Georgie McHugh's Match Report - Round 15
Following another heart-breaking close loss to competition front runners, Eastern Suburbs, the Highlanders were desperate to get back to winning ways as they travelled over the Tom Uglys Bridge to take on Southern Districts, who sported the magnificent traditional St George jerseys of that part of their merger.
On a gusty afternoon in the Shire, Gordon got off to an enterprising start as they attacked hard through multiple incursions into Souths’ red zone. Eventually, on the five-minute mark from a ruck 18 metres out, the ball found Tristan Fuli, who tipped a beautiful inside ball to Joey Walton who streaked away under the posts, only for
referee Kellahan to find a forward pass. The referee complained early of not being able to hear his assistants on his earpiece and perhaps he accidentally switched to the Rebels’ coaches’ frequency who called the pass.
Six minutes later, the Highlanders found themselves in another strong attacking position, only for Nat Panozzo just slipping behind Prez Tafuga ten out from the line and getting called for obstruction. Souths failed to find touch from the ensuing penalty kick, allowing Ben Pollack to drive the ball into the north-eastern corner, seven metres from the line for a 50/22. A textbook driving maul from a Johnny Akauola win at the line out got within metres of the tryline, before Souths brough it down allowing Jay Fonokalfi taking advantage and plunging over for his seventh try of the season and the visitors took the lead 5 – 0 at the 15-minute mark.
The next ten minutes saw both sides have their chances. But, it was the home team that was next to score adjacent to the posts to see them poke their noses in from 7 –5 after 25 minutes. That lead didn’t last long, as Pollack held the restart kick up in the wind and Souths allowed Akauola to gather the ball. Harry Emery spread the ball quickly to the right and the ball went through the hands to find Oli Arcus charging onto the ball on the eastern touchline. With another missed conversion in the tricky wind, Gordon resumed the lead 10 – 7 with about ten minutes remaining in the first stanza. With the hosts threatening the line in the final minutes, the men in tartan stood resolute in defence before Fuli, Fonokalafi and Liam Usher (curiously wearing the same coloured boots), who were dominant the entire half, won a crucial penalty on the bell to avert the danger.
After a low-scoring encounter up until the break, the game opened up in the second half, as Gordon came onto the field with a stiff northerly at their backs. In the first minute after the restart, Pollack put Brandon Quinn away from centre field on his own side of halfway which sent him deep into enemy territory, which set the tone for the rest of the game. With an attacking scrum from a penalty five metres out, the Gordon pack was initially awarded with a penalty and opted to repack, before Emery sniped from the base to score to the right of the posts, to lead 17 – 7 after five minutes.
Able to march out their own half with a solid exit from the restart and on the back of a number of penalties as a result of sustained pressure, the Highlanders found themselves with an attacking lineout on the 22 metre line. Panozzo secured the ball from the throw and played off the top to Emery, before Walton laid off a magnificent
short ball to charging skipper, Milan Basson, who broke the ankles of the last line of defence before touching down adjacent to the posts.
With 25 minutes remaining on the clock, Usher was replaced with Englishman Conrad Cade. Cade made his 1st Grade debut for the Club in the previous round after sustaining an injury at the beginning of the season. The inside word is that he has spent his time whilst recovering working on the increasing his chest measurements, which is more than impressive. Joe Snow replaced Emery at the same time. Three straight scrum penalties were awarded against Cade’s opposite number in his initial involvement, leading to Cam Wood rumbling over in the far corner for a lead of 29 – 7 with ten minutes remaining. Coach Fehily then replaced the rest of his starting front row with Oli Hannan and Will Bremner.
Soon after Tom Price, making his 1 st Grade debut, replaced Pollack and Harry Holland allowed the captain to clock off early for the afternoon. Price was immediately called into action as another scrum penalty allowed the Highlanders to once again go deep into attack. After several phases of quick ball movement, it was Hannan who crashed over and Price converted with three minutes left. To put the cherry on top of a convincing afternoon, with Souths throwing the ball around, a cross-field kick after the bell from behind the tryline, only found Walton who put Mike Pavlakis away for the final try and an impressive conversion from Price to finish 43 – 7 victors.
Despite a number of games in the Round 15 looking like they may finish in Gordon’s favour, all of the teams close by on the table were victorious and men in tartan remain in sixth; but, only three points out of third place.
This weekend, Gordon travel to Concord Oval for the return clash against West Harbour, before hosting bitter rivals Northern Suburbs in the second instalment of the Battle of the North. That will be a clash not to be missed. Wear your tartan and get down to Chatswood for an encounter that will be crucial to determining the final
makeup for the finals.
Until the next time we meet, make mine a Grants. Up Gordon!
Georgie McHugh