Bill's Match Report 27th July 2019
WANNEROO v Cottesloe at Kingsway 27th July 2019
Wanneroo:
1 Andre (Beets) Roux
2 Scott Cornell
3 Maui Tetana
4 Hadley Swan
5 Brad Campbell
6 Seta Fanu (Rob)
7 Teaute ‘T’ Walker
8 Mark Cornell
9 Tane Koteka
10 Ethan Reilly
11 Graham Hunter
12 Andrew King (c)
13 Grason Makara
14 Graham Hunter
15 Steve Nolson
Sorry, but I can’t write an in depth report this week and I can’t give any report next week because I’ll be overseas. But I’ll be back in time for the finals.
Premier Grade: Wanneroo 19 – Cottesloe 64
Cottesloe scored forty unanswered points in forty minutes, and they deserved them all. So did Wanneroo, who were out of sorts and well below their best. They looked to be dead and buried at half time, with no chance of redemption when the score was 0 - 40.
The Wanneroo coaching staff wasn’t easy on the team at the half time break and they laid some unpalatable truths on them. They told them their performance was unacceptable and challenged them to stand up and be counted.
Cott added another brace of tries after the half time break to take the score to 0 – 52 and it looked for all money that Wanneroo was in for their biggest humiliation of the season. But the Roo Dogs must be bible bashers of the first order, because they performed a miracle by emulating Lazarus and came back from the dead. The old adage of ‘there’s life in the old dog yet’ was never truer. They suddenly kicked into gear and gave the boys in blue a run for their money.
The forwards took a tight head scrum and gave the ball out to the backs. Andrew King showed took out his frustrations with a ferocious hit up that was well supported by Grason. He did a draw and pass that enabled Ethan to have a go at the line and he scored a good individual try to make it 5 – 52.
Kingy & Grason combined again to take the Dogs into Cott’s red zone. Beets carried the ball on and earned his team a penalty. The Dogs kicked for the line out and Reese sent their throw in ball to Ethan, who did a show and go and got to within a metre of the try line. Mark Cornell had a go with the break down ball, but Cott managed to hold him right on the line. So Rob did the decent thing and scored. Ethan added the points. 12 – 52
Cott got angry at the Dogs impudence, stepped up their running game and scored another two tries to push the score out to 12 – 64.
That should have finished any notions Wanneroo had of competing with them. But the Dogs weren’t done yet. Ethan made a brilliant individual run from a line out, that totally bamboozled the boys in blue. Scott was right behind him when he got held and he carried the ball on into Cott’s stacked defence to earn the scrum feed.
Mark ran from the base and charged headlong into Cott’s tackle line. After he set the ruck ball, the Dogs hit it up another three times before feeding Ethan. He was almost garrotted by a swinging arm and the ref awarded a penalty about ten metres out from Cott’s try line. The Dogs took a quick tap and Brad powered his way through an ocean of blue before passing to Kingy. He took the ball on, followed by his pack who monstered their way through two more phases of play. Reece popped the ball to Grason who cruised in under the posts for the last points of the game. Ethan popped the conversion through the sticks to make the final score 19 – 64.
Although Cottesloe finished up beating Wanneroo by a considerable score, they had to work for it in the second half.
Wanneroo may not have matched the visitor’s high standard of match play, but they redeemed themselves with a display of guts and heart that impressed their coaching staff.
The Roo Dogs are a team in progress, and it is inevitable that will have days (and even weeks) when it doesn’t happen for them. What is significant is how they react and come back from such days. Today’s game was an example of the Dog’s ability to dig deep and pull a rabbit out of the hat when all looks lost. It proves they have the potential for greater things. Bring on Nedlands next week.
OTHER RESULTS:
Second Grade: Wanneroo 0 – Cottesloe 84
Obviously a demolition job, but Wanneroo were once again short of players. Third grade did their usual double game act to fill some holes and club legend Justin (JR) Smith bailed out of 4th grade to play for them. The guys got pummelled in the first half and it would have been no surprise if they had just folded up. But they can stand tall, with dignity, because although they were undermanned, they refused to lie down. Like their first grade counterparts they had resurgence in the second half and gave Cott twenty minutes of fire and brimstone before fatigue took its toll on the guys who had to play two games. Well done guys - a great effort under tough circumstances.
Thirsty Thirds: Wanneroo 29 - Cottesloe 20
This was another topsy turvy game, with Wanneroo racing away to a 22 - 3 lead by half time. They controlled the game, looked every inch the class act that they are and outplayed Cott for the first forty minutes.
After the restart, the Dogs swanned in for another converted try that took the score to 29 – 3. Then Cott either had an epiphany of rugby or Wanneroo got slipped a Mickey Finn. Because the visitors took the game by the horns and not only played their way back into contention, they actually pushed the Dogs to their limits for the next forty minutes.
But Wanneroo thirds aren’t easily pushed around and they found reserves of energy and determination that enabled them to weather the storm. They not only held Coot, they finished this game as minor premiers.
Fantastic achievement boys, well done. I’m looking forward to watching you in the finals.
FLATULENT FOURTHS: Wanneroo 14 - Cottesloe 32
I didn’t see this game, so once again I had to rely on information from the players afterwards. Unfortunately I can’t print their comments because they could incriminate themselves with RugbyWA. Suffice to say that the ref made some contentious decisions that enraged even the most placid of players.
Gazza and Josh scored tries for Wanneroo.
Gazza says he is the best looking ball carrier north of the green swamp.
WANNEROO DIVAS: Wanneroo 24 - Cottesloe 12
Another game I didn’t see and I got no report either.
But our lovely ladies won and that pleases me no end.
Bill Watt