WOODS PRODUCES THE GOODS (AGAIN)
by Peter (Parra) Montgomery
The old saying 'that class always shines through when it is needed the most' was proven correct again on Sunday when the Magpies champion pivot Jamie Woods produced a five star performance to help his side grind out a 28-18 win over a determined West Wyalong Mallee Men at Ron Crowe Oval on Sunday.
Jamie contributed 12 of his team's points with a try and four goals from five attempts, and had a hand in each of the other tries scored by his team.
The Magpies had to grind out the win in the second half after taking the first half to wipe away the 'cobwebs' from the long bus trip of over 260 km which was required to depart Hay at 6.30am
The MalleeMen were 'up for the game' and with a had the Magpies under the pump for most of the match.
Hay went into the game without Simon Parr, prop David Koruilagi, and Caleb Thomson, and had star Under 18 players John Payne and Leone Cama missing from the bench. Payne was required to travel away with a school excursion and Cama was nursing a calf injury suffered in the torrid under 18 clash.
The Magpies were strengthened by the return of Phi (Bullett)l Bastow from injury, and took the opportunity to blood Tommy Potter and Tennyson Vance into senior football. Potter has has a slight taste earlier in the season, but it was Vance's senior debut.
Zac Redfern sat on the bench and was used as an impact player, and what an impact he made when he came on.
The teams traded tries in the first half with Hay first to score following a terrific try by flying winger Iosefa (Maxie) Veriqrava, who was on hand to capitalise on a long break by Jamie Woods. Woods sent a flying Peni Balemousori into a hole and Peni sent Maxie away to score under the posts.
The MalleeMen hit back almost immediately, getting the ball back from a a Hay error on the kick off, and a bustling front rower Josh Judd crashed through the defence to score. Fullback Tye Pilon added trhe extras to lock the score up at 6 all after sixteen minutes.
The Magpies made a couple of good line breaks, with half back Jermaine Dixon , centre Balemousori fullback Jesse Thomson away on seperate occasions only to be called back for forward passes.
Danny Byrnes again provided great leadership in the forwards and he had solid support from David King and prop Tevita Biumonoi. King had his best game for the Club, getting stuck into the tough defensive work in the middle of the ruck and taking the ball up solidly.
Tavita, getting a starting spot in place of the injured David Koruilagi had a terrific game. He made many charges into the defence, and put his hand up for the heavy work.
Bomber Woods produced another 'bell ringer' in defence, the same as he had done against the Point last week, hammering West Wyalong prop Judd with a front on tackle which sent the big prop crashing to the turf.
Near half time, the MalleeMen had an ideal opportunity to hit the lead with winger Peter McDonnell making a break, before kicking ahead, regathering after a terrible mix-up between winger Rob Kable and fullback Jesse Thomson who allowed the ball to bounce, but an inside pass to centre Dylan Frame was put down with the try line wide open and no one to beat.
A highlight of the first half was the crashing runs of Mosese Uluibau who started the match at right centre. Big Mosese tested the defence every time he handled and is going to be a huge assett in the final series as a replacement for Simon Parr and the injured Caleb Thomson.
Mosese has the pace to get away from the defence and the size to prove to be a handful for his opposite number.
The Magpies had a great opportunity to grab an outright lead just minutes after the resumption of play, with Redfern running 50 metres off a pass from Jamie Woods and taking play close to the line. Redfern sent onto Balemousori who was collared by the defence close to the line. Danny Byrnes attempted to charge over from dummy half but was held up. The ball went across the backs before second rower King was wrapped up on the sixth tackle.
The Magpies continued to press the home side line, and King was over the line but had the ball stripped as he attempted to score his first try for the Club.
The Magpies however weren't denied with Semisi Bale striking like a Thunderbolt to belt his way over, and the Woods conversion had Hay ahead 12-6.
West Wyalong forced another Hay error from the restart of play with a kick off going touch in goal. However, the line drop out restart was spectacularly regathered by Dixon and he burst down the sideline only to be bundled into touch by the cover.
The MalleeMen equalled the score at 12 all with half back Andrew Preston regathering a kick ahead which bounced off the goal post pads for the half back to dive over next to the sticks. Pilon again added the extas for his team.
Eighteen minutes out from time, the Magpies gained a penalty in front of the posts. Instead of taking the easy points on offer, Woods elected to tap and run and sent a 'bullet' pass to the Bastow Bullet and the No 13 blasted his way over to put the team ahead 22-12.
The Magpies had lifted a cog in attack and a strong run by Ulibau set the scene for a spectacular try scored by Woods. Biumonoi opened the defence from deep in Hay territory before sending on to Mosese who took play to half way.
Woods counting numbers in defence, sent a super pass to an unmarked Redfern on the wing. He set sail, and when confronted by Tye Pilon in the last line, sent a pass back into Woods who crossed out wide.
At the half hour mark of second half play, West Wyalong went in for a try with Pilon bursting onto a pass from half back Preston to score a beautiful try, and with his conversion, the MalleeMen were a chance at 22-18.
The Magpies however wrapped up the match when 'Lightning' struck. Quicksilver half back Jermaine Dixon crossed for a terrific individual try after a 'show and go' with the ball and he crossed for the sealer.
It was a tough match against a team running second last on the ladder, but coach Ian Woods was happy to get the points.
"We know we can grind out a win.
"It was an ugly win, but we'll take the points.
The West Wyalong side had some very good players, and played as tough as we expected.
"It was good to be able to give Tommy and Tennyson a run in the top grade, and Travis Payne had another good hit out. Phil (Bastow) was short of a gallop. It was his first run in a month, but he showed how valuable he is to the team with his good try" the coach said.
Semisi Bale pulled off some great defensive hits and is recapturing the form that he displayed earlier in the season.
BEST FOR HAY - Jamie Woods, Mosese (Moi Moi) Ulibau, David King, Zac Redfern, Danny Byrnes, Tavita and Semisi
BEST FOR WEST WYALONG - Andrew Preston, Tye Pilon, Brent Blackstock,
HAY MAGPIES 28 (Jamie Woods, Iosefa Veriqrava, Semisi Bale, Jermaine Dixon, Phil Bastow tries Jamie Woods 4 goals) defeated WEST WYALONG 18 (Andrew Preston 2, Tye Plion tries. Tye Pilon 3 goals)
UNDER 16 BREAK THROUGH FOR FIRST WIN
The Magpies Under16 team broke through for its first victory of the season with a hard fought 32-24 victory over West Wyalong. The victory has been coming for some time and it was made all the more meritorius as it was achieved without four of the sides consistent players - Mitch Rosser, Hola and Soni Fitekefu, Beau Dunn - and the team started two players short, against a full West Wyalong squad.
To add to the teams worries, captain Patty Miller was sent from the field, and half back Matt Whitehead and hooker Jack Morrison both spent periods in the sin bin to cool off, leaving the team with just nine players at full time.
West Wyalong also had a player sent off and others sin binned in a match that was paid passionately and sometimes not in the spirit of sportsmanship, nor the rules of the game. That is a shame, but it showed how much the boys from both sides wanted the win. The 16s competition is usually a very clean and well conducted competition with all players showing off the tremendous skills that come through good coaching.
Dylan Whitehead continued his super form, and scored two tries and got stuck into the heavy defence. Whitehead crossed for tries before and after half time and put the MalleeMen on the back foot every time he handled.
Miller too, was a dominant force on the paddock, leading the side well from five eighth and he formed a good scrum base combination with Matt Whitehead who handled the rise up from the 14s with ease.
Matt was 'sin binned' for an offence late in the game, which he said "What did I do". It appeared from the sideline he was an innocent party, and the referee may have nabbed the wrong player.
Magpies are getting great value from big Dean Jamieson who has really lifted his game to a new level at the closing section of the competition and he will be great value for the Club in future seasons.
Another who has been in great form is hooker Jack Morrison. Jack was in terrific form around the ruck area, and added further value to his display by landing four goals to keep the 'scoreboard' pressurte on the Malleemen throughout the match.
Jack Hanna finished the game with a badly broken nose which could keep him out of action for the rest of the season.
West Wyalong prop Nathan Siemson scored two tries in a good effort, only to put a blemish on his display by being sent off in the last few minutes. Siemson, stocky in stature, is built close to the ground and was a hard player to stoip close to the line.
MAGPIES BEST - Dylan Whitehead, Pat Miller, Dean Jamieson, Jack Morrison WEST WYALONG BEST - Nathan Siemson, Zac McIntyre Riley Ewings
HAY MAGPIES 32 (Patty Miller 2, Dylan Whitehead 2, Todd Gee-Harris, Dean Jamieson tries Jack Morrison 4 goals0 beat WEST WYALONG 24 (Nathan Siemson 2, Zac McIntyre, Riley Ewings, Charlie Duncan tries, Jason Martin, Peter Turner goals)
TOUGH WIN FOR 18s
The Magpies wrapped up a top three position in the Under 18 finals series with a hard fought 20-14 win over a physical West Wyalong team at Ron Crowe Oval.
West Wyalong played the match by the sword, playing agressively, and unfortunately for them, those who play by the sword usually die by the sword.
The Mallee Men had prop Angus Warner sent from the field late in the first half for an alleged high shot, and off the ball on Magpies lock Zac Redfern who was left unconscious for several minutes.
Warner's dismissal left West Wyalong a player short for 50 minutes, and the team never recovered from the setback.
West Wyalong opened the scoring with a try to the brilliant Sam Basham who again demostrated his supurb skills. The Magpies came back not long after with much improved winger Tennyson Vance capitalising on good work by Lloyd Schulz, John Payne and Ryan Gash to get over in a handy position for Gash to convert and add the extras.
Conrad McGinty, who has really come along in leaps and bounds in 2009, scored another try to put the Magpies ahead 10-6, before West Wyalong bounced back with further tries to Cameron Miller and Dylan Frame to lead 14-10.
The brilliant Leone Cama again came to the fore with a super try to lock the scores up at 14 all at the break.
The teams continued to play very physically and hard hits became the order of the day. Magpies hooker Tommy Potter continued with his good form of recent weeks and often had the West Wyalong defences on the back foot.
Potter received good back up from Corey Harrison and Ben McRae and big prop Luke Deacon made plenty of crashing runs during the match. Deacon is slowly recaturing the form that had him as a Group 20 representative earlier in the season.
The Magpies lost half back Schultz and prop McGinty during the second half to injury, but had good replacements in Patty Miller and Dylan Whitehead who have given the team good value all season. Dean Jamieson was again promoted to 18s, and big Ryan Wilson showed he too, could handle the step up.
Magpies winger Kyh Dunn had another great match defensively. Dunn plays aggressively and loves notching up three and four tackles in a set when play comes out his way.
Zac Redfern returned to the playing arena midway through the half and sealed the win, scoring a sensational try which he commenced, and finished off.
The Magpies were best served by Schulz, Payne, McGinty, Potter and Cama. West Wyalong's best Dore, Frame and Basham.
HAY MAGPIES 20 (Tennyson Vance, Leone Cama, Conrad McGinty, Zac Redfern tries Ryan Gash 2 goals) defeated WEST WYALONG 14 (Sam Basham, Cameron Miller, Dylan Frame tries Basham 1 goal)
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