Georgie's Match Report - Rnd 4

A stunning day was the backdrop for Gordon hosting Sydney University at
Chatswood Oval, for so long a second home game for many on Uni’s playing
number, who grew up as State Championship winning Highlanders Juniors. It is a
significant reason that this is such an important day for Gordon players and
supporters.

Following wins in all the lower grades and two wins and a draw in Colts, the pressure
was on the 1 st XV to record a very rare feat of no losses against the Varsity.

The task was made a little more difficult with Jay Fonokalafi called up again for
Waratahs duty, such was his dominance against the Wildfires the week before. But it
gave Cam Lewis a magnificent platform to show his wares.

After the sides traded initial blows in midfield for the first five minutes, Uni won a
penalty and drove deep to the Gordon 22 metre line, which ultimately led to the
opening try.

The Highlanders struck back on the back of some strong carries, which forced Uni to
infringe. Ben Pollack kicked to the Trumper Pavilion corner for an attacking lineout
five metres out. Lewis threw truly and organised the proceeding maul. Desperate
Uni defence held Jack Margin up over the line under penalty advantage.

Lewis repeated his actions at the ensuing lineout, before Harry Emery from the back
of the maul found Barrie Karea running a line that froze Uni’s defence and the score
was 7-5 with Pollack’s successful conversion.

The visitors were soon again in attack and might have registered points as they
broke down the right wing, but for Will Kaye’s fantastic work in the last line of
defence that stopped the movement. A subsequent scrum penalty on Uni’s feed saw
Gordon escape danger.

The men in tartan endured more pressure in their own half before another scrum
penalty in their favour and some backchat from the Uni front row saw Pollack again
pump his kick to five metres out in the Trumper Pavilion corner. Another assured
lineout secured the ball and the maul marched towards the line. But with Uni
throwing everything they had into their defence, which tested the referee’s patience,

it was skipper Milan Basson, back at number 8 this week, who crashed over and with
a quarter of the game gone, Gordon led 12-5.

An error from Gordon clearing their red zone saw Uni with a lineout 15 metres out,
which ultimately saw the blue and yellow score in the scoreboard corner. The
Highlanders, however, had the last say in the half with a very patient phase of play
following another penalty that saw Pollack drive the ball deep into the Uni half.
Under desperate defence from Uni and again under penalty advantage Emery on his
haunches flicked a back hand ball to Pollack, who attacked the line at speed before
putting Lewis over for a very well-deserved try under the posts. Gordon went to the
sheds in front 19-10.

In the first minute after the kick off, Uni seized on a dropped ball in the Gordon
backline in a strong attacking position and in the blink of an eye the score was 19-17.

Moments later Gordon was close to hitting back with one of their own through Oli
Arcus, following a lovely sweeping backline move, only for the touch judge to call
obstruction on the play.

It was at this time coach Harry Fehily brought on his reinforcements with Joe Snow
moving into halfback, while his starting props were replaced by Oli Hannan and
second-year colt Henry Basten (son of former Club captain, Sandy) for his first-grade
debut.

Five minutes later, the Highlanders re-took the lead with another try to Basson from
another attacking lineout five metres out. Uni were lucky not to concede a penalty
try as they brought the rolling maul down a metre out and then infringed yet again
before the skipper secured his second of the afternoon.

The next 25 minutes remained an arm-wrestle with neither side able to get the
ascendency until Uni found the line and added a penalty goal with six minutes
remaining to take the score to 27-24 in their favour leaving the home fans more than
a little nervous.

With less than two minutes on the clock, replacement hooker Terence Fusi carried
hard into contact in the middle of his own 40 metre line. Snow released Kaye to his
left, who off loaded to a hard-running Kai Gudgeon. The outside centre, with his most
consequential charge of the season so far, got in between two defenders around the
halfway line, forcing Uni’s winger to come in off his line, before finding Quinn on his
left.

Quinn streaked towards the line, but still had the fullback to beat, as Arcus loomed
up on his inside, having come from the opposite wing. Arcus pulled in a pass on the
quarter line (which demonstrated why wingers are picked for their running and not
their passing ability) to streak away under the sticks for the Gordon to regain the
lead.

Pollack waited for his full allotment of time to kick the conversion from directly in front
to take the score outside a penalty kick to 31-27. And while the timer on Stan Sport
had turned red as it passed the 80-minute mark, the referee’s time piece still showed
that there was time for the restart.

Gordon couldn’t regather the ball from the kick off and the home fans were nervous
once again. With time up, Uni were awarded a penalty and kicked to ten metres from
the try line.

To complete the roller coaster of emotions that both sets of fans endured in the last
five enthralling minutes Johnny Akauloa soared at number three to pluck the ball
away from Uni. Snow smashed the ball high into the Trumper Stand to the ecstatic
home fans who ironically cheered for the away team: Yoooooo-nay!

Special mention must go to the visiting referee from the Hospital Cup in Brisbane.
Many of the strong collisions from both sides may have been called as high tackles
under the new draconian rules, but with no harm done, the players were allowed to
play what was a great game of footy.

The Highlanders travel to Manly this weekend to take on the Marlins, who will be out
to make amends after being soundly beaten by their local rival’s last round. Get
down to the ground to support your team. And it is certainly not too late to get a
membership and join the Clan in 2024 in time for the next clash against Randwick on
Ladies Day at Chatswood.

Until the next time we meet, make mine a Grants. Up Gordon!

Georgie McHugh