Recap

Gutsy draw by under-manned Dirty Twos against Vikings

By CHRIS GORDON

Despite playing the entire second half with only 14 players, a gutsy Goulburn second grade side held on for a courageous 15-15 draw against Tuggeranong Vikings at Poidevin Oval on Saturday.

With no spare qualified front rowers on the bench, competition rules required Goulburn to play with one player less after an injured front-rower had to leave, requiring uncontested scrums.

Goulburn had done a hell of a job in the first half to match it in the scrums against Tuggeranong’s behemoth pack, and to be up 12-0 at the break.

Cooper Campden-Smith scored Goulburn’s first try 19 minutes into the match and Taniela Halafihi, scored a second, and converted it, five minutes later.

But the second half saw Goulburn a man down, and with skipper Jack Burke off the field with a hamstring injury.

Tuggeranong was quick to make the most of the one-man advantage and scored their first try seven minutes after halftime, followed by another five minutes later, locking up the scores at 12-12.

Ten minutes later, Tuggeranong broke clear with a penalty goal but, in a rare appearance in reserve grade, super-sub Mik Webber levelled the score with a penalty goal for Goulburn five minutes from full time, and the score remained unchanged at the final whistle.

This was an exceptionally gutsy performance by the Dirty Twos. Holding their own against the Tuggeranong scrum in the first half was impressive enough, but then hanging on for an entire half one man down was next level.

However, some of the momentum and cohesion that had been improving week to week for the reserves was missing and this only gets built by repetition of playing and training together. Lack of regular attendance at training by many players of both grades, and the frequent absence of players on match day is hurting both the first and second-grade sides. Some players might like to reconsider the meaning of the word commitment.

Best and fairest for Goulburn were Cooper Camden-Smith (3), Jacob Aquilina (2) and James Umu (1) with the soon-to-depart Umu also named Players’ Player. Jimmy Rudd was named Grittiest Player.

Next weekend Goulburn reserve grade will take on competition leaders Uni-Norths as the club plays three home games at Rugby Park.

Goulburn 15 (Cooper Camden-Smith, Taniela Halafihi tries, Halafihi conversion, Mikael Webber penalty goal) drew with Tuggeranong 15 (Kolofiu Faijelo 2 tries, Benjamin Tuita conversion, Clayton Thompson penalty goal).

By the clock:

• 19 mins – Cooper Camden-Smith try (5-0)
• 24 mins – Taniela Halafihi try and conversion (12-0)
• HALF-TIME
• 42 mins – Tuggeranong converted try (12-7)
• 47 mins – Tuggeranong try (12-12)
• 57 mins – Tuggeranong penalty goal (12-15)
• 65 mins – Mikael Webber penalty goal (15-15)

Photos: Chris Gordon

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