Eastwood v. Southern Districts
Southern Districts have started the season the way they were hoping to end it last year, holding on in a tough match defeating Eastwood 18-16, after Lachie Turner missed a last-second penalty goal from 55 metres out.
Rebels captain Jono Hayes was proud of the effort the boys put in to defeat Eastwood at home. ‘I’m real proud of the boys for their effort,’ he said. ‘We defended for 30 minutes on our line, and we kept them out which is good.
‘It’s always really tough coming out against the Woods.’
For the Woodies, the lack of a driving attack let them down and left their movements to the try line stilted.
Said Lachie Turner at the end of the match, ‘As a team and individually I thought we were off, I was off and we gave away a game we should have never given away.’
Eastwood struggled to breach the Rebels’ defence, relying on penalties throughout the first half to earn points. The Rebels, however, crossed the try line within the first five minutes.
Penalties for offside hurt the Rebels though, awarding the Woodies nine points and resulting in Rebels flanker Mick Kauter receiving a yellow card.
The Woodies were unable to convert the advantage into points and it was the 14-man Rebels side who managed to find gaps, with Oleni Ngungutau crossing the line for the team’s second try.
Eastwood finally managed to find the try line late in the second half. They received a penalty 55 metres from the try line on the bell, but were unable to convert it to steal the win.
Southern Districts 18 (K Tirani, Oleni Ngungutau tries; Rohan Saifola con, 2 pens; Yellow card Mick Kauter) d Eastwood 16 (Mitch Lees try; Jimmy Hilgendorf con, 3 pens) at T. G. Millner Oval. Referee Ian Smith
