2007 VAWDON CUP ROUND FIVE WRAP
Penrith hosted round Five of the New South Wales Touch Association’s 32nd Annual Vawdon Cup on Friday 17 August 2007.
The round featured several emphatic performances and some closely contested games as teams battled to achieve consistency and assert themselves in the pecking order as the Men’s and Women’s Premier League divisions reached the half way point of the season.
In the Men’s Premier League, the Western Suburbs Magpies grafted out a tough 3 –1 victory at 7.20pm on Penrith 11 over the vastly improved Parramatta Eels.
The clash was a quality encounter that featured more twists and turns than a John Grishham novel with Parramatta looking the Adam (Goodes) for the majority of the contest.
Parramatta came into this game following a good win over Manly, and a last minute loss last week to the fancied Hornsby combination, whilst Wests entered the contest following a loss to Canterbury and a narrow win over Manly.
The scene was well and truly set for a battle royal, with the Eels continuing to build into their season, and Wests looking to consolidate their place near the top of the leader board.
“Parra” started the game on fire, scoring in their opening complement of touches through an audacious Dean “Pumper” Wilbow flick pass that gift wrapped a touchdown for Daniel Barton and took the Eels out to a 1-0 lead.
Troy Malcolm and 2007 Australian Men’s Open speed merchant Jamie Stowe led the way early for a young Eels team who drove with purpose and composure and defended stoutly to frustrate the well-credentialed Magpies outfit.
The game then ebbed and flowed with plenty of opportunities being created, but neither side was able to finish off to give the contest a defining first half moment, and the Eels went to the break 1-0 the better.
At the break Magpies coach Paul Sfier jumped into his players like a toddler in the ball pit at Magic Mountain, with several players needing to be toweled down after the massive half time spray that rained down on them from their disappointed coach.
The Magpies mentor was unhappy with his charges discipline and commitment to the game plan that had been so good in previous games.
The chastened West boys returned the field for the second stanza under no illusions of what was required from them to arrest their inconsistent performance.
To their credit, the Parra boys kept charging on, creating several chances that, in the face of desperate Wests defence, just could not be finished off.
It was against this backdrop that Wests conjured the hit back touchdown against the run of play.
The West’s comeback was engineered by wingman Robert “Knuckles” Nakhle who was the metre man, rucking tirelessly and setting the platform for big match specialist Australian Men’s Open lynchpin Daniel Rushworth to weave his magic for young gun Cameron Nichols to dot down and even the contest at 1-1.
With 10 minutes to go, that man Nakhle produced two game saving touches then combined brilliantly with ‘the postman” Jason Stanton who delivered on cue to allow the 2006 State Cup Champions to poke their nose in front for a 2-1 lead with little time remaining.
Parramatta’s influential Jye Malcolm was forced to leave the field injured, and with the momentum of the game swinging the Magpies way, Nakhale combined with Stanton and Nichols again to snare a late touchdown to push the score out to 3-1 as the full-time hooter reverberated in the background.
The final score flattered the Magpies who square off against the undefeated Hornsby Lions next week in a standing room only clash to sort the pretenders from the contenders for the 2007 Vawdon Cup crown.
After dominating Wests for the majority of the game, Parramatta will look to go one better against Penrith in what is shaping as an intense battle for fourth position on the ladder.
Competition pace setters the Canterbury Bulldogs continued on their merry way at the top of the standings with a professional 7-3 victory over the Cronulla Sharks at 8.10pm on Penrith 7.
Cronulla, who had broken a run of losses that stretched back to 2005 last week with their victory over Easts, could not maintain the rage and were outclassed by a slashing second half from the barking Dogs who have been in peerless form in the first five rounds of 2007.
Both combatants came out swinging in the opening exchanges, trading touchdowns in an even first half.
At 3-3 at half time, choosing the winning Gold lotto numbers for Saturday night would have been an easier task than predicting the winner of this contest.
It was the Dogs who refocused best after the break and it was their relentless “go forward” that provided the framework for a dominant second half performance.
Canterbury Coach Peter Forrester flicked the switch on their assertive defensive policy at half-time to ensure his team upped the ante to pressure the Sharkies into error and snuff out every second half attacking raid the Shire boys could muster.
The Doggies conjured four unanswered touchdowns with Garry “GS7” Sonda sealing the deal with one of his trademark long balls, which all agree are infinitely better timed, and more effective, than his sledges.
Robbie Brien and David Rose tried hard to lift the Sharkies, but the pressure from the competition leaders eroded Cronulla’s confidence and the disappointment from the player group after a below par second half performance is sure to prove a spur to the Shire boys as they regroup for their next assignment this week against Manly.
The Dogs all lifted and chipped in across the board to maintain their pristine 2007 record, but it was again 2007 World Cup Australian Mixed Open speedster Steve Roberts with a hat trick of touchdowns, Aaron Tandek, ‘Deadly’ Dan Munroe, and the white hot Matt Prowse who spearheaded the blue and whites whirlwind second half display.
2006 Vawdon Cup Premiers the Penrith Panthers didn’t disappoint the local fans when they bounced back from indifferent early season form to complete a 7-0 shut out of the Manly Sea Eagles at home in the 8.10pm timeslot.
Penrith had been sluggish by their own admission and were struggling in the first four rounds to find the discipline, commitment, and consistency that had bankrolled their maiden premiership win last year.
The Panthers entered Friday night’s make or break clash determined to get their season back on track, bolstered by improved training efforts, and a commitment to executing their game plan perfectly.
In a cohesive team performance, it was the “bro show” for Penrith with Adam and Dean Springfield, and Scott and Mitch Buckley leading the way. Grant Harris provided the starch in defence as the Panthers dominated a dispirited Manly combination.
Jamie Chan was the standout for a Manly side that is riding a steep learning curve in a roller coaster rebuilding phase.
The Sea Eagles will need to band together and put the Penrith game behind them to prepare for Friday’s clash with Cronulla at Tempe.
Joint leaders the Hornsby Lions prevailed 5-4 over the Easts Roosters who hit back strongly to push the big guns of the competition all the way after being dismissed 8-4 last week by Cronulla.
The “Young Lions” skipped out to grab the early ascendancy in the first half with some excellent finishing out wide putting the undefeated king pins out to a 2-0 lead.
Dave Roberts and the wonder twins Maurice and John Kennedy steered the Lions around the park in the first 20 minutes and the Lions looked to have the game well in hand at oranges.
Roosters Captain/coach Chris Hill produced a Bobby De Nero style ‘Inches Speech’ retitled “Any Given Friday” to inspire his troops who returned to the field after the interval full of running.
The East boys lifted their defensive intensity to force the Lions into some errors coming off their line, allowing Easts to, inch by inch, peg back the deficit.
A period of time given to East's Link Brad Lugg derailed the Roosters challenge and turned out to be a significant turning point in the game as Hornsby consolidated the extra number to score the game breaking touchdown.
Some desperate defence from the Hornsby boys ensured the Roosters brave challenge ended in plenty of honour, but no points.
Michael Abood and stalwarts Drew Davies, the clever Dave Roberts, and touchdown scoring machine Mitchell Walkaden produced big games for the Vawdon Cup pacesetters.
In the Women’s Premier Division, Wests produced a dominant display to dismantle the Wollongong Devils 5-1 at 8.10pm on Penrith 11.
Australian 20 Years Women’s squad member Dearne “Bangers” Cooper and West’s playmaker Stacey Lapham combined to craft an early 1-0 lead.
2007 Aussie Women’s Open World Cup star Lapham then split the “Young Divas” from acting half to put Jess Lumby over in the corner to make it 2-0.
The Magpies gifted Nicole Mc Hugh went through from half to give winger Erena Wikaire a saloon passage to the scoreline for a comfortable 3-0 lead at the interval.
After the half-time break, Wollongong’s National Youth squad member Amanda Skwarko injured her knee in the first set of six and the game was suspended until medics arrived to assist Skwarko from the field.
On resumption West’s went through the hands to skip out to a 4-0 advantage.
The Devils stopped the rot and stemmed the Magpie flow with a touchdown of their own to make the score 4-1.
Nicole Mc Hugh was reveling in the conditions and exposed the Wollongong defence around the ruck again with another raid from acting half that resulted in a touchdown to complete a 5-1 victory for the Wests girls who are rolling along nicely now and finding their combinations at the right time of the season.
Stacey Lapham and Nicole Mc Hugh were prominent for Wests, whilst Jess Mc Call, despite being in a well-beaten side, was dangerous and continues to shine in season ’07 for the rookie Wollongong combination.
2006 Vawdon Cup premiers Easts Roosters, missing several key players, laboured to a 2-1 victory over the Central Coast Dolphins at 8.10pm on Penrith 16.
The Dolphins got off to a flyer courtesy of young gun Nat “Twinny” Dawson who had the super girl act going on, diving to save touchdowns at one end of the field, then producing a prodigious left foot snap to give her team the early 1-0 ascendancy.
Central Coast dug in gamely and repelled everything Easts could throw at them and deservedly went to the break holding their 1-0 advantage.
The Dolphins Mel Holts was prominent in attack and defence in the first stanza, and Lauren Thorne went close to scoring off the second half tap off, but was stopped by some resolute Roosters defence.
Easts class eventually shone through and they opened up the Coast midway through the second half to equalize at 1-1, and then scored the winning touchdown a few minutes prior to the full time whistle for a scrappy 2-1 result.
Australian Women’s Open legends Kristy Judd and Melissa Pitfield were the glue that held the Easts effort together, whilst their 2007 World Cup teammate Kylie “Lambo” Hilder was the Central Coast’s best player.
The Central Coast are back on track with this performance and will be taking motivation and confidence from this game into the next round against an inform Wests Magpies.
For successive weeks the Roosters have done just enough to win against some very committed opposition and know that they will need to lift for this Friday night’s blockbuster against traditional arch rivals the Canterbury Bulldogs that shapes as one of the season’s most eagerly anticipated contests.
The Canterbury Bulldogs also had a narrow victory; sneaking home 1-0 against the impressive Cronulla Sharks in their 9.00pm clash at Penrith seven.
The Sharkies proved last weeks’ narrow loss to Easts was not a flash in the pan by backing up their last start heroics with a similar effort against the dynamic Canterbury combination.
In successive weeks the Sharkies girls have pushed the top two teams to the limit and will be looking to consolidate their position on the ladder in coming weeks off the back of these ‘real deal’ performances.
Cronulla were without key players Kelly Pepper, Olivia Bayley, Laura Chivers, and Skye Rolley, but refused to go quietly despite being under strength.
The drive to Penrith and the late timeslot seemed to distract both camps and the first half was a scrappy, error-riddled affair with scrambling defence from both sides a feature of the first 20 minutes.
The Doggies took an unconvincing 1-0 lead into oranges, and the young Cronulla team, who continue to improve each week, were very much in contention despite failing to finish off created opportunities.
Canterbury's charge was led by 2007 Australian Women’s Open World Cup stars Louise Winchester and Kelly Woods who probed away relentlessly searching for the chink in the Sharkies armour.
“Wood duck” was best for Canterbury, with her agility, speed in attack, and ability to make good decisions under pressure a feature of an otherwise lackluster game.
Cronulla youngster Jenna “Squirt” Cell was constructive in attack and rock solid in defence to shine brightest in a whole-hearted team effort from the Shire girls who are currently holding down equal 4th spot with the Wollongong Devils.
In the 9.00pm timeslot on Penrith 10, Manly nailed their first victory of the season in fantastic fashion with a 7-2 dusting of the Penrith Panthers.
The Sea Eagles were narrowly defeated last week by third placed Wests 3-2, and carried this encouraging form into the game against the young Panthers line-up.
The two teams traded touchdowns in the first half, with Manly nailing an opportunity on the stroke of half time to go to the break 3-2 the better.
Rebecca Laing and Christine Grover drove impressively and constructed play well for the Eagles after the break, as Manly raced in 5 unanswered touchdowns in the second half.
Lisa Clark and Rachael Foster never stopped trying for the Panthers who, disappointingly, lost their focus and structure as the game wore on.
Coach Jacky Patrick is now needing to work overtime to get her troops up to bounce back for Friday’s game against the Wollongong Devils.
In Round Six action of the Men’s Premier League in the 2007 Vawdon Cup, The improving Paramatta Eels will face off against a confident Penrith Panthers at 7.00pm at Bankstown in what shapes as an important game for both teams chances of nailing a spot in the top four.
The Panthers need another consistent performance to win back the punters confidence and the Eels will be just the side to ask some hard questions of the young Panther tyros.
The Canterbury Bulldogs will need to be vigilant against a much-improved Easts Roosters side at 7.50pm at Tempe.
Wests Magpies will front up against the Hornsby Lions in the match of the Round at 8.40pm at Bankstown, whilst Manly and Cronulla will battle at 9.30pm at Tempe in a battle that is sure to be keenly fought out by two sides with plenty to play for.
In the Women’s Premier League, the long awaited 2006 Vawdon Cup Grand Final replay between traditional rivals Easts Roosters and the Canterbury Bulldogs will occur this Friday at Tempe at 7.00pm.
Tickets have been sold out for months, however to appease disgruntled fans who couldn’t secure seats, it is believed that commercial networks are contemplating showing the contest live on free to air, such is the interest level in the showcase clash of the 2007 Vawdon Cup Women’s Premier League season.
The Wollongong Devils will be looking to bounce back to the winner’s circle against the young Panthers at Bankstown at 7.50pm.
Both of these young teams copped a pasting in their last outing and will be keen to atone for below par performances with an improved display that ends with the belting out of their victory song at full time.
Manly and Cronulla will battle it out at Tempe at 8.40pm, with both teams in good form coming into the clash.
The consistent Wests Magpies and the gutsy Central Coast Dolphins will meet at 9.30pm at Bankstown.
Action will continue in the Men’s, Women’s, and Mixed Division 1 and 2 and Men’s Seniors and Masters divisions.
This week’s “Blackest Cat” award for the Player of the Round in the Men’s Premier League goes to Hornsby flyer Mitchell Walkeden, who with ten touchdowns from five games already this year, has forced Centrbet into an extraordinary move to suspend betting on the leading touchdown scorer for the season. Only Jet star flights have dotted down more often in the last five weeks than the quality finisher from the Young Lions.
This weeks “Go to Girl” for the Player of the Round in the Women’s Premier Division goes to Western Suburbs young gun Nicole Mc Hugh who took her superior footwork off the dance floor and onto the touchfield with several slashing runs from acting half to split the Wollongong defence.
Thanks to all coaches and players for providing information for the Round Five Wrap.
Good luck to all players and in the words of “Blades of Glory’s” Jimmy Mac Elroy, “If you can dream it, you can do it.”
For all draws, results, ladders, and further information about the Vawdon Cup please visit the New South Wales Touch Association’s website: www.nswtouch.com.au
