17 August 2008
Perth-Bayswater first grade bowed out of the premiership race for 2008 with a 21-16 loss to Wanneroo today at Rugby Park in the minor semi-final of the RugbyWA club competition. After beating Wanneroo twice during the season, Perth lost the one that mattered, the minor semi-final, and it will be Wanneroo that go on to next week’s preliminary final against Nedlands after two consecutive wooden spoons. A composed kicking game by the team’s French professional flyhalf brought Wanneroo home with a barrage of second half bombs that rattled the Perth-Bayswater defence. The precision back line running that saw Perth-Bayswater home in last week’s prequel was conspicuous by its absence this week and despite a late forward charge that gave the game its nail-biting conclusion, the outgoing premiers never looked in control. The loss drops Perth-Bayswater out of the finals and deprives them of a chance to defend their title, and they would be very disappointed that they did not measure up on the day under the pressure of finals rugby. With a largley new team to last year's outfit, highly rated coach John 'JT' Taylor always had his work cut out for him to back up with a win this year but after a run of injuries in the second half of the year, the Morley outfit performed creditably to make the finals.
Perth-Bayswater powered into the opening minutes, shoving Wanneroo back in the scrums and stealing their lineouts, but after eight minutes the Roo-dogs escaped upfield. They came close to scoring but Perth-Bayswater conceded a penalty in defence of their line only to see the Wanneroo fullback steer the sideline kick wide. Perth-Bayswater powered back and after a skilful up and under and regather by Perth-Bayswater fullback Fabian Broughton, the Roo-dogs gave away a penalty in front of the posts and lock Jock Stanley slotted the sitter 13 minutes in. Perth-Bayswater kept the pressure on to lock Wanneroo in their half, but couldn't penetrate and made errors in attack. The technique of the Morley team's scrum repeatedly ruined the ball for the Roo-dogs' bigger pack but on the half hour Wanneroo escaped and came close to scoring but instead landed a 40 metre penalty goal after Perth-Bayswater number eight Cale McCort was yellow carded by referee Andrew Lindsay, drawing the game 3-3 after 32 minutes. Minutes later Wanneroo almost scored again when they caught a favourable bounce from a corner kick but the scrambling Perth-Bayswater defence held on, conceding a moderate penalty chance that Doughty missed. Perth-Bayswater cleared long but Wanneroo counter-attacked, sending the ball wide down the touch line where their lock finished off a 65 metre sweep with a try midway between the posts and the touch line. Wanneroo converted the moderate chance and raced to a 10-3 lead with minutes left in the half. Another fortuitous bounce was collected as Wanneroo went into overdrive and Perth-Bayswater lost centre Mark Gaskin to the sin bin in defence. Wanneroo converted the gift penalty from in front and took the 13-3 lead into the break.
Perth-Bayswater opened the second spell with more territorial dominance despite being back to 14 men again, Stanley missing a 45 metre penalty after four minutes but landing a 35 metre penalty from the middle of the park for offside after 7 minutes. The game returned to a massive struggle between the 22s. Perth's backline looked laboured and awkward compared to the sparkling precision of last week's final competition game, but the Roo-dogs conceded a string of penalties to keep the men in black going forward. Finally, coming in the side of a ruck cost them three points when Stanley landed an angled 40 metre penalty after 16 minutes. Wanneroo peppered the Perth-Bayswater defence with stratospheric high kicks and went on the offensive but Perth-Bayswater won a crucial goal line scrum battle and kicked clear. Then Perth-Bayswater had their turn at attack as the game entered the final ten minutes but were directionless with the ball in hand and the Roo-dogs were soon back on the offensive. After 32 minutes a long pass blind found the Wanneroo wing on the sideline and he powered around the defence to score in the corner. The conversion missed but the game seemed all but over at 18-9. However, Perth-Bayswater drove back and scored a characteristic pick and drive try to hooker Adam Morris from a ruck on the line, converted from out wide by Stanley to come close at 18-16, setting up a razor-edge finish with minutes to play. But there were no miracles for the 2007 premiers and Wanneroo forced play back down to Perth-Bayswater's 22 and hammered their line until they gave away one final penalty, and slotted the easy kick in the last play of the day.
Thanks to JT and the boys on a good year, making the finals in difficult circumstances. It's a whole different ball game in the finals and this year things didn't go their way but they were always serious contenders in a very tight competition and we look forward to a revitalised year in 2009.
Lock Jock Stanley runs the Wanneroo obstacle course.
In other games this weekend, fifth grade defeated University 33-20 in their minor semi-final and will play Nedlands in next week's preliminary final; and Under 18s lost their major semi-final against Wests-Subiaco 40-17 and will meet Kalamunda in next week's preliminary final.
Fabulous Fifth Grade turned it on at on Sunday to defeat University 33-20 in the minor semi final. On a beautiful sunny day the fifths got straight into action and Dwain "The Train" Barr showed why he has been such a dominant force in the centres for us over the last few years when he powered his way around, over and through the Uni defence to score a brilliant individual opening try for a 5-0 lead. This was soon followed up by the other Barr brother when Shane ran blind, stepped, then slipped through a gap to score and extend the lead to 10-0. Uni was on the ropes but picked themselves up and from the long kick off Perth allowed the ball to bounce sideways. Uni chased the kick putting our defenders under pressure which resulted in a try against the run of play and a score of 10-5. They followed this with a penalty and suddenly the score was 10-8. Perth replied with a penalty to "Barr Fridge" to get a little breathing space before Shane was again in action when he dabbed a kick in behind the defence for Rory "Ambulance Chaser" Adams to pounce on for a half time score of 18-8.
Things hotted up even more in the second half when Whits and Rory chased down a kick with Mike picking the spilled ball up and diving over for a try to take the lead to 23-8. Barr Fridge popped over another penalty to increase the lead to 26-8 and it looked as if the floodgates were about to open. Then it happened, after a kick up field our winger Tom "Hamstrings" Ferriere, who chased up the kick, slipped over as he tried to grab the defender who was gathering in the ball. The Uni player tripped over Tom's legs and the ref who had missed a blatant trip on Shane and had only warned a Uni player for rucking the man instead of the ball, decided to sin bin Tom for what was clearly an accident. Uni grabbed the opportunity and scored a converted try while we were a man down to narrow the score to 26-15. This was followed up with what must be one of the worst decisions I have ever seen when Uni was awarded a try even though the linesman was unsighted, the in goal touch judge was unsighted and the ref himself was unsighted. I may be wrong but if you can't see it then you can't award it but in this case it seems you can. Anyway the try was not converted and all of a sudden Perth's lead shrunk to 26-20. It was a tough last five minutes but at least we were back to fifteen men and we took advantage of this. After some good ball from our forwards Tom "Hamstrings" Ferriere was given the ball in the open and he showed his pace to streak down the line to score the try which was converted to seal the game 33-20. A good team effort by all with Shane "Barr Fridge" awarded man of the match. The team now meets the Nedlands All-Star Glory Boys and Golden Wonders this Saturday at Perry Lakes at 12.15pm to decide who will go through to play Arks in the grand final.
After the match the team headed to Perry Lakes where number one team supporters the Westaways and Japie put on a barbecue in the park across the road before the first grade played. Kelvin had done us proud with juicy steaks (I had three so can vouch for them), sausages, rolls and a choice selection of salads all washed down with the finest amber fluid available. Thanks from the team to Kel and gang for such a great meal. It really topped the day off and could become an annual fixture.
They don't train and they don't think; but they can play and they can drink.