Georgie McHugh's Match Report - Round 13
I don’t know who the President knows, but his prediction of a “dry track” at Coogee on Saturday came to fruition. This correspond has clearly been relying on the wrong weather “experts”. Milan Basson led his team onto Coogee Oval in his 100th game for the Club. With Joey Walton called up to the Wallabies squad and James
Armstrong suffering a hamstring strain, Ben Kafer was partnered by Faiva Favia in a new-look centres combination.
Gordon had a stiff breeze at their back and from the kick off were able to set up camp in Randwick’s half. After sustained attack, the men in tartan were awarded a penalty 35 meters out in front of the posts and Ben Pollack slotted home to register the first points after 10 minutes. The Wicks restored parity five minutes later before Pollack was again accurate from the tee to go ahead 6 – 3 on the 25-minute mark.
The Highlanders marched straight back deep into their opponent’s half from the restart. Initially Jay Fonokalafi was denied a try for what appeared to be a clear grounding, before Johnny Akauola fought his way over soon after to eventually reward Gordon for their clear dominance in the half.
In the final five minutes of the first stanza, Randwick spent the most amount of time for the half in their attacking half before eventually scoring next to the posts. Then with only a couple of minutes remaining, they looked threatening again, before Brandon Quinn intercepted near the western touchline on his own ten-metre line and
set sail for the tryline 60 metres away. It was put down the glasses for the crowd, as Quinn scooted down the sideline. But, he was heroically dragged down 15 metres from the line having had a five metre head start. With time up, the Highlanders harassed their opponent’s line but were unable to register more points as the teams
went to the sheds with Gordon 11 – 10 in front.
Astoundingly, given the quality of the teams’ attacks, there were no more points in the game until the last five minutes, as the home team rumbled over in the corner to lead for the first time in the game. Despite a last push after the bell, Randwick held on for a hard-fought 15 – 11 victory in front of their admiring crowd. To lose once to
Gordon in a season is a tragedy. To have lost twice would have been an unmitigated disaster.
The home team did what they do best all game, as they played on the edge of the rules with a niggling counter-attacking style. They just never went away and when the chance presented itself, they were able to take advantage. As the referee put the whistle away and let the teams sort it out, it allowed the home to shut down a
significant proportion of Gordon’s ball. Having watched the game back several times, it is difficult to shake the initial impression at the ground that they probably had the better of some crucial 50/50 calls.
Having said that, the effort to chase down Quinn on the half time bell and then to somehow stop what seemed a certain try as Tom Horan broke from a ruck at the halfway line and with Pollack in support, the Randwick half was able to cover the galloping backrower, shut down his pass and regather the ball to avert the danger. It is effort like that that goes a long way to hoisting trophies.
The Highlanders would be justifiably upset at leaving the Coogee without a win, having dominated for so much of the game. However, to take a glass-half-full approach, they surely left with significant hope as they approach the business-end of the season. The attack posed the Wicks difficulty, the defence was rock solid and the scrum continues to be an exacting examination for the opposition packs.
This weekend, Gordon host Eastern Suburbs in Back to Gordon Day. After a largely dry week, it should be the ideal surface for this near top of the table clash. Wear your tartan and get down to Chatswood Oval as Gordon look to get back to winning ways and avenge a high-scoring close loss at Woollahra in Round 2.
Until the next time we meet, make mine a Grants. Up Gordon!
Georgie McHugh