.
Barker had a shocker last week and were expected to struggle against Waverley who put Cranbrook away. Aloys, who thrashed Barker, had a sneaky chance against favourites Knox. Last year’s champions Cranbrook were having a lean season and would have to play their best to beat Trinity who had good moments against Knox.
How would Round 4 pan out?
Trinity v Cranbrook
It is written that the first shall be last and the last shall be first, and so it came to pass at Summer Hill on Saturday. Cranbrook scored first, about five minutes into the game, and crossed the line again with the last play of the game.
Unfortunately, in the meantime, they leaked a whopping 64 points. To make matters worse, after a well-deserved premiership last season, the defeat placed Cranbrook on course for this year’s wooden spoon.
First Half
The early stages of the game were tight and closely-fought. Each side controlled the ball well and defended stoutly. Cranbrook 10 Darcy Searl produced a couple of neat kicks into the corner to build some attacking momentum, and Cranbrook elected to take a scrum from a penalty in Trinity’s quarter (a tactic followed by both sides throughout the game). A deft pass from Searl put 15 Noah Busteed over the line and Searl’s conversion made it 7-0.
When play resumed there was an extended injury break as Trinity 7 Dustin Pham was stretchered off and taken to hospital. It looked serious, but the player has been cleared of any significant injury. He was replaced by his twin, which you don’t see every day, and 18 Dominic Pham played a storming game.
The game was won and lost in the next twenty minutes of play. Trinity’s big forwards simply took control of the game, with a combination of hard running, good support play and clever passing.
Their first try gave them confidence, and then for a brief period, everything they tried paid off. First 8 Harry McLennan and 1 James Wayland earned good field position with hard, straight runs, and then 10 Robert Siteine produced a neat inside ball to put 3 Pernell Fillipo under the posts.
Then McLennan followed up a neat break by 15 Ryan Longville to charge over untouched from 30 metres. Trinity was creating gaps at will by powerful running and smart use of short, popped passes; one of these short balls from Fillipo almost put 12 Jordan Morris over, but another inside pass from Siteine sent Morris over moments later.
Another charge from McLennan was carried on by 5 Liam Rasch and Wayland, and when Wayland spilled the ball near the line, 11 Alexander Connolly was on hand to pick up the scraps and dot it down.
By this stage, Cranbrook’s defensive patterns were in disarray and almost from the kick-off, 14 Kordell Payne ran 60 metres, past or through half a dozen defenders, to score.
Payne scored again a minute later, and almost had a hat-trick in the space of three minutes, only to throw an inside pass (which was intercepted) when he seemed to have the line at his mercy.
Wayland was the last to score before half-time, when the score stood at 45-7.
Second Half
Payne completed his hat-trick early in the second half, and a great conversion by Longville made it 52-7.
Having been starved of the ball (they lost four of their own line-outs in succession), Cranbrook at last began to win a good share of possession, and strung together multiple phases without much penetration; the tackling of the Trinity forwards, in particular, was exceptional.
Cranbrook resorted to kicking, but this only served to waste possession. When Trinity won back the ball, a great long ball from Morris created a try for Connolly. Then Cranbrook kicked for touch from a free kick; Connolly, well inside his own half, batted the ball back into play, where it was picked up by Longville, who jinked past several attempted tackles to score a wonderful 55-metre solo try.
By now, almost all of the Trinity 2nd XV pack was on the ground, as key forwards were rested, and with the last play, a determined run by Cranbrook 12 Angus McNiven was rewarded with a try under the posts.
It was some way short of the 81-8 thumping Cranbrook dished out to Trinity last year, but Trinity’s 64 points was the most it has ever posted against Cranbrook.
The Players
Cranbrook
Unhappily, rather than staking claims for the CAS sides, quite a few of Cranbrook’s players made a good case for a start in Cranbrook’s Seconds next week.
The best of the forwards was 3 Zah Rathie, who ran hard and straight all game, scrummaged well and produced some telling front-on tackles on his big opponents.
In the backs, 9 Oskar Harrington showed a crisp pass and tackled bravely, while 12 Angus McNiven and 14 Ed Renton produced some determined runs.
In truth, the most impressive Cranbrook player on the day was Harrison Stewart, who played a blinder at 15 in the Seconds. It’s hard to imagine that he won’t be in the Firsts next week.
Trinity
There wasn’t a bad player in the Trinity side.
8 Harry McLennan was immense, running ferociously and tackling hard. He must be a strong candidate for the CAS Firsts. 1 James Wayland was also outstanding in general play, a barnstorming runner and tough defender. 5 Liam Rasch dominated the line-out and was another who ran and tackled powerfully. 2 Anthony Nguyen also had a fine game.
In the backs, 12 Jordan Morris will never play better; he caught the kick-offs, tackled strongly, ran through gaps and created space with smart passes. It’s hard to see him winning CAS selection ahead of Knox’s centres, but he’s a realistic candidate.
10 Robert Siteine showed a nice step, and some silky passing. 14 Kordell Payne won’t forget his three-try performance, but he might have had five – he passed once when he might have scored, and later spilled the ball forward with the line open. He’s promising.
11 Alexander Connolly had his best game at this level, contributing lots of thoughtful touches. 15 Ryan Longville had an outstanding game and must be in the frame for the CAS Firsts.
Scoring
Trinity 64 (K Payne 3, A Connolly 2, H McLennan, J Wayland, J Morris, P Fillipo, R Longville tries; R Longville 7 cons) def. Cranbrook 7 (N Busteed, A McNiven tries; D Searl 2 cons)
See next page for Aloys v. Knox by “Tahmen”
