Rnd 10 - Ron Massey Cup - Match Review

Wentworthville secured the points last Sunday at Ringrose Park with an absorbing 21-14 victory over a gallant Western Suburbs Magpies.

Wests adopted a grinding approach in the first 20 minutes with former Illawarra Cutter Nathan Waters providing strong guidance in the halves. Not knowing what to expect from Wests’ new signing, Wentworthville also took a cautious approach.

Almost to the second as the first quarter of the match passed, Wentowrthville found the line with a blind side raid forcing Jai Karam to shoot in off the wing, allowing Domonic Reardon to break away before drawing Amanono Tovio and sending Cecil Mackenzie on his way. Ben Fritz converted from in front to put Wenty up 6-0.

From the kick-off, Wenty marched down field and took advantage from a second set of possession after a bomb was put to ground by Wests, with Joses Rika barging over from dummy half. Fritz potted the conversion from adjacent to the posts, and Wenty had posted two converted tries in five minutes to lead 12-0 after 25 minutes.

With old habits looking like they had returned, Wests needed to be next on the board and they very nearly found the line on 33 minutes after a bomb, only to be called back by the referee for stealing the ball, much to the chagrin of the Wests faithful basking in the Sunday afternoon sun.

Wests did find the line four minutes later, though, with a bomb to the eastern touchline being plucked out of the air by Tala Mapesone, who spun and reached out to touch down a mere matter of centimetres inside the touchline. David Atuau pulled the conversion attempt wide, Wentworthville maintaining their 12-4 lead into half time.

Wests knew they had to start the second half well to avoid the problems of previous weeks and they did just that, Dayne Craig burrowing over untouched after five minutes as Nathan Waters marshalled a huge backline move. David Atuau was unsuccessful with the conversion attempt, Wenty holding onto a four point break.

Wenty struggled to hold a buoyant Wests at bay but did so and were duly rewarded for their efforts on 57 minutes, with Arthur Takapu crossing after Wenty secured the ball off a huge tackle by Taunaola Kei. Ben Fritz missed with the conversion attempt, Wenty moving back out to 16-8 with 20 minutes to play.

Rather than go into their shell, Wests chased the game with a renewed vigour and, after consecutive drop outs by Wentworthville, found space down the left side with Tuiniua Paiaaua capitalising off a good second man play. Michael Stevens slotted the tricky conversion attempt at Wests were back in it at 16-14 with 11 minutes to go.

Wenty threw caution to the wind and were nearly found out with an intercept, however Wests could not hold onto the ball. From the scrum, Wenty set up to the right, and from the first tackle, found Solomone Lasalo wrapping around behind the play the ball, Lasalo proving too strong so close to the line. James Boustani pulled the conversion wide, Wenty nervously defending a 20-14 lead with just under two minutes left.

An attempted short kick-off by Wests was cleaned up by Wenty, and a full set of hit-ups to the posts allowed James Boustani to seal the match with a field goal from 30 metres out.

For Wenty, Joses Rika, Taunaola Kei and Matthew Hunt led the way, while for Wests, the strength was all in the forwards, with Matiasi Toutai, Dean Rysko and Tom Morrison laying the platform for the boys from Campbelltown.

While the win was Wentworthville’s seventh straight, Wests made them work for it, and indeed can lay claim to being the only side beaten by Wenty on their streak to get within single figures.

Next week, Wenty will travel to Guildford to aim to eight in a row, while Wests head to Leichhardt Oval to take on another giant of the competition in Cabramatta.

WENTWORTHVILLE 21 (Cecil Mackenzie, Joses Rika, Arthur Takapu, Solomone Lasalo tries; Ben Fritz 2 from 3, James Boustani 0 from 1, James Boustani field goal) def WESTERN SUBURBS 14 (Tala Mapesone, Dayne Craig, Tuiniua Paiaaua tries; David Atuau 0 from 2, Michael Stevens 1 from 1)

Penalties: Wests 3 Wenty 3

Halftime: Wests 4 Wenty 12


Western Suburbs

1. Amanono Tovio
2. Tuiniua Paiaaua
3. Sam Aiga
4. Jerome Mose
7. Jai Karam
6. David Atuau
21. Nathan Waters
15. Todd Makejev
9. Dayne Craig
10. Matiasi Toutai
11. Mason Talolua
12. Tom Morrison
8. Dean Rysko (C)

17. Tala Mapesone
18. Frederick Tevaga
20. Michael Stevens
22. Tenisio Ahovelo


Wentworthville

20. Ben Fritz
2. Domonic Reardon
3. Cecil Mackenzie
21. Joses Rika
5. Arthur Takapu
16. Simon Greaves
7. Matthew Place
8. Walter Vaeau
9. Matthew Hunt
15. Tim Hunt
11. Solomone Lasalo
12. Daniel Penese
13. Mitchell Stanfield (C)

14. Netani Suka
18. James Boustani
19. Lionel O’Malley
24. Taunaola Kei