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Wildcats down Sharks in soggy conditions

Wet weather games are normally nothing to write home about but when you combine this with a team that was close to withdrawing, one would hardly expect a triumph.

By Kiri Hiriaki - Gippsland Rugby League - 28th April 2003 - Back to News

Wet weather games are normally nothing to write home about but when you combine this with a team that was close to withdrawing, one would hardly expect a triumph.

So it was that in conditions more typical of the middle of winter the Wildcats grounds out a bruising 36-26 win over the Southern Sharks in their first match of the Melbourne Rugby League competition at Ballam Park on Sunday.

Before rugby league diehards in such conditions, Sharks got the jump on Wildcats when Sharks half back Barry Randall blitzed a try in the third minute. Richard Keepers-Heata’s conversion made it 6-0. Wildcats failing to maintain ball security gave Sharks the upper hand with prop forward Thomas Moeke and front row forward Phillip Gillies both scoring wide within minutes of each other. Richard Keepers-Heata’s conversion to one try made it 16-0.

The Wildcats hit back minutes later when a succession of inside passes saw Lock forward Jo Csik scoot over to reduce the score to 16-6. What seemed like seconds later, Sharks prop forward Thomas Moeke burst through Wildcats defence to score the last try for Sharks in the first half making it 20-6.

With only minutes to go, Wildcats determination to bridge the gap saw half back Garth Campbell touch down close to the post for Jared Hiriaki to convert making it 20-12 at the half time siren.

With the physical pressure allied to driving rain, the match was plagued with ball spillage leading to scrums that rarely takes place in dry conditions yet encountered so often in the wet.

"Our ball security was terrible but it was a shared experience". There is a need to capitalize on scrums at training sessions to cater for wet weather conditions where most coaches tend to take for granted hoping for finer conditions Wildcats coach Jeff Hiriaki gushed later.

The Sharks within minutes in the second phase of the match from its inside passing created the only try of the half with Richard Keepers-Heata’s conversion making it 26-12.

Wildcats George Moramoro scrambled from the centre of the field to the right wing scooping the ball running in from 50 metres to score with Jared Hiriaki’s conversion closing the gap to 26-18.

"With only ten minutes to the final siren, Wildcats picked up the pace gaining ball control and smart-playing when half back Garth Campbell, Lock forward Jo Csik & forward Chris McRae widening the gap with Jared Hiriaki converting all three tries giving Wildcats a convincing win 36-26".

Next week’s encounter Wildcats will take on country counterpart, Ballarat at home, Maryvale Recreation Reserve (West), Henry Street, Morwell at 2:00PM.

Tries scored: Jo Csik (2); Garth Campbell (2); George Moramoro (1) & Chris McRae (1)

Conversions: Jared Hiriaki (6)

Player Awards: Garth Campbell; George Moramoro & Jo Csik

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com