13 June 2009
 Wing Nathan Hunt made the best of limited opportunities |
Last season's wooden spooners shot to the top of the table with a one-sided drubbing of a limp Perth-Bayswater first grade, 50-17 at Pat O'Hara Reserve on Saturday.
In a performance that none of the team will want to remember, a dominant scrum was the only positive to emerge in a game of silly tactics, poor options, more mistakes than the team normally makes in six games, and a tissue-paper defence (with the notable exception of Nathan McCort, who put in some trademark slam tackles).
Palmyra scored early when a lightning midfield break led to a try in the corner after six minutes of play. The Perth-Bayswater forward pack failed to put their stamp on the game and Palmyra enjoyed plentiful possession, much of it from directionless kicking and an abundance of dropped ball. The visitors repeatedly broke Perth's defence out wide as the home side scrambled for composure during a mixed first half and eventually Paly broke through the over-stretched defence to score out wide after 30 minutes. Minutes later the defence was shredded again as Paly scored a converted try beside the posts to lead 17-0 at half time.
Out of position at flyhalf, Gareth Cossey was unable to show his valuable attacking skills |
Perth opened the second spell strongly, demolishing Palmyra's scrum but the visitors stole Perth ball and swarmed downfield with slick handling across backs and forwards for an easy converted try to lead 24-0. The simplest of backline moves led to another try in the corner minutes later as Palmyra put the game beyond doubt. To their credit, Perth-Bayswater worked hard on their customary second half strong finish but even that came undone when they turned over while pressuring Paly's line, and had to watch the Palmyra wing sprint 70 metres for the try, converted for a depressing 38-0 score. Playing for pride only, the Perth-Bayswater forwards hammered Palmyra’s line with pick and drives until hooker Ash Murphy barrelled over for the try with 20 minutes to play. Palmyra resorted to foul play to defend their line and lost a player to the sin bin as a result. From the penalty the black forwards drove reserve Mark Hill over for their second try and lock Jock Stanley converted the simple goal kick to trail 38-12 with 8 minutes remaining. But just when the home team looked like returning a spark of hope to the contest, Palmyra cut loose with two late tries for a virtual cricket score. All Perth-Bayswater could do is plug away for a little respectability with a final try when prop Zac Letufaga charged over from a tap penalty just before the final whistle.
In other grades, seconds lost to Palmyra 61-0 and thirds went down to Southern Lions 21-3 but fourth grade defeated Southern Lions 28-7, under 20s defeated ARKs 25-22, Under 18s defeated Palmyra 40-10 and the women's team downed Kalamunda 31-0.