Rnd 21 - Ron Massey Cup - Match Review

Five tries in 20 minutes allowed Wentworthville to skip away with a 38-12 victory Western Suburbs at Campbelltown.

The Wests Tigers injury curse struck Western Suburbs, with another match for the team from Campbelltown being completed with only two men on the bench.

Wenty opened the scoring after six minutes, with hooker Simon Greaves drifting across field before straightening to go through the Wests line and go 20 metres to touch down. Brendan Waters missed the kick, Wenty up 4-0.

Wests responded ten minutes later, a towering Nathan Waters bomb found the ground and bounced everywhere where the players weren’t, with Seffa Silafau coming from the clouds to power on to the loose ball and score. Michael Stevens added the extras, with Wests up by two after 20 minutes.

Wests dominated the next fifteen minutes and were duly rewarded from a scrum win, with Sam Aiga speeding around the Wentworthville defence, his momentum too much for a desperate effort by Daniel Penese. Michael Stevens was on target to Put Wests ahead 12-4.

Wentworthville needed a lucky break to stay in the game and that was exactly what they got on the last play of the first half, with a Simon Greaves grubber deflecting up into the arms of the kicker, who offloaded for Brendan Waters to go in under the posts. Waters converted his own try and, despite having almost none of the game, Wenty went to the interval only down by two.

Wentworthville came out after half time breathing fire and took four minutes to retake the lead, with a flat face ball at the line finding Taunaola Kei, who burrowed his way through the smaller Wests defence. Brendan Waters converted for a 16-12 lead.

Wenty were in again four minutes later, as Jason Strickleton burrowed over from dummy half. Waters was successful with the shot, Wenty out to 22-12.

Eight minutes passed before Wentworthville found the stripe again, as Brendan Waters was the beneficiary of a break down Wenty’s left side. Waters was unable to convert his own try, leaving the score 26-12.

Wenty finished their twenty minute blast with Jason Strickleton on the end of another left side raid by Wentworthville. Brendan Waters was on target on this occasion, Wentworthville going from 12-4 down 60 seconds before the break to leading 32-12 with 20 minutes to play.

Wests looked to strike back, but Tom Morrison was knocked senseless in a strong tackle by Valu Nasio, referee Adam Cassidy having zero hesitation, once Morrison had been escorted from the field by trainers, in sending Nasio for an early shower, Wentworthville down to 12 men for the final 16 minutes.

While Wentworthville were content to grind down the clock, Wests could not take a trick, with desperate Wenty defence, a series of dodgy bounces and a handful of passes barely wide of the mark preventing the home team from reducing the margin.

Wentworthville rounded out the scoring for the afternoon, with Francis Tuigamala driving down low through the Wests defence. Brendan Waters converted from in front and held Wests at bay in the last four minutes to run out 38-12 victors.

For Wentworthville, Brendan Waters and Simon Greaves dictated terms all day, with impressive support from Francis Tuigamala, while for Wests, Dean Rysko, Sam Aiga and Nathan Waters led the way in a valiant effort.

Wentworthville’s win ensured they will play either Mounties or Cabramatta in week one of the finals in one of the qualifying finals.

For Wests, the result left them relying on other results, however at the time of writing, two wins to Asquith in the final two weeks is the only realistic threat to Wests qualifying for the finals due to a far superior points difference, Wests’ century against Kingsgrove proving to be immensely valuable.

Next weekend, Wentworthville will do battle with Guildford at Ringrose Park on Sunday, while Wests will make the short trip up the Hume on Saturday to visit Cabramatta, their third match against a top four team in the last month.

WENTWORTHVILLE 38 (Brendan Waters 2, Jason Strickleton 2, Simon Greaves, Taunaola Kei, Francis Tuigamala tries; Brendan Waters 5 from 7) def WESTERN SUBURBS 12 (Seffa Silafau, Sam Aiga tries; Michael Stevens 2 from 2)

Penalties: Wests 5 Wentworthville 6

Halftime: Wests 12 Wentworthville 10


Western Suburbs

1. Sam Aiga
2. Sean Connor
17. Michael Mate
12. Tom Morrison
5. Amanono Tovio
6. Michael Stevens
7. Nathan Waters
22. Soni Paasi
9. Dayne Craig
10. Sonny Bristow
21. Adrian Haangana
15. Mason Talolua
8. Dean Rysko

11. Seffa Silafau
13. David Atuau
18. Frederick Tevaga
20. Daniel Rakvin


Wentworthville

20. Matthew Collins
19. Henry Raiwalui
21. Mark Tuatti
11. Daniel Penese
5. Arthur Takapu
7. Brendan Waters
2. Matthew Place
8. Francis Tuigamala
9. Simon Greaves
10. Nathan Armit
17. Bradley Partington
12. Valu Nasio
13. Mitchell Stanfield

16. Jason Strickleton
22. Tyrone Viiga
23. Jerome Mackenzie
24. Taunaola Kei