-GRADE MEN
Ladder (as of Round 8):
1st. Uni. Pirates – 24pts
2nd. Casuarina Cougars – 21pts
3rd. Palmerston Crocs – 16pts
4th. South Darwin Rabbitohs – 13pts
5th. Darwin Dragons – 11pts
PIRATES – 6 games, 5 wins, 1 loss, +43, 4 BP, 24pts
Tries: Levi Wauchope & Anthony Paolucci (3)
Points: Robert Butcher (50)
Sitting pretty at the top of the ladder, the Pirates have been in superb form throughout the opening eight rounds. Undefeated through the opening five rounds, falling to the Cougars by five points in round 6, the Pirates got themselves back on track with a win over Darwin headed into the break. Led by the formidable Robert Butcher at fullback, expect them to maintain their winning ways in the new year.
COUGARS – 6 games, 4 wins, 2 losses, +22, 5 BP, 21pts
Tries: Sam Kanongataa (4)
Points: Trey Crowley (55)
Hot on the Pirates’ tail, Casuarina have had a brilliant first half of the season. With their two losses coming from their opening two games, for a combined 3 points, the Cougars currently have, arguably, the most well-rounded outfit in the competition. With Trey Crowley calling the shots from fullback, the Cougars will be looking to play their final seven games with the same level of venom that’s brought success to date.
CROCS – 7 games, 3 wins, 4 losses, -67, 4 BP, 16pts
Tries: Jim Price (5)
Points: Ethan Douglas (43)
Currently posed as the ‘best of the rest’, Palmerston have routinely troubled their opponents, barring one blowout loss to the Rabbitohs in round 8, 62-3. The Crocs came flying out of the gates going 2/2 in their opening games. However, the side has fallen foul of defensive lapses on a few occasions, that’s cost them when it has mattered. Their fly-half Ethan Douglas and winger Jim Price have proven the team’s most dangerous players.
RABBITOHS – 6 games, 2 wins, 4 losses, +29, 5 BP, 13pts
Tries: Kanae Gimini (6)
Points: Kanae Gimini (30)
It has been a bit of an indifferent season to date for the Bunnies. From big wins and close losses, South Darwin have struggled a bit for consistency in their game. However, it looks like the tide may soon be changing after their 59-point drubbing over the Crocs in their final contest before the break. With an unbelievable nine players crossing for a five-pointer, let’s hope that they come back with some wind in their sails for the second half of the season.
DRAGONS – 7 games, 2 wins, 5 losses, 3 BP, 11pts
Tries: Jordan Norris (4)
Points: JordanNorris (20)
Despite their placing on the ladder, the Dragons have been rather competitive this season. Not blessed with the same calibre of attacking prowess as the Pirates or Cougars, Darwin have found ways to stay in the contest through their next man up determination. With just the two wins to their name, Darwin will be looking for their crafty scrum half Jordan Norris to continue leading the side for their remaining games, and to cause some upsets along the way.
B-GRADE MEN
Ladder (as of Round 8)
1st. Uni. Pirates – 29pts
2nd. Swampdogs – 25pts
3rd. Katherine Roos – 19pts
4th. Casuarina Cougars – 17pts
5th. Palmerston Crocs – 13pts
6th. South Darwin Rabbitohs – 6pts
7th. Darwin Dragons – 0pts
PIRATES – 7 games, 6 wins, 1 loss, +75, 5 BP, 29pts
Tries: Phayzen Marshall (3)
Points: Stylianos Vrontos (27)
Much like their A-grade counterparts, Uni’s B-grade outfit have just the one loss through the first half of the season. Not a side that bullies their opposition through blowout margins, Uni have proved themselves a versatile and well-oiled unit, comfortable and capable of digging out the win, despite not everything going their way. Fly-half Phayzen Marshall fly-half is always a difference maker when in the side, much like speedster Stylianos Vrontos.
SWAMPDOGS – 7 games, 5 wins, 2 losses, +68, 5 BP, 25pts
Tries: Brodie Morcom (6)
Points: Brodie Morcom (30)
Arguably on par with the Pirates, the Swampdogs are more than capable of claiming the minor premiership. Knocking off Uni 10-9 in Round 8 will be a huge boost of confidence, now with the knowledge and evidence they can contain comp heavyweights to under 10 points. With fly half Brodie Morcom leading the troops around the paddock, Nathan Everett chipping around the ball and Jayden Austine providing the goods with the boot, the Dogs looked primed for a finals berth.
ROOS – 6 games, 4 wins, 2 losses, +37, 3 BP, 19pts
Tries: Thomas Lewsley (2)
Points: Anthony Busch (18)
A side jam-packed with individual contributors, Katherine have had a stellar start to their season. A group that gel well as a team, the Roos are on a roll. With nine different recorded try scorers and a handy defence, the Roos are poised as a smokey come the post-season.
COUGARS – 6 games, 3 wins, 3 losses, +51, 5 BP, 17pts
Tries: Emori Yaqona Digoniqere (2)
Points: Shane Crowley (24)
In fourth place and within striking distance of the top two, Casuarina have shown they’re no easy beat. Coming within five-points of the Pirates in Round 3 and boasting a healthy points differential, the cats, like the Roos, are within striking distance of the top two. Their standouts have been the big number 8 Emori Yaqona Digoniqere upfront and crafty fly half Shane Crowley in the backs.
CROCS – 6 games, 3 wins, 3 losses, -24, 1 BP, 13pts
Tries: Alex Parsons (3)
Points: Alex Parsons (15)
With as many wins as losses, the Palmy Crocs have had a turbulent first half of the season. From being belted 30-0 in Round 1 to belting Darwin 46-7 in Round 6, the Crocs have struggled to maintain consistency. Unfortunately for the Crocs, their for and against is a bit unhealthy, and could be the catalyst come finals. An outfit that changes from week to week, Joel Turaga, Alex Parsons and Ethan Douglas have been on song when playing.
RABBITOHS – 6 games, 1 win, 5 losses, -51, 2 BP, 6pts
Tries: Jacob Rainger, Kaylem Greenwood and Kanae Gimini (2)
Points: Kanae Gimini (13)
It has been a rough patch for the bunnies. With the lone win to their name, scoring has been an issue for the side. Scoring 10 points or less in five of their six games, and conceding 20 points or more in four, South Darwin have struggled to get it together on both sides of the pill.
DRAGONS – 6 games, 6 losses, -156, 0pts
Tries: Aiden Maskey (2)
Points: Aiden Maskey (10)
The only winless team in the competition, Darwin have suffered a rough first half to their 2023/24 campaign. Unfortunately for the Dragons, defence has been their biggest weakness. Conceding an average of 34.8 points per game, for a total of 209, and scoring at an average of 8.5 points per game for a total of 51, the Dragons must do whatever they can to stem the haemorrhaging of points if they want to get their first win of the season.
WOMEN
Ladder (as of Round 8)
1st. Darwin Dragons – 34pts
2nd. Uni Pirates – 17pts
3rd. Casuarina Cougars – 13pts
4th. South Darwin Rabbitohs – 10pts
5th. Palmerston Crocs – 4pts
DRAGONS – 7 games, 7 wins, +208, 6 BP, 34pts
Tries: Keisha Humes (7)
Points: Keisha Humes (35)
Miles ahead of the pack and utterly dominant through the first half of the season, the Dragons are the only team in the entire DRU who remain undefeated. Not just a dominant outfit on the attacking side of the ball, they are behemoths in defence. In six of their seven games, Darwin has kept its opposition to under 10 points. With the game the Dragons leaked more than 10, they conceded 12. In attack, they’ve got the most powerful forward pack, and the most explosive backs – Ellie Niki, Ayesha Kay and Keisha Humes.
PIRATES – 6 games, 3 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses, +13, 3 BP, 17pts
Tries: Crystal McCourt and Vanessa Lee Cheu (3)
Points: Crystal McCourt and Vanessa Lee Cheu (15)
Uni has been up there or thereabouts in every game this season so far. With three wins, a draw and two losses, the Pirates proved to be a rather organised defensive side, restricting their opponents to under 10 points on three occasions. With Sharon Jennings leading from the front and a supporting crew of Crystal McCourt and Vanessa Lee Cheu, it seems the Pirates’ only real kryptonite is Darwin.
COUGARS – 6 games, 2 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses, -21, 3 BP, 13pts
Tries: Nelly Thomas (3)
Points: Nelly Thomas (15)
Sitting in third, the Cougars are where most punters would have expected ahead of the season. Competitive in each of their games – barring a 40-0 defeat to the Dragons – Casuarina has proved to the league they’ve got the weapons in attack to pile on the points.
RABBITOHS – 6 games, 2 wins, 4 losses, -22, 2 BP, 10pts
Tries: Kagui Gimini (4)
Points: Nicki Hickman (24)
From roaring out of the gates and smashing the Crocs 80-0 in Round 1, to being kept off the scoresheet in their ensuing two games, it has been a season of highs and lows for the Bunnies. It’s not all doom and gloom for the side however, as they fought their way to a gritty one-point win over the Cougars in Round 5.
CROCS – 7 games, 1 win, 6 losses, -178, 4pts
Tries: Victoria Alley, Lucy Aigea and Dailene Doyle (2)
Points: Victoria Alley (20)
A new outfit and with a much smaller squad, the Crocs are still building as a team. Victims of a 80-0 loss to South Darwin in Round 1, they’ve strengthened up their defence and started to get some of their own points on the board. Victoria Alley has been their most dangerous with the ball in hand and has been their main kicker also.
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