Manly

34

VS

Balmain

18

NSW Cup - Balmain Tigers Season Comes to an End

David Gower		Ryan Tandy		Justin Hunt		Billy Callaway
Justin Hunt		Brett Peacock		Rhys Hanbury

The NSW Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers Cinderella comeback came to an end on Sunday, after they were defeated by an impressive Manly Sea-Eagles side at Campbelltown Stadium. The Tigers started the match on top, making the most of small opportunities to set an early lead, however Manly came out too strong in the second half for them to keep up with and their composure started to crack, allowing the Sea-Eagles to head into the quarter finals with a 34 – 18 win.

If ever there was a game where the 2 half’s were opposite, this was it.
The game started off with the big hitters from Manly giving no quarter to the Tigers. From the kick off the Sea-Eagles kept them pinned within their half and pushed deep to the Tigers line. However as it has been all year, the Tigers defence never looked as strong as when they are tight on their own line.

Although Manly had much more possession, it was the Tigers who were used the ball most efficiently. Balmain spent little time in Manly’s half, but managed to score 3 times before half time.

The first try came when Gavin Cowan powered 50 metres down the wing, throwing off 2 defenders to put the Tiger’s 30 metres out. Ryan Tandy then gave a solid hit up, getting the ball midfield to Jarred Farlow who stepped inside to go himself, and after bouncing off one Manly defender managed to score against the posts, 6 – 0.
Farlow and Tandy again made a brilliant combination 10 minutes later in the 26th minute, when Farlow stepped inside and flicked an offload to supporting Tandy 15 metres out, who carried over to score.

Ryan Tandy was definitely the man to watch. His hit ups and smart attacking always got his nose through the line, and his strength was hard to match, when in the 35th minute he broke the Manly line with 4 on his back for 20 metres, before offloading to Brendan Vengoa who beat the last defender to put the Tigers 18 – 6 going into half time.

But that was where the magic stopped for the Tigers. The second half was a complete Sea-Eagle white (and brown) wash. It took Manly only 4 minutes to bring the score to within 2 points, and only 4 minutes after that for them to take the lead.

The Sea-Eagles looked a completely new side, as their attacking was ferocious, grinding up metres through their forwards, then using their wing and centre’s to take the points.

Although the penalties were harsh against the Tigers it seemed to have little real bearing as Manly took 28 unanswered points in 20 minutes. Then once they had this controlling lead, they proceeded to play solid, methodical football grinding out the minutes and not letting the Tigers have an opening.

It has been a valiant effort for the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers in the past few weeks. They came under criticism for much of the competition, with questions raised about the structure of the team. However Coach Paul Fletcher stuck it out, and worked with each player individually and the result ending in them not only making the top 8 after being bottom of the table, but then defeating the minor premiers.

By Ryan Cunningham
Photographs by Terry Liberopoulos - Sydney League News

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Gavin Cowan

4 Centre

Lee Bennett c

5 Wing

Brett Peacock

6 Five-Eight

Jarred Farlow

7 Half

Justin Hunt

8 Front Row

Alan Schirnack

9 Hooker

Stephen Moses

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Chris Tuatara

13 Lock

Dean Webster

14 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

15 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

Baden Hall

18 Reserve

Blake Ayshford

19 Reserve

Sam Reffai

20 Reserve

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Balmain

31

VS

Norths

18

VB Cup Semi Final Match Report – Balmain Ryde-Eastwood vs Norths

Click to Enlarge

In a great turn-around the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers managed to defeat the minor premiers North Sydney Bears at their own den on Saturday 31 - 18 in the VB Cup preliminary finals. After letting the Bears get on top of them early, the Tigers overpowered the Bears physically and used short hard attacks to continuously drive to the Bears line.

North’s started the match well in control when they put 10 points on the board in as many minutes. The first came in the 4th minute after the Tigers made a deep break, but the ball was lost and North’s subsequently picked it up and turned it back on the Tigers. The Bears kept the pressure on and it looked as though the match was set to be a white wash. But as the tide turned the Bears were left floundering in attempts to stop the Tigers who racked up 24 unanswered points before half time.

Justin Hunt scored first try on the back of a Jarred Farlow hit up 5 metres out, when Farlow flicked out to centre Chris Tuatara who ran the gap and offloaded to Hunt to carry over in the 14th minute. Hunt was also pivotal in their second try which saw Captain Lee Bennett go over in the corner.

Ryan Tandy, who was the Tigers big enforcer, dominating every inch of North Sydney Oval, and Gavin Cowan both scored before half time to give the Tigers a commanding 24 – 10 lead.

North’s showed some spirit when they put together a tidy corner post try 5 minutes into the second half, but it just a fleeting moment of hope. Although North’s had some good moments in attack, particularly from full back Samu Wara who was dangerous running across field.

But it was the Tigers defence which really set the teams apart. North’s were given every opportunity to score, once taking 4 consecutives sets 5 metres off the Tigers line due to penalties, but just couldn’t force a gap.

The unity and determination of the Tigers, particularly from the ranks of David Gower, Alan Shirnack, Tandy and Farlow was nothing short of inspiring, as they were always at the forefront of the attack, even after long periods of defence.

Coach Paul Fletcher could barely be heard over the roar of the Tigers dressing room as he conveyed his beaming pride for the team who "in the last 6 weeks have really turned up the commitment and attitude. People said we couldn’t do it, but the team always had the ability now they have just dropped the mistakes. All credit should go to the guys as they really came together today, with everyman doing their job to perfection."

Next week the Tigers face up against Manly to push through to the Grand Final qualifier.

Ryan Cunningham
Photographs by Peter Davies

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Gavin Cowan

4 Centre

Lee Bennett c

5 Wing

Brett Peacock

6 Five-Eight

Tim Moltzen

7 Half

Justin Hunt

8 Front Row

Alan Schirnack

9 Hooker

Stephen Moses

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Dean Webster

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

15 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

 Coedi Towney

18 Reserve

Baden Hall

19 Reserve

Blake Ayshford

20 Reserve

 Brett Lane

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Balmain

28

VS

Newtown

16

TIGERS CLAW INTO TOP 8

The Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s extended their season in the NSW VB Cup on Saturday, with an impressive win over the Newtown Jets. The Tiger’s were in a do or die situation, their hunger to stay alive bringing them home the win in this tremendous arm-wrestle match. The game was deadlocked at half time at 10 All, but in second half Balmain put up a rock solid defence which let them break away from the Jets on the score board, taking a 16 – 28 victory.

Henson Park hasn’t held the best track record for the Tiger’s, indeed for any team, and with good reason, as despite the terrible weather there were still a formidable crowd of Bluebags. But with the Central Coast Storm having lost the night before the Tiger’s could win to send them into the semi finals creating a lot of excitement in the grandstand.

The Jets took the first points of this nail biter in the 9th minute after holding possession for 4 minutes straight, due to 3 penalties and a drop out. The constant defending tired the Tiger’s who were too slow getting off their line, allowing a low kick to catch the boot of a Tiger’s defender and spring into the hands of Hep Cahill who cut through the last 5 metres to give Newtown a 4 point lead.

But the Tiger’s answered straight back with a Ryan Tandy try, which started when Stephen Moses’ restart kick found the touch line, and the Tiger’s quickly pressed the Jets on the back foot to grind them to their line. Then Tandy lined up and bashed his way through the defensive line next to the posts, 6 – 4 Tigers.

Both sides had strong defence, but it was silly mistakes from the Tiger’s attacking game which made it easy for the Jets to take the next points, taking possession 10 metres off the Tiger’s line after a failed pass and moved it towards the midfield to angle over the line, 10 – 6.

But again the Tiger’s answered straight back, drawing the score 10 – 10. David Gower was the mastermind when he sprang off the line from the restart set and charged down the Jets kick, putting it just before the try line, which he again soccer kicked over to fall on for the 4 points.

The intensity from both sides made the second half a heart stopping guessing game for fans to which side was going to take home the Trevor Ryan-Neil Pringle Shield.

The Tiger’s started to play smarter in the last 40 mintures, searching for quick gains and kicking the blindside where defence were less ready. Their attacking, lead by Moses, Tandy and Gower, harried the Jets flanks cutting up metres to give good position. The result was a Jets defence, who although stoic, were constantly searching for the Tiger’s next surprise attack. This helped set up Gower’s second try for the Tiger’s, when he cut through the centre looking to offload, then threw off the 3 defenders to go it alone for 30 metres to score under the posts, 16 – 10 Tigers.

But the Jets weren’t about to let that hold, hitting back 3 minutes later with a try of their own to tie the score 16 – 16. Tactics played a huge part in trying to hold the upper hand, as neither side was giving the other an inch to play with freely. Thus when a sparing penalty came forth, the Tiger’s took the 2 points even though there was still 25 minutes of play left.

Penalties were kept low and it was almost as if the rain was non-existent from the handling skills on display, particularly from Tiger’s Justin Hunt and Gavin Cowan who continuously snatched short Jet’s kicks out of the air, defusing any scoring possibilities.

The stale-mate went on with each team holding the other a bay till the 60th minute, when the Tiger’s proved too hungry to stay in the competition. Tandy cleaned up 2 more try’s using his brute strength and surprising ball skills to get the Tiger’s 10 points in front and take the victory, 28 – 16.

Alan Schirnack of the Tiger’s deserves special mention, who handed out harsh punishment in defence without end, making his presence was felt everywhere. Although it was the solidarity and gritty determination of Balmain as a team which rose to not only take the Trevor Ryan-Neil Pringle Shield, but to put themselves into the top 8 when only a few weeks ago they were bottom of the table.

Ryan Cunningham
Photographs by Jason McCawley

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Lee Bennett C

5 Wing

Brett Peacock

6 Five-Eight

Jarred Farlow

7 Half

Gavin Cowan

8 Front Row

Alan Schirnack

9 Hooker

Stephen Moses

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Dean Webster

13 Lock

Tevita Metuisela

14 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

15 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

Mathias Pala

18 Reserve

Baden Hall

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Balmain

16

VS

Wentworthville

6

Tiger’s winning streak give rise to Top 8 hopes

Click to Enlarge

Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s brought home a hard earned 16 - 6 victory in Saturday nights NSW VB Cup match at Leichhardt Oval, keeping the top 8 within their sights for another week after they showed too much determination for the competition leaders Wentworthville Magpies.

The Tiger’s were an outside chance going into the match against tied competition leaders Wentworthville. But with their season held in the balance, Balmain fought like men possessed to take the upper hand and hold out the Magpies for the 2 competition points.

Wentworthville held a lot of possession in the first half and were clever in their attacking tactics, taking every set to the Tiger’s line. A few penalties from the Tiger’s allowed Wentworthville to run several consecutive sets, but they were held at a loss to how to break the Tiger’s defence, which was the best it had been all year, handing out harsh punishment to Magpie runners who tried to run into non-existent gaps.

The Tiger’s took the first points of the match 20 minutes in when they grinded their way to the Magpies line with short penetrating runs from the forwards, and Ryan Tandy wrestled through to the line after taking an blindside ball from Stephen Moses, 4 – 0.

It took 32 minutes for Wentworthville to find the line, when they broke through after having it only 10 metres away for 2 sets. Captain James Maloney took the 4 points after stepping through a gap and diving the last 3 metres, which the Magpies converted to give them the lead, 6 – 4.

But the Tiger’s instantly hit back, pushing the Magpies out on the restart, then taking a penalty to put them 15 metres out. From here it was the quick thinking of Jarred Farlow which gave Balmain the lead into the second half, when he went himself after spotting a gap and carried 2 defenders to score under the black dot, converting to 10 – 6.

As far as arm-wrestles go, they don’t much tighter then the second half. There was barely a set from either team which didn’t end up with at least 70 metres gain. However the Tiger’s defence was the shining example on the match. The forward pack of Alan Schirnack, Tevita Metuisela, Tandy and Farlow were relentless in backing up tackle after tackle driving the Magpies wide. But the wings held no options either, as the backs moved seamlessly across to block any possible gaps, resulting in a frustrated Wentworthville side who succumbed to forced errors again and again.

The only points in the second half went to ‘flying’ Brett Peacock of the Tiger’s in the try of the game. Rhys Hanbury put through an early bomb off his own 40 metre line which was allowed to bounce by Wentworthville’s fullback, then out of nowhere the SG Ball recruit leaped to snatch the ball out of the air and sprint through to seal the victory for the Tiger’s to the screaming elation of the home side fans, 16 – 6.

It was a powerful victory for the Tiger’s built off the backbone of an incredible defensive line, which the Magpies just couldn’t seem to break no matter how many chances they got. Tiger’s coach Paul Fletcher couldn’t “praise the attitude and commitment enough. They really earned it out there tonight.”

This win gives the Tiger’s a fighting chance to make the top 8, with a must win final game against the Newtown Jets next week at Henson Park.

By Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Gavin Cowan

5 Wing

Lee Bennett C

6 Five-Eight

Jarred Farlow

7 Half

Mick Moran

8 Front Row

Eloni Vunakece

9 Hooker

Stephen Moses

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Ben Teo

13 Lock

Tevita Metuisela

14 Reserve

Dean Webster

15 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

Brett Peacock

18 Reserve

Baden Hall

19 Reserve

Mathias Pala

19 Reserve

Ben Vengoa

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Balmain

30

VS

Auckland

26

Tiger’s keep hopes alive

The Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s managed to keep their NSW VB Cup top 8 hopes alive on Saturday when an ironic twist gave them the closing minute win in a rough, break-neck match against the Auckland Vulcan’s in New Zealand.

The home side Vulcan’s gave the Tiger’s pack a real working, bringing to bare their size and strength putting on several big hits. But although the Tiger’s were down 18 – 12 going into the second half, they cleverly adapted their game play to work around the Vulcan’s, using tenacity and creativity to close any score lead setting them up to capitalize on a late opportunity to take the win in the closing minutes.

The Vulcan’s were in excellent form. The first points of the match went their way when in the 3rd minute they switched direction and brought the ball out wide to overrun the wing with numbers, with Jeremiah Pai running 30 metres to score, 6 – 0.

The Tiger’s had to do some quick thinking to keep the Vulcan’s at bay, but they held tight and hit back 10 minutes later when Gavin Cowan got a long ball to Rhys Hanbury who slipped down the wing and drew the last two defenders before offloading on the inside to Billy Callaway who reached the line to allow the Tiger’s to draw the game, 6 - 6.

The Tiger’s momentum continued minutes later after Auckland failed to catch Stephen Moses high bomb, which would give them trouble all game, allowing Cowan to recover it on the bounce and dive under the black dot, 6 – 12.

There were a few more battle of wills where the Vulcan’s gave some physical punishment to the Tiger’s, and resulted in them sneaking across 2 more tries before half time to take the lead 18 – 12.

But after the break, the Tiger’s had renewed composure and it showed in their tactics. The Vulcan’s were using force and a well structured defensive line, which moved up fast and came across to cover any possible gaps with practiced effectiveness, so it was clear that they wanted to turn the game into one of punishment and endurance, but there was little creativity.
Thus by continuous mixing up plays the Tiger’s were able to get the game back to a draw when Callaway took his second try by chasing an unsuspected Hanbury grubber which the Vulcan’s were too slow to turn and chase, 18 – 18.

Auckland pulled away again in the 52nd minute when a penalty put them 10 metres out, but again the Tiger’s drew the game when Cowan once again was there to clean up the ball after the Vulcan’s dropped another Moses Bomb, 24 – 24.

The intensity of both sides picked up in attacking as each just wanted to get in close enough for a field goal. The Vulcan’s had one woeful attempt, but in the end it was a penalty which gave them opportunity to take the 2 right in front, 26 – 24.

Then just as it looked like the Tiger’s were beat and Auckland were going to keep the ball closed down in Balmain's half, 1st grade player Ben Te’o, who had been quiet all game, came through in the 77th minute with a stunning break off his own 30 metre line to beat his way through 4 and run for 50 metres to take on the full back and off load to Hanbury who took it the last 15 with his arm raised in victory.

It was a strange sight and one not lost on the Tiger’s camp, that finally they were the ones to take the closing minute win, rather then lose to it. Tiger’s Coach Paul Fletcher showed obvious pride in the teams “tenacity to stick it out for the full 80 minutes and come through at the end. Particularly when it was such a physically tough game.”

Next Week the Tiger’s face up against Wentworthville back at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday to try to push their top 8 hopes into reality.

By Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Gavin Cowan

5 Wing

Lee Bennett

6 Five-Eight

Mick Moran

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Al Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Dean Webster

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

15 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

Brett Peacock

18 Reserve

Baden Hall

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Balmain

62

VS

Knights

22

Knights limp home from Tiger’s lair

The Newcastle Knights looked ready to fall on their swords in Saturday’s VB Cup Match at Leichhardt, after the first half of their game against the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s had them trailing an astounding 52 – 4 mauling, which the Tiger’s held through the second half to take their biggest win of the year, 62 – 22.

The Tiger’s could seemingly do no wrong, as every play came together with practiced ease. Ball control enabled them to score from 90% of sets in the first half, leaving the Knights defence spinning on themselves, particularly when the ball came near Tiger’s Fullback Rhys Hanbury who played a game to be envied.

The Knights camp and fans alike were taken completely unaware by Balmain’s onslaught, particularly since it was the Knights who took the first points of the game in the second minute. Thus the 52 unanswered points which followed had them rubbing their eyes in disbelief.

It’s not often that the bottom of the table team can claim brilliance, but here the term is justified. The Tiger’s had a rhythm where every touch was note worthy. Then when the significant lead bred confidence into the ranks, risky plays turned into mesmerizing tries.

Aside from constant try scoring, there was little to focus on in the rest of the game. The Knights defence was lackluster, resembling nothing more then touch footy. Newcastle’s frustration at the runaway score was emphasized by the 10 to nil penalty count in the first half, which gave the Tiger’s easy ground to capitalize on.

In a game with this many points its hard to pin point a single star, as it was a solid force working together which captured the win, although ‘Man of the Match’ Rhys Hanbury was an obvious stand out, scoring 2 tries, setting up 5 others and kicking 9 conversions. But it was when he was teamed up with Mick Moran, who had a hand in 4 tries, that he was most dangerous.

Ryan Tandy and Eloni Vunakece in the forwards were pivotal, often breaking through the midfield to give the Tiger’s positional opportunity to score, as was David Gower who couldn’t touch the ball without making 20 metres.

The support on the back line from Lee Bennett, Gavin Cowan and Billy Callaway gave the Knights no room to move in the short time they did have the ball, and Stephen Moses in the halves got to show some flair completing several short chip and recovery plays to put supporting runners over the line.

As Tiger’s Coach Paul Fletcher so amicably said “it was a team effort, each player knew their part to perfection and showed how they can be a cut above… after the last few weeks they earned it.”

Next week the Tiger’s fly over to Auckland to take on the Lions on their home turf

By Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Gavin Cowan

5 Wing

Lee Bennett

6 Five-Eight

Mick Moran

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Al Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Sam Reffai

15 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

16 Reserve

Mathias Pala

17 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

18 Reserve

Brett Peacock

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Windsor

26

VS

Balmain

22

Closing minutes chaos for Tiger's

Balmain Ryde-Eastwood players were shaking their heads in disbelief on Saturday night after another closing minutes loss, this time to the Windsor Wolves. The Tiger’s held the advantage over the Wolves for most of the game, particularly due to their defensive effort which was unbreakable for all but a few minutes. However the Wolves were decisive in their attacks, particularly using the advantage of an unseemly penalty count against the Tiger’s. In the end it came down to some harsh penalties in the last few minutes and a strong effort by the Wolves which grabbed them the win, 26 - 22.

The first half score had the Tigers 8 in front of the Wolves (12 – 4) and highlighted who was in control for the first 40 minutes. The Tiger’s defence can’t be praised enough, as it was the foundation which all their efforts were built on. Coach Paul Fletcher had warned his team earlier that the Wolves were a team who liked to use their forwards to smash the middle and get away quick balls to make their breaks.

But the Tigers were ready for them, shutting down the Wolves attacks, often for 4 consecutive sets due to penalties, which climbed to 9 – 1 in the first half. But when it came time for retaliation the Tiger’s didn’t mess around. The first points went to the Tiger’s in the 21st minute after they had the Wolves pushed tight on their line, then spread the ball to both sides of the field, before kicking a short grubber which was fumbled by the Wolves and dived on by Rhys Hanbury who’s foot the kick originated, 6 – 0.

New addition to the Tiger’s Corey Payne set up the 2nd try in the 31st minute as great ball work got him past one defender to offload to Ryan Tandy, who mirrored this when he flicked out a pass to Gavin Cowan just as he was charging through in support through the gap made by Tandy, putting the Tigers 12 – 0 in front.

The Wolves hit back with a try on the wing just on the halftime buzzer which yielded 4 points for them. This was then built upon in the first 5 minutes of the second half which was unlike the rest of the game, as the Tigers were confused and let the hungry Wolves bridge the gap to 10 – 12.

The try of the night went to Rhys Hanbury, who has been brilliant for the Tiger’s all year, when he took a quick tap off a penalty 30 metres out, then stunningly ran solo through no less then 7 Wolves defenders to wrestle and fend his way over in the corner, 16 -10.

4 minutes later in the 53rd the Wolves drew the score when they recovered a high bomb which popped out of Tigers hands as he was tackled mid-catch, 16 all.

The Wolves then managed to take the lead for their first time when their Centre’s managed to find a gap. But this was taken back almost immediately when David Gower put the Tigers deep into the Wolves half. Allowing Tandy to run the blindside and flick a ball out to waiting winger Billy Callaway who ran over in the corner, 22 – 20.

But despite looking the stronger team, the Tiger’s couldn’t complete the 80 minutes on top, receiving 3 consecutive penalties which the Wolves used to give them the lead with 5 minutes remaining, holding it to the buzzer 26 - 22.

As an individual loss, the match seemed just an unlucky balance of small slip ups and tough calls from the ref which coupled together to let the win slip away in the closing minutes. However as the third consecutive loss taken in the last 10 minutes, Saturday nights game establishes a pattern where the Tiger’s, as Coach Fletcher put it, “have the effort and are controlling the game, but let it slip away at the last through small errors.”

By Ryan Cunningham

Bulldogs

25

VS

Balmain

24

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Gavin Cowan

5 Wing

Brett Peacock

6 Five-Eight

Justin Hunt

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Al Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela C

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Dean Webster

15 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

16 Reserve

Mathias Pala

17 Reserve

Matty Ryan

18 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Central Coast

32

VS

Balmain

30

Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Lose After The Siren

Click to Enlarge

When your luck has run out all the calls seem to go against you and that was certainly the case on Saturday against the Storm at Wyong.

After being dominated in the first half after losing our captain Lee Bennett in the second tackle of the game we did well to only be down by 6 at the break. A disallowed try right on half time would have evened up the scores, but the call went against us. We came back with a scoring blitz in the second half to take a 30 – 20 lead into the last eight minutes. We knew the Storm would not give up and they clawed their way back from a seemingly impossible position to get within four points as the clock wound down to the final seconds. They made a half break and then some how managed to keep the ball in play with some miracle passes and somehow found a runner who crashed over in the corner. A try right on fulltime sent the Central Coast crowd into a frenzy.

It was now upto their captain Alex Moore to take the kick from the sideline and even though he hadn’t kicked too well throughout the game, he calmly slotted the conversion and the Storm had stolen the two points.

Fulltime score – Central Coast Storm 32 v Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers 30

Coach Paul Fletcher was disappointed with the result but would not comment any further on the refereeing until he viewed the gamed on DVD.

Best for the beaten team were: Rhys Hanbury, Billy Callway, David Gower and the tireless Jarred Farlow.

Man of the match: Tevita Metuisela

Scorers:

Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers:
Tries:
2 x Billy Callaway
1 x Gavin Cowan
1 x Justin Hunt
1 x Chris Tuatara
1 x Ryan Tandy
Goals:
3 x Rhys Hanbury

Storm:
Tries:
2 x Jade Williams
2 x Kirk Thompson
1 x Troy Woodley
1 x Daniel Phillips
Goals:
4 x Alex Moore

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Gavin Cowan

4 Centre

Chris Tuatara

5 Wing

Lee Bennett  C

6 Five-Eight

Justin Hunt

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Al Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Dean Webster

15 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

16 Reserve

Mathias Pala

17 Reserve

Matty Ryan

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Manly

38

VS

Balmain

24

Early lead too much for Tiger’s to win back

Al Schirnack	Steve Moses	David Gower	Eloni Vunakece

Manly’s first half against the Tiger’s on Saturday night at Leichhardt Oval, in the NSW VB CUP, was nothing short of devastating. 32 points created a tough wall for the Tiger’s to break down, but to Balmain’s credit the team came out fighting in the last 40 minutes to show the crowd a completely different game, taking 4 converted tries whilst only letting in 1. But the first half gave Manly all the points they needed, taking the win 38 – 24.

Manly started their dominance from the kick-off when they recovered a sly 12 metre kick, which put them in position to take their first 6 points before the 1st minute was out.

Then came 10 minutes where the Tigers were struggling to keep the Eagles at bay, before Jack Afamasaga picked up a great ball from a short grubber 5 metres off the Tiger’s line which he carried across to score, 10 – 0.

The Tigers looked dejected as Manly continuously took them to their line, with the common result ending in 4 points. Manly scored 4 more times to put them 32 points in front by half time, with Tigers sighing in relief as the buzzer rang.

The Tiger’s left the field in obvious frustration, but Coach Paul Fletcher must have had some magic words as it was a completely different team who took the field in the second half.

Forwards weren’t taking the bashings from the larger Manly side anymore, but giving it back. Eloni Vunakece’s try in the 42nd minute gave the Tiger’s their first points, with a great angled run through 2 Manly defenders, which brought hope to the Orange and Black fans

The Centre's, which were getting pounded in the 1st half, had reformed, and David Gower couldn’t touch the ball without looking dangerous. Jarred Farlow took the Tiger’s second try with a brilliant catch off a Mick Moran kick, which took the score 32 – 12.

From here the game got rougher for both sides, one looking to hold onto a win, the other looking to win back some pride. Recent addition to the Tiger’s Justin Hunt scored a great try when he stepped back inside the Manly defence only a few metres out to dive over 15 metres left of the post in the 65th minute, 32 - 18.

But it wasn’t completely one-sided as Manly put themselves in position to score several times, managing another 6 points in the 70th minute with a dedicated chase, which paid off when a grubber got a freak bounce high over Balmain heads for which they cleaned up to take the score to 38 – 18.

By now both sides new what the end result was going to be, but they put in for the last 10 minutes in a battle of wills. Rhys Hanbury managed another try for the Tigers in the final minutes which he converted, he 4th successful of the evening, to cap off his stellar performance for the night.

If the game consisted of 2 separate halves, then Manly took the first, but the Tiger’s undoubtedly took the second. Unfortunately for Balmain it doesn’t, and the Eagles early lead proved insurmountable, Manly taking a strong 38 – 24 win.

By Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Gavin Cowan

5 Wing

Lee Bennett  C

6 Five-Eight

Michael Moran

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Al Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

15 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

Mathias Pala

18 Reserve

Dean Webster

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Balmain

30

VS

Cronulla

22

Tiger’s defeat Cobra’s

Sunday’s early morning match between the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s and the Cronulla Cobra’s at Leichhardt Oval was a real crowd pleaser. Both sides took the lead several times, going almost try for try for 68 minutes until Balmain stepped up the tempo to take an 8 point lead and victory, 30 - 22.

Cronulla were punishing from the start trying to test the Tiger’s defensive resolve or run over them to victory. Quick offloads into charging Cobra forwards ground the Tiger’s back deep into their half. Whereas the Tiger’s had to depend on technique and smart kicking to take them to the Cobra’s line.

It was a grudge match with neither side willing to give an inch, and the dynamics of the game seemed to change with every set, as any exposed weaknesses were instantly covered, and any opportunity was pounced on.

The first try of the day went to Stephen Moses for the Tigers, set up by David Gower’s 60 metre break off his own 20, before offloading to Moses who took it underneath the posts when he came through in support, 6 – 0. But minutes later Cronulla’s winger Tu’u Maori answered straight back, managing to recover a lose kick in the corner for 4 points, which wasn’t converted.

This pattern continued throughout the first half, when the Tiger’s would take the lead only to have it snatched back by Cronulla minutes later, and visa versa. But it was Cronulla who managed to take the lead into the second half, working the exposed Tigers corner on the buzzer with a well placed cut out pass to put them 4 in front, 16 – 12.

On paper it looked like superior size of the Cobra’s was going to give them the game. All but a few of the Tiger’s forwards were out of the game, and the major force was to come from former Centre, David Gower.

And there was some punishment being thrown around the Leichhardt Oval, but it wasn’t all from the Cobra’s camp. Tevita Metuisela was a rock, crashing through the centre time after time. Gower couldn’t touch the ball without making 20 metres and Jarred Farlow had the presence of a man twice his size in defence.

The Tiger’s took the lead back 8 minutes into the second half with an amazing try started by Farlow who dodged a tackle to send the ball wide into the hands of winger Billy Callaway, who cut it inside to finish with Gavin Cowan, 18 – 16.

But again the Cobras were not to be outdone, as they pushed the score to 22 – 18 in the 55th minute when a Tiger’s mistake gave Cronulla opportunity to use their force and set up Anthony Killingbeck to go 1 on 1 and carry himself over the line.

But it was Balmain who broke the mould and managed to set up 2 consecutive tries in the last 12 minutes, the first coming off a smart Mick Moran kick which was cleaned up by Farlow just before it went dead. Then Rhys Hanbury, who was a crucial figure for the Tigers all game, fended one Cronulla player to draw another, which opened space for Cowan to take his second for the day and give the Tiger’s the win.

Although it had been only 3 weeks since the sides had met at Toyota Park, a season of difference showed from the Tiger’s camp. Perhaps it was the pink laces in their boots (a tribute to Jane McGrath) which gave them a spring in their step, but the Tigers were impressive as a unit from the 1st to the 80th minute.

Balmain’s Coach Paul Fletcher was really happy for the team particularly “keeping in mind the injuries we had out, and that some of the boys were playing in positions totally new to them. But pulled out a huge effort and dug in to come up with the win!”

By Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Gavin Cowan

4 Centre

Chris Tuatara

5 Wing

Lee Bennett  C

6 Five-Eight

Michael Moran

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Al Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

15 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

16 Reserve

Miguel Start

17 Reserve

Mathias Pala

18 Reserve

Dean Webster

COACH

Paul Fletcher

North Sydney

26

VS

Balmain

22

Bears Scrape in with Draw to Tigers

It was a lucky North Sydney side who managed to save their undefeated season in the last 30 seconds of Saturday’s game against the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s at Leichhardt Oval, when they snatched a last minute try to draw 30 – 30. Both sides played a tough and competitive game, fighting to take back the lead 3 times throughout the game. But surprisingly the 11th ranked Tiger’s were the better side on the day, robbed of a hard earned win by the last ditch effort of the Bear’s in the closing minute.

After 26 minutes of play, it was easy to spot the surprise and strain of North Sydney as they trailed the Tiger’s 12 – 4. North’s took the first try just after 10 minutes, but were denied their usual runaway performance when the Tiger’s set up an answering try minutes later from Mick Moran who gave them the lead 6 – 4. Soon after Mick Moran was pivotal again when he managed to place a kick from 15 metres off the Bear’s line straight into the hands of winger Billy Callaway, which Rhys Hanbury converted to 6 points.

Although Balmain had the lead, there was little to separate the two sides. North’s were in true form, utilizing the strength of their forwards to test the Tiger’s centre defence, often slipping through for vital metres.

But the Tiger’s had learnt a lot over the last week, pulling together several quick pass and kick combos, where well positioned chasers made North’s sweat on their line several times.

The Bear’s pulled themselves within 2 of the lead in the last minute of the 1st half when forward Ryan Verlinden muscled through the Tiger’s line, 12 – 10.

The start of the second half put some doubt into the ability of the Tiger’s to hold onto their performance, after North’s scored a soft try to take the lead 2 minutes in, 12 – 14.

North’s looked meaner in all their game play, desperate not to have their undefeated record stolen away. They took their lead to 12 – 20 when they put 3 successive breaks past the Tiger’s line, headed out wide, then cut back in just before the line to literally jump over in the 50th minute.

But the Tiger’s weren’t about to be beat so easily. Lewie Brown put them within 2 points when he took on four North’s defenders to still cross the line. Chris Tuatara and Tevita Metuisela created excitement and opportunities several times up the middle, the later playing like a man possessed as he kept rising to hammer the Bear’s defence.

The Tiger’s won back the lead for the second time, when Billy Callaway took his second in the corner off a long cut out pass from Rhys Hanbury who drew two defenders to open the gap, 24 – 20.

Balmain kept North’s trembling on their line for a 4 successive sets, which the Tiger’s used to get over again after Stephen Moses took a long ball from Mick Moran 15 metres out, made a great side step and breezed through to the line for 4 points, which Rhys Hanbury made 6 with his precision kicking, 30 – 20 Tiger’s lead.

But with 5 minutes to go, North’s showed that they were not done yet as they pushed and fought for 50 metres to charge across under the posts to close the lead to 4 points, 30 – 26.

North’s were now full of excitement and pressured the Tiger’s hard in the last few minutes, which paid off saving themselves with a draw with 30 seconds to go, off a long ball gave North’s winger a try in the corner.

Coach Paul Fletcher showed obvious pride in his team congratulating them on their “commitment and attitude. The team held together and did what they had to do, showing true character coming back from being 8 down to be 10 points up, we were just unlucky not to get the full points” he said.

Ryan Cunningham

Cronulla

26

VS

Balmain

22

Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers vs. Cronulla Cobra’s – 14th of June Toyota Park

It was an elated home crowd who clapped off the Cronulla Cobras after they defeated the Balmain Tigers 26 - 20 in round 11 of the NSW VB Cup at Toyota Park on Saturday. Cronulla lead the Tigers 12 – 6 going into half time, then managed to gain a sizable 14 point lead with 20mins to go. True to form, the Tigers came back explosively in the last 15 minutes when they were 14 points down, closing the gap to 22 – 20, but it wasn’t enough to win back the match they had let go 30 minutes earlier.

From the first whistle it was clear that Cronulla’s game plan was to use their superior size to batter down Balmain’s defence. Quick plays fed to their forwards had Cronulla camped on the Tiger’s line for the first 12 minutes, with the Tiger’s unable to make much ground back. Ryan Tandy seemed to be the Tigers only metre gainer and was soon closed down.

But whereas Cronulla couldn’t capitalize on their possession, the Tiger’s were the opposite, using their first chance in the Cobra’s half, off a brilliant side-stepping run from Joey Latham, to set up Lewis Brown who after seeing the line 5 metres away picked up the ball at dummy half and dove over for first points.

But that was about all the effort which came from the Tigers in the first half as Cronulla bit back hard in the 24th then the 31st minute when they used long cut-out passes to overlap and overwhelm the Tigers wing to score twice in the corner and give them a 6 point lead.

Although the Tigers took the first points in the second half, a sustained attitude seemed to escape them. Cronulla were more organized and willing to grind down the Tigers for the entire game, which is what ultimately won them the match.

Both sides kicking left a lot to be desired as a punishing wind held up numerous bombs, or pushed grubbers too far for chasers to make anything of. Most breaks came off lose balls or half completed tackles, particularly for Cronulla who looked certain to take 3 different length of the field tries only to be disarmed by the superior speed of Lee Bennett who came in rescue several times.

But the games excitement bottled down to the final 15 minutes when the Tigers got in form and finally made the Cobra’s fight for the win. Rhys Hanbury was the first to go over, when he made an 80 metre try down the wing in the 69th minute, holding off two Cronulla defenders to score under the posts.

Minutes after Gavin Cowan took the try of the game when he caught a sloppy bomb 15 metres off Cronulla’s line to sidestep their last defender and put the Tiger’s within 2 points.
Cronulla were then struggling to keep the Tiger’s out of their half, as Hanbury and Latham seemed always on the verge of getting through. But with 2 minutes to go the Tigers gave away 4 silly points from penalties which sealed victory for Cronulla and kept the Tiger’s out of the top 8.

Balmain Coach Paul Fletcher’s frustration on the Tigers “lack of commitment and attitude” throughout the entire game was well warranted. “Some of the guys are putting in, but it’s not a complete team effort, so its time to go back to the drawing board, which is very frustrating” he said.

Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Gavin Cowan

4 Centre

Chris Tuatara

5 Wing

Lee Bennett  C

6 Five-Eight

Jarred Farlow

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Al Schirnack

11 2nd Row

Luke Harlen

12 2nd Row

David Gower

13 Lock

Tevita Metuisela

14 Reserve

Dean Webster

15 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

16 Reserve

Todd Bridge

17 Reserve

Michael Moran

18 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Windsor

22

VS

Balmain

20

Wolves Hold Tiger’s at Bay

Hearts were in throats until the final seconds at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday when the Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers slugged it out against the Windsor Wolves who held onto an early lead to take victory 22 - 20, but which came under constant jeopardy from the Tigers impressive attacking.

The match seemed to be a mirror of past weeks for the Tigers when the Wolves lead them 18-0 after the first 15 minutes of the game. But Windsor were soon rocketed out of comfort when the Tigers closed the gap to 18 – 16 by half time with 3 successive tries. The second half was a rollercoaster of emotions and excitement as both teams took 4 points and seemed on the edge of scoring within each set. The amount of contention up to and including the last minute of the match was a great tribute to both sides determination, but it was the Wolves who came out the victors desperately waiting for the final buzzer.

Before the game Tiger’s Coach Paul Fletcher took the Balmain side into account for the last few weeks calling on the team to focus on “attitude and credibility.” It was a stirring speech, making no concession for their place on the ladder. It just took 15 minutes for it to seep in.

The Wolves, who walked all over the Tigers in the first 15 minutes, were entirely caught off guard for the battle they had on their hands for the rest of the game. Balmain took advantage of a relaxed Wolves defence to spring 2 quick breaks through the centre, which set up Lewis Brown to take the Tigers first points when he dove over from dummy-half to give the Tigers 6 points back.
The Tigers momentum continued when Stephen Moses, who was invaluable in the middle, broke deep through the Wolves line 90 seconds later. This gain set up the Tigers ‘Player of the Match’ Tevita Metuisela to wrestle his way over the line to put the Tigers within 8 points.

Finally the Tigers had their heads back on, and used the change in form to give Hooker Lewis Brown his second under the posts minutes later, taking the score to 18 – 16 Wolves lead. Suddenly the game was not the white wash it appeared leaving both sides to take stock of how much fight was left in the match.

During the second half there was little to separate either team. The Wolves, overcoming their initial surprise, were relentless in attacking. Several times it seemed they were away down the line only to be undone by try saving tackles from Balmain wingers.

Despite the ferocity of both sides tackles, it seemed everyone on the field wanted the ball. Any open ball was contested severely and both sides wrestled and often crawled for precious extra metres.

The final 10 minutes of the match was a non-stop adrenalin rush for fans as the Tigers desperately tried to overcome the Wolves 2 point lead before the clock winded down. Several times the Tigers looked to have broken through only to lose control metres from the line. Players and fans alike howled in frustration with every whistle blown, heightening just how badly the Tigers wanted to win back their credibility on the field and on the ladder.

This loss to the Wolves mean the Tiger’s really have their work cut out for them if they are to make any attempt at positioning themselves in the running this year.

Next weekend is our return clash with Western Suburbs on Sunday at Pratten Park. Kick off is at 2.30pm so see you at the game.

Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Billy Callaway

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Matt Ryan

5 Wing

Lee Bennett  C

6 Five-Eight

Joey Latham

7 Half

Stephen Moses

8 Front Row

Alan Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

Luke Harlen

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

David Gower

15 Reserve

Dean Webster

16 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

17 Reserve

Michael Moran

18 Reserve

Rod Griffin

19 Reserve

Todd Bridge

20 Reserve

Gavin Cowan

21 Reserve

Brendan Vengoa

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Newtown

20

VS

Balmain

12

Despite the slippery conditions early on, the match between Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers and the Newtown Jets on Sunday was a gritty battle, drenched in determination. Explosive Balmain tackles could be heard from all corners of Leichhardt Oval as Newtown were bounced around the field. But it wasn’t enough to deter the Jets, who took the lead just before half time and held on to win 20 – 12.

With the first whistle came the opening of the heavens, as a light rain coated the field and the ball making it hard for players to keep their feet on the ground and their hands on the ball. The Tigers suffered the most early on, but overcame the weather to take the first points of the day in the 23rd min when Lewis Brown pushed his way over from 2 metres out, 6 – 0.

Chris Tuatara was a force to be reckoned with in defence, hitting the Jets number 21 with a devastating shoulder charge, halting Newtown’s advances and giving them caution when running the wing.

The Jets managed to find their way in the 31st minute when they used continuous small gains to creep towards the Tigers line and cross, taking 6 points to tie the game. Soon after Newtown took the lead when a Tigers knock on allowed them to take 2 points from 30 metres out as the half time buzzer sounded.

The second half was a back and forth battle with both teams making it within 10 metres of the line in almost every set. But whereas the Tigers struggled to breach the final Newtown defensive line, the Jets were able to capitalize on some miscommunication and increase their lead in the 58th minute to 14 – 6.

Being 8 points behind never seemed to sap the Tigers strength as they kept pushing up on the Jets line. It was Billy “the Utility” Callaway who managed to get the Tigers back in the game scoring in the corner off the boot of Lewis Brown to close the gap to 14 – 12.

The Tigers looked better on the field then previous weeks, with renewed game plays in evidence, particularly through their back line and in their short passes, which helped get them into scoring position several times.

But the Jets gave themselves too many opportunities for the Tigers to keep up with, as they crossed the line for the final time with 6 minutes to go, giving them enough points to take the victory 20 – 12, in what was a hard fought game of rugby league.

Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Rhys Hanbury

2 Wing

Nick Youngquest

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Gavin Cowan

5 Wing

Lee Bennett  C

6 Five-Eight

Stephen Moses

7 Half

Michael Moran

8 Front Row

Luke Harlen

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

David Gower

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Miguel Start

15 Reserve

Dean Webster

16 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

17 Reserve

Alan Schirnack

18 Reserve

Rod Griffin

19 Reserve

Billy Callaway

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Wentworthville

28

VS

Balmain

16

The first half of the Tiger’s match up against Wentworthville on Sunday in Round 8 of the NSW VB Cup showed a dramatic improvement in the Balmain side as they led 10-6 into the first half. However the Tiger’s seemed plagued by the remnants of the last few weeks mistakes, which crept back in the 2nd half to allow Wentworthville to take control of the football and seize a 28 - 16 victory.

It was a renewed Balmain team who took the field against Wentworthville out at the well maintained Ringgrose Park. Pregame comments from Balmain’s coach Paul Fletcher held true as he said the Tiger’s were going to “focus on improvement and forget about the win. I gave the team the stats and we know we have to concentrate on defence, holding the ball and completing sets.”

It was this mentality which gave the Tiger’s an early lead, as 3 completed sets positioned Balmain deep into Wentworthville’s half, allowing Rhys Hansbury the opportunity to sidestep into a gap 10 metres out and offload to Jarred Farlow who came through in support, 6 – 0 Tiger’s.

The Tiger’s held their focus, providing a strong defensive line, and smart ball control to give them plenty of time in Wentworthville's half. This paid off in the 11th minute, when again Rhys Hansbury was key in setting up their 2nd try when he pushed the right corner on the 5th tackle and set up Lee Bennett with a long cut out ball, who took the Tiger’s lead to 10 – 0.

Wentworthville weren’t without merit, muscling their way across the line for their first points which they converted to take the half time score to 10 – 6, Tiger’s lead.
The first 5 minutes of the second half played out like the first 40 of the game, when Matt Parata scored a smooth try off a brilliant pass from Mick Moran, which opened up space in the Wentworthville defence.

But the Tiger’s focus slipped soon after and some of the same mistakes which have hindered them over the last few weeks started to reemerge. Defence started to slacken, as the Tiger’s were slower getting back off their line, which fed into some crutial mis-tackles, leaving the Tiger’s left wing unprotected, allowing Wentworthville to capitalize 3 times in a row, giving them a solid 12 point lead.

The Tiger’s had a few chances to hit back, as several solid line breaks from Tevita Metuisela and Chris Tuatara had Wentworthville sweating on their line and scrambling to get back to defend. But the points just couldn’t be converted by the Tiger’s due to a few dropped balls on the line, and several kicks which went too long for chasers to make anything of.

Ultimately it was a great starting effort for the Tiger’s which came apart at the end as old habits settled in. Tiger’s Captain Lee Bennett was happier with the teams effort over previous weeks when he said “it was a great start by the boys. We played through the sets and worked really hard at defence. It was a big improvement on stats over previous weeks, but we need to hold on and get the 2 points for the win.”

By Ryan Cunningham

Position

Premier League

1 Fullback

Gavin Cowan

2 Wing

Nick Youngquest

3 Centre

Chris Tuatara

4 Centre

Matthew Parata

5 Wing

Lee Bennett c

6 Five-Eight

Rhys Hanbury

7 Half

Michael Moran

8 Front Row

Alan Schirnack

9 Hooker

Lewis Brown

10 Front Row

Ryan Tandy

11 2nd Row

Luke Harlen

12 2nd Row

Tevita Metuisela

13 Lock

Jarred Farlow

14 Reserve

Miguel Start

15 Reserve

Stephen Moses

16 Reserve

Eloni Vunakece

17 Reserve

David Gower

18 Reserve

Darren Nicholls

19 Reserve

Rod Griffin

20 Reserve

Dean Webster

COACH

Paul Fletcher

Norths

42

VS

Balmain

16

Tiger’s unable to break Bears winning streak.

The Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tiger’s were unable to stop the 7 game winning stre