Recap

Dirty Reds firsts pick up where they left off

By CHRIS GORDON

Undefeated 2020 first grade premiers, the Dirty Reds, picked up where they left off with a 53-10 win over the Queanbeyan Whites that signalled their intent for 2021.

But while the result never seemed in doubt, it took half of the game for the Goulburn to establish the momentum.

As with the reserve grade match, most of the game was played with uncontested scrums after the Queanbeyan hooker came off injured in the early minutes and Queanbeyan had no back-up front-rowers.

By requiring uncontested scrums, Queanbeyan had to play the bulk of the match with 14 men but still managed to be first on the board with a try in the 15th minute.

Goulburn was next to score five minutes later with a try to Eric Brown, and this was followed in quick succession by tries to Adam Lachlan and Ben Todkill and at the break Goulburn was up 17-5.

While a comfortable lead, Goulburn had seemed sluggish, particularly given their one-man advantage, but the Reds shifted gears and their second-half tally was double what they scored in the first half.  

Goulburn notched up six second-half tries while Queanbeyan added one.

There was a brief bit of alarm for Goulburn in the closing minutes when replacement scrum half Jackson Reardon looked (or at least sounded) like he’d received a season-ending injury but he was soon up and about unimpaired.

Queanbeyan will need to start training up some more front-rowers for both grades if they don’t want to start playing a man down on a regular basis, however the score doesn’t give testimony to the solid nature of the game or the toughness of Queanbeyan’s opposition. 

Adam Lachlan’s three-try haul saw him pass the milestone of 200 club points, while Ben Todkill’s pair brought up his 200 first trade points and 50th club try.

The game marked first grade debuts for Jack Burke and Connor Minehan, and the welcome return of Tim Moule after a few seasons off.

Best and fairest points went to Jordan Wilcox (3), also returning after a year off, Izzy Tittor (2) and Alec Palmer (1) with Tittor also named Players’ Player.

Next weekend the firsts travel to ANU North Oval along with reserve grade and women’s team to play Uni Norths.

Goulburn 53 (Lachlan 3, Todkill 2, Brown, Tittor, Cheetham, Abram Kara tries, Todkill 4 conversions) bt Queanbeyan 10. 

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