RUGBY LEAGUE
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
CAN anyone stop the Oberon Tigers in Group 10 premier league?
The Blayney Bears couldn’t yesterday at the Oberon Sports Ground as the Tigers picked up a 42-20 win in the top-of-the-table clash to keep their undefeated start to the season intact.
Numerous tackle busts and offloads were the main source of the Tigers’ tries, with halfback Anton Wereta picking himself up a hat-trick and hooker Blake Fitzpatrick nabbing a brace.
Down 36-10, the Bears briefly threatened a comeback through two second-half tries before Wereta’s last try of the day sealed the deal.
You couldn’t wipe the smile of Tigers player-coach Zac Rowlandson post-game as he called the performance the most consistent his side have produced so far this year.
“They definitely don’t give up, those blokes. They came back hard and it’s great to get a win like that over them,” he said.
“We had a couple of little lapses but that’s still probably our most consistent performance so far.
“It’s the most consistent preparation we’ve had since we’ve come back in the Group and it’s paying off. Everyone’s performing better than expected and everyone is gelling. It’s really good to see.”
A Wereta intercept on Blayney’s own 20m line got the Tigers onto the board first but Lawrence Fogg quickly responded on the Bears’ next set to level the scores back up at six a piece.
The Bears briefly took the lead through a Fogg try that came about thanks to an overlap on the right wing.
Fitzpatrick got on the end of a short grubber to plant the ball down just inside the dead ball line and put his side ahead once more in the back-and-forth opening term.
A Matt Rose line break saw him set up fellow Tigers half Wereta for an easy try under the posts for an 18-10 lead at the break.
The Tigers started to build up momentum and completions through the middle of the park to begin the second half. They were rewarded in the 50th minute when an excellent solo run and try from Fitzpatrick saw his side go 14 clear.
One of the Tigers’ best on ground for the match, Abel Faifua-Lefaoseu, picked up a well-earned try before a big George Rose tackle bust and offload helped set up Tyler Hughes for a four-pointer.
The Tigers looked untouchable until a pair of errors from them saw Blayney run in two quick tries. Fogg completed his hat trick Deryne McKenzie also crossed.
The comeback wasn’t to be though.
High shots from both George and Matt Rose in the closing stages saw them put on report and briefly dampened the mood around the ground.
“We knew it would be tough coming down here. We had to win the middle and go wide. Every time we won the middle and would go wide we seemed to drop it or make a mistake,” Bears coach Dane Howarth said.
“We stuck with our structure which started to bring us back into the game in the middle of the second half but the execution wasn’t there. Our discipline was probably the best it’s been for three years though.
“Including myself and another two boys we had three out. It was still pretty positive because we had a few guys playing out of position.”
OBERON TIGERS 42 (Anton Wereta 3, Blake Fitzpatrick 2, Abel Faifua-Lefaoseu, Tyler Hughes tries; Trent Rose 7 goals) def BLAYNEY BEARS 20 (Lawrence Fogg 3, Deryne McKenzie tries; Josh Rainbow 2 goals)