In another thrilling chapter of a storied rivalry, the MacKillop Saints’ Year 7/8 and Year 9/10 Rugby League teams clashed with the formidable Taminmin College from Humpty Doo. The Saints Field was abuzz with anticipation as two electrifying matches kicked off the day. The curtain-raiser saw the Year 7/8 lads take the field, led by the newly minted captain, Walter Lasker.
Lasker's name echoes through the halls of Saints rugby lore, joining the ranks of his decorated brothers, Will and AJ, the latter being a luminary in the Team of the Decade. Despite the imposing stature of the Taminmin team, it was Captain Lasker who ignited the home crowd’s spirit, piercing through the visitors’ defences to score first for the Saints.
The match was a spectacle of fierce tackles and unyielding defence, with both teams locked in a gladiatorial contest. Taminmin’s early dominance was thwarted by the valiant efforts of Bryce Anderson, the debutant fullback whose daring saves in cover defence kept the Saints in the hunt.
As the first half neared its end, Zaiden Smith, a rising star and second-generation Saint, burst onto the scene. His defensive prowess turned the tide, culminating in a try that narrowed Taminmin’s lead to a mere two points at halftime.
Coach Matthew Sharp’s halftime talk was a blend of commendation and strategy. He rallied his troops, urging them to advance as a unified line in defence. His words proved prophetic as the Saints’ defence, bolstered by the strategic shift of Gabriel Te Maro from prop to the right edge, became an impenetrable fortress.
The second half was a masterclass in Saints’ rugby, with the team unleashing a trio of unanswered tries that left the opposition reeling. Timana Roe dazzled with his elusive runs, notching two tries that had defenders clutching at shadows. Tyler Heikkinen and Walter Lasker added their names to the scoreboard, while Harrison Liddle, the Year 7 prodigy, showcased his tactical acumen with a brilliant score from a tap play that sent the crowd into a frenzy.
With a final score of 34-16, the Saints emerged victorious, their voices united in the triumphant chorus of ‘A Cross of Stars.’ Coach Sharp, when pressed for a player of the match, praised the collective effort but gave a nod to the standout performances that shaped this memorable victory. The Saints’ future shines bright, with emerging talent like Andrew Mutanda who ran 60m on a kickoff return as his first ever play in rugby league. .
Jay Luchich, who moved from the backline to the forward pack was another who impressed his coach with a number of piercing runs through the visitors line. Similarly, Jack Tilley was also a hard player to deal with, causing trouble both in attack and defence on the left edge.
The second game of the day saw the Saints Year 9/10 Boys team take the field before a healthy recess crowd. Newcomer, Alex Liddle, brother of the younger Harry, led the team out as captain, evidence of the immediate and meaningful impact he has had on the Saints Rugby program. With a number of players backing up from last fortnight's Catholic Cup win against O'Loughlin Catholic College, there was an air of anticipation as the more senior side, who wore black armbands to honour the passing of former captain and club legend, Liam Gardner, took the field.
Saints enjoyed a wave of early momentum on the back of strong runs from props, Hunter Knight and Khai Nguyen, and capitalised on that advantage when the returning Cooper Williamson crashed over the Red Claws line to open the scoring. Not to be outdone, the visitors hit back shortly after following a number of piggybacks up field thanks to some Saints undisciplined play. Williamson's namesake, Cooper Moore, who was in the thick of it from the opening whistle, was the next to score and it was just reward for an outstanding display in defence.
'Cooper Moore played like a man possessed at times out there in defence' Coach Sharp said, adding, ' The manner in which he plays reminds me an awful lot of another member of our Team of the Decade, Jake Crawley'. That is quite a comparison for Moore, who has only been playing for a short time.
Coming back out of the half time break at a score that favoured the hosts, 10 - 4, the game was anyone's for the taking. Showing trust in his bench, Coach Sharp was not deterred and took the opportunity to give a number of debutants their official Saints rugby league debut. The likes of Charles Molan, Rallye Archer, Andreas Kumwenda, Callum Canavan, Jesse Gregory and Sam Johnstone enjoyed time out on the pitch in the heat of battle and did not put one foot wrong between them.
Star fullback, Brodie Peacock, split the visitor's defensive middle shortly after the break to run 60m and score underneath the black dot. In a similar display of skill, the world's tallest halfback, Jackson Jones, also bamboozled the defence with ball in hand to touch down and extend Saints lead to a daunting 22 - 4 with ten minutes left in the match.
Finding their second wind, Taminmin College fought back to score two quick tries and bring the game back towards a position of parity with 6 minutes to go. It wouldn't be enough though, with their efforts falling agonisingly short as the full time siren brought the game to a close with a 22-12 win to the Saints.
When asked who impressed him in the match, Coach Sharp identified the halves pairing of Kian T'Lam and Jackson Jones. T'Lam has moved between fullback and 5/8th in the senior team since moving to the club and after today's performance, will be putting pressure on who we understand to be Taminmin's new Assistant Coach Deacon Summerville's mortgage on the senior number 6 jersey.
Saints would like to thank Darren, Piper and Duncan from NRL NT for their support in facilitating the match this morning. Similarly, gratitude is extended to the king of NT Schoolboys referees, Marcos Steinhardt, for not one but two stellar performances in the middle with the whistle again today.
From here, Saints will regroup on the training field again next week in preparation for the NRL NT Gala Day to be held at Webber Park later in the term.
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