Drought breaks for Penrith Emus
General
10 May 11 @ 02:30pm by CHRIS GEORGAKOPOULOS
Richard Aho. Picture: seiserphotography.com
Richard Aho. Picture: seiserphotography.com
PENRITH Emus have finally broken their 2011 duck, beating Randwick 28-27 at Coogee Oval on Saturday.
The win is the first time Penrith have defeated Randwick away in their history and has lifted them off the bottom of the Shute Shield ladder.
Emus president Jim Hook was glad the team got off the mark after predicting a win was around the corner in Friday’s Press.
“It was a tightly contested game but it was our strong defence which won us the game,” Hook said.
“It was a very strong performance by our team, with our forwards dominating the middle of the park, allowing the backs to cross over the line. Our captain Pete Niumata scored two tries and Sikuti Vunipola and Atelea Okati also crossed the line to earn us a bonus point.”
Penrith host Manly at Nepean Rugby Park this Saturday.
“We always play well against Manly, so hopefully we can keep things up,” Hook said.
Can you help our new players?
PENRITH Emus rugby officials are asking for community help to find housing, jobs and furniture for five overseas players.
The Emus recruited Solomona Silipa, Thomas Timani, Richard Aho, Meilani Tiatia and Aaron Wendt from New Zealand for this year’s Shute Shield competition.
“It’s our job to help get stability for the boys and for them to settle in as soon as possible,” Emus director Jeff Fox said.
“At the moment we virtually have friends and supporters of the club facilitating the boys. I even have two boys at my house.”
The players have skills ranging from tertiary to labouring.
“The boys are all in their early 20s but are at different stages in their lives, with some with partners and some single,” Fox said.
“Our challenge is to find these boys some employment as I believe they are aiming to call Australia home. So we are asking for anyone who has spare furniture or who can give them a job.
“I have been told one of them was a roof tiler and another was working in the equivalent to Integral Energy in New Zealand.”
Fox said the club looked at this option for various reasons.
“Bringing players from overseas is good because they are of a good standard,” he said.
“The other reason is that most of the players in our area play league instead of union, so we have no choice but to look elsewhere.”
To help, call Jeff Fox on 0417 675 802.
* RICHARD AHO: Bachelor of Marketing from Aukland University
* SOLOMONA SILIPA: Experience and TAFE qualifications in clothes industry and would love to get into retail clothing sales
* THOMAS TIMANI: Warehousing experience
* MEILANI TIATIA: Labouring
* AARON WENDT: Labouring, personal trainer
I read this article in the Penrith Press. Maybe some one out there might be able to help.