Western coach Kurt Hancock knew Saturday’s round three Andrew Johns Cup clash with Illawarra South Coast was going to be his side’s toughest of the 2018 championship to date.
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It’s little wonder he’s now smiling ear to ear.
On the road and up against an unbeaten Dragons line-up, the Rams stormed to a 30-26 victory at Wollongong on Saturday, rocketing Hancock’s Western side to the top of the 2018 country championship’s southern pool.
Hancock had known they were in for a challenge.
“Illawarra is playing good football. They’ll throw a lot at us in attack,” he said in the lead-up to Saturday’s clash.
“We’re starting to get a lot of recognition.”
Speedy fullback Tyler Colley crossed twice and booted three goals in the four-point victory, while Dubbo St John’s representative Noah Ryan also scored a four-pointer.
It was Western’s toughest win of the tournament so far after 52-0 and 24-4 wins over Riverina and Penrith respectively in the opening two rounds of the Andrew Johns Cup.
Western tackles Monaro at Roberts Park, Harden in round four next Saturday, March 17.
A win in the penultimate round will secure Western a place in the southern pool’s top two and a chance at defending the under 16s country championship crown the Rams won in 2017.
We’re starting to get a lot of recognition.
- Kurt Hancock
Nick McGrath
Editor, Central Western Daily
Editor, Central Western Daily
