Perth Red
Post Whore
- Messages
- 69,328
The WA Reds opened their home account with a thrilling win over South Sydney Sharks at MES. The Reds started the game on fire and totally dominated the Sharks in the opening 20 minutes. The Sharks didn't know what had hit them as the Reds raced into a 10 -0 lead. Slowly the Sharks fought their way back into the game and as the Reds tired, two quick tries saw the HT score of Reds 10 v Sharks 8.
The opening of the second half was all Sharks. David Peachey and Seu Seu started to use their experience and skill to guide the Sharks around the field and a physical and mentally tiring Reds were struggling to keep in touch. Plenty of pressure on the Reds line saw Sharks run in 18 unanswerd points to take a commanding 26-10 lead with 20 minutes left to play. A subdued crowd could see the writing on the wall as the Reds trudged back to halfway yet again to kick of following a Sharks try.
Then the mother of all inspirational interchanges was made. Onto the field came the big man, Sio Mailingi. Entering the arena pumped up and looking ready to fight Rocky Balboa his first contributon was a massive hit that visually lifted the Reds team and got the crowd back on their feet. Suddenly the Reds had come back to life and with the vocal crowd screaming them on they started to look like the team that had taken the Sharks apart in that opening twenty minutes.
Mailingi hit the line like a man possesed and utilising a hand off that could derail a train he got the Reds on the front foot and gave the speedy Reds backs the room to exploit the tiring Sharks.
With the Reds running in 22 unanswered points and leading 32 -26 with 10 minutes to go it was a nervous crowd that watched the Sharks throw everything they had at the Reds line. Time and again the Reds repelled the Sharks attack before a Reds break down the right side saw a match winning try in the final minute. The crowd went mad, the Reds players hugged each other with joy and the City of Perth welcomed back the WA Reds in the first step to our ulitimate goal.
FT score Reds 38 v Sharks 26
The opening of the second half was all Sharks. David Peachey and Seu Seu started to use their experience and skill to guide the Sharks around the field and a physical and mentally tiring Reds were struggling to keep in touch. Plenty of pressure on the Reds line saw Sharks run in 18 unanswerd points to take a commanding 26-10 lead with 20 minutes left to play. A subdued crowd could see the writing on the wall as the Reds trudged back to halfway yet again to kick of following a Sharks try.
Then the mother of all inspirational interchanges was made. Onto the field came the big man, Sio Mailingi. Entering the arena pumped up and looking ready to fight Rocky Balboa his first contributon was a massive hit that visually lifted the Reds team and got the crowd back on their feet. Suddenly the Reds had come back to life and with the vocal crowd screaming them on they started to look like the team that had taken the Sharks apart in that opening twenty minutes.
Mailingi hit the line like a man possesed and utilising a hand off that could derail a train he got the Reds on the front foot and gave the speedy Reds backs the room to exploit the tiring Sharks.
With the Reds running in 22 unanswered points and leading 32 -26 with 10 minutes to go it was a nervous crowd that watched the Sharks throw everything they had at the Reds line. Time and again the Reds repelled the Sharks attack before a Reds break down the right side saw a match winning try in the final minute. The crowd went mad, the Reds players hugged each other with joy and the City of Perth welcomed back the WA Reds in the first step to our ulitimate goal.
FT score Reds 38 v Sharks 26
