Ron Massey Cup / Sydney Shield 2017

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St Marys continued were they left off against Wests last week by destroying Wenty 50-10 with Maika Sivo scoring another 3 tries. In the SS, Asquith threw down the challenge to Mounties with the score 16-16 going into the last quarter of the game but the competition leaders closed out the game with another 2 tries.

A few squads are under pressure numbers wise, with Hutch Maiava playing both RMC and SS for Blacklactown as did James Boustani and Nico Apelu for Hills. Phil Crosby played A grade against Jack Hawkins' Berowra side before backing up against Mounties in SS.

 

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Sunday's results

RMC
St Marys Saints 50 (M Sivo 3, M Cerruto 2, R Tuisese, G Daniela, T Romer, S Luke tries; A Davis 7 goals) def Wentworthville Magpies 10 (B Cook 2 tries; J Walsh goal)

Hills District Bulls 22 (C O'Donnell 2, D Baumann, S Walpole tries; C O'Donnell 2, J Boustani goals) def Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 18 (S Fitzgerald 2, C Aunese-Scanlon, B Ruttley tries; B Ruttley goal)

SS
Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 44 (C Davis 3, D Cassone 2, T Brown, P Vaiotu, J Wharerau tries; T Brown 5, J Wharerau) def Hills District Bulls 4 (I Gorman try)

East Campbelltown Eagles 34 (B Baker 3, B Lahey, E Connor, M Talolua tries; E Connor 5 goals) def Guildford Owls 14 (S Ratu, C Alaalatoa, T Shelley tries; N Masima goal)

Belrose Eagles 34 (C Bate 2, F Laloua Tui, M Tweedie, R Goodwin, C Abrahams, C Roxburgh tries; W Tangiiti 3 goals) def Western Suburbs Magpies 18 (H Leuea, B Powers, J Kaufusitua tries; H Leuea 3 goals)

Mounties 26 (C Makelim 2, L Li 2, T Glassie tries; J Ellul 3 goals) def Asquith Magpies 16 (A Kalcina, J Marshall, A Groom tries; V Ngaro 2 goals)

 

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Blacktown have lost another player with Kyle Eather transferring to Collegians in the Illawarra comp.

 

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SS round 12

Asquith 34 Cabramatta 12
Mounties 38 Blacktown 20
Hills 22 Wests 20
Guildford 52 Moorebank 14
St Marys 46 East Campbelltown 20
Wenty 42 Belrose 18

Cabramatta played 5 from their RMC side that beat Auburn last week, including 3 try hero Kenny Ahovelo and Donny Thompson but could not match it with Asquith, who have now pushed up to 5th place.

Hills returned to the winners circle with a side that included 3 Blacktown players making their debuts - Jake Attard and Josh Fraser - both crossing for tries, as well as Mike Filimona. This means that 15 Blacktown players have relocated into 6 other RMC or SS clubs as well as 1 to the Illawarra comp, leaving about 7 more players, including Fiji rep Henry Raiwalui, to surface. The Blacktown side that was beaten by Mounties today had only 1 player from SS side that played in the first game of the season.

Premiers, East Campbelltown, have slumped to 8th spot after being belted by St Marys, who only had a couple of RMC guys in the side. Belrose stuck with Wenty for half the game but could not compete as the game wore on. Paul Fletcher has added another Wests Tigers player to the Guildford roster - Jayden Wheelhouse was a member of the Tigers NSW Cup squad but played mainly with the Magpies in RMC and SS this season. He made his first appearance for Guildford in SS today and crossed for a try.

 

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RMC round 12

Wenty 24 Concord Burwood Glebe 10
Hills 30 Wests 16
Mounties 52 Blacktown 4
Auburn 34 Guildford 26

St Marys and Mounties are in a different class to the other teams. Auburn won their 2nd game of the season to shoot clear of Wests and Cabramatta at the bottom.

 

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Tony Dosen's RMC Wrap

Defending dual Ron Massey Cup Premiers Mounties showed that they were on track for an historic ‘three-peat’ when they demolished the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 52-4 in the ‘match of the round’ at Laybutt Fields, Blacktown last Sunday.

Blacktown got off to a great start when promoted winger Jayden Wharerau got the first try in the sixth minute to give the home side the lead.

After a tight first 20 minutes, Mounties then moved into their stride when centre Jake Steadman scored the visitors’ first try in the 22nd minute.

Opposite centre Josh Toole then scored four minutes later, before Mounties got two critical tries in the last five minutes of the first half through interchange half Dylan Izzard and winger Alofi Mataele to take a handy 22-4 lead into the half time break.

The brilliant Mounties backline then cut loose in the second half with devastating effect.

Interchange player Alec Susino opened the second half with his try just three minutes into the second stanza before Mataele completed his double five minutes later to kill the game off as a contest at 32-4.

The ruthless Mulga then went on with the job with further tries in the last 20 minutes to winger Shannon Chapman, and fullback John Kennedy while Steadmanm completed his double.

Mounties prop Rodney Coates then crashed over near the posts in the final minute to bring up the half century of points in another emphatic statement to the rest of the competition.

Hills District Bulls maintained their Top Two place with a solid 30-16 win over a disappointing Western Suburbs Magpies at Crestwood Reserve last Sunday.

With star recruit Feleti Mateo playing in the centres and Lebanese international Abbas Miski at five eighth in a reshuffled backline, the Bulls won the match with a powerful first half in attack.

Miski opened the scoring down the left in the sixth minute, before half Chad O’Donnell scored a good solo try from close range in the 15th minute to double the lead to 12-nil after Jayden Horo’s conversion.

Wide running back rower David Baumann scored from a Wests turnover 10 minutes before half time, then opposite centre Sean Walpole finished off a movement from a scrum in the last minute of the first half to give the Bulls a commanding 22-nil lead at the break.

A superb Mateo chip kick found winger Troy Black in the first set of six tackles to start the second half to virtually secure the win for the Bulls at 26-nil.

Wests finally got on the board six minutes into the second half when winger Joe Kaufusitua pounced on a Horo mistake from a ‘bomb’ to score the Magpies’ first try.

Wests winger Josh Davis then gave the Magpies hope of a miracle when he finished a backline movement to score in the corner for 26-10 with 15 minutes left.

That hope was finished when a Horo break sent Mateo away to score the sealer at 30-10 with six minutes to play. Former Blacktown Workers and Manly Intrust Super Premiership player Jerry Key got a consolation try for Wests from a penalty tap in the last minute to make the final score more respectable.

The much maligned Auburn Warriors returned to near their best form – and the Cup’s Top Eight – with an upset 34-26 win over the Guildford Owls at McCredie Park last Sunday.

It appeared ‘business as usual’ for the Owls in the first 20 minutes after the home side got the opening try through fullback Shane Hunt in the 13th minute.

After the tight first 20 minutes, new Warriors recruit in former Blacktown Workers and Manly ISP half Manaia Rudolph made an impact in his second game for his new club as he fired the Warriors’ attack – which included veteran ex-Canterbury NRL winger Matt Utai in yet another comeback – into gear.

Warriors lock Sia Tagaloa bagged a double in the space of six minutes to give Auburn the lead at 12-6, before Lebanese international prop Mitch Mamary barged over from close range seven minutes from half time to extend the visitors’ lead.

Enigmatic backrower Willis Meehan then finished off another Rudolph inspired play in the shadows of half time to give the Warriors a shock 24-6 lead at the break.

Guildford – fired up by coach Paul Fletcher at half time – started their comeback when Hunt completed his double five minutes into the second half before backrower Jarred Farlow got his first try five minutes later to get the Owls back to 24-14.

The match then became scrappy with more than it’s share of niggle in the middle stages of the second half – the Warriors taking advantage of the Owls’ ill discipline with Rudolph landing penalty goals in the 61st and 66th minutes to extend the Auburn lead to 28-14.

Warriors’ five eighth Tom Carr then scored the critical try with 12 minutes left to give the visitors their match winning 34-14 lead.

Guildford scored two late converted tries when Farlow completed his double and half Lazarus Brown scored with seven minutes left to get the Owls back to 34-26, but Auburn held on in the closing stages for their second win of the season – moving past Wests into eight spot.

Finally, the Wentworthville Magpies were too strong for the Concord-Burwood-Glebe Wolves 24-10 in their match at Leichhardt Oval last Saturday night.

In a tight and tough first half which included a scoreless first 20 minutes, Wenty winger James Gammidge got the first try for the Magpies in the 22nd minute and a 6-nil lead.

The Wolves – playing the second of their four home heritage matches in the Glebe ‘Dirty Reds’ jumpers – then struck back with a try to backrower Jacob McCudden before taking the lead with winger Harry O’Toole’s sixth try of the season five minutes from half time at 10-6 with Rhys’ Davies’ conversion.

The Magpies responded when NRL Rookie runner up Jordan Martin – playing fullback in a re-shaped backline – scored his try in the shadows of half time to give the vistors a 12-10 lead at the break thanks to Jake Walsh’s conversion.

In a grinding and at times scrappy second half, Wenty took their chances when they presented themselves.

First, five-eighth Zac Nicholls finished an attack to score 15 minutes into the second half for an 18-10 lead after Walsh converted.

After the Wolves had chances in the last 20 minutes, Wenty centre Ethan Tangira scored the match winner with four minutes left to keep Wenty’s place secure inside the Cup’s Top Four with Walsh’s last conversion of the night.

St Marys and Cabramatta had byes – with the Saints’ bye and superior percenatage keeping them on top of the table ahead of the Bulls on 20 points each. Wentworthville are third on 18, with Mounties dangerously moving into fourth place on 16 points ahead of Blacktown (also 16) on percentage. Cabramatta are still at the bottom of the ladder with eight points despite their bye.

This weekend in a reduced round, Mounties take on Cabramatta at Aubrey Keech Reserve on Saturday at 1pm as the main curtain raiser to the ISP blockbuster between Mounties and Wyong, before the Auburn Warriors put their new found form to the test against St Marys at St Marys Leagues Stadium on Sunday at 4pm.

 

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Tony Dosen's SS Wrap

Sydney Shield competition leaders Mounties kept their place at the top of the Shield table with a comfortable 38-20 win over a game Blacktown Workers Se Eagles outfit at Laybutt Fields, Blacktown last Sunday.

Mounties got off to a superb start when Maltese international winger Jye Ellul opened the scoring in the first set of six tackles of the match, before returning centre Maile Li followed suite with his first try just five minutes later for an early 10-nil lead.

Blacktown then fought back in their best period of the match as centre Skippy Lipano and powerful backrower Cameron Davis finished off wide running movements for tries to level up scores at 10-all after just 15 minutes.

Mounties then again asserted their authority after a 15 minute arm wrestle when five eighth Zeik Foster scored, before prop Brandon Raeli barged over from close range six minutes from half time to give the visitors a handy 20-10 lead at the break.

Raeli and Foster both completed their doubles in the first 10 minutes of the second half to virtually win the match for the visitors at 30-10 after Ellul converted Foster’s second try.

Blacktown fullback Daniel Cassone gave the home side some hope of a comeback with his try midway through the second half at 30-16, before Mounties interchange forward Ben Whitehouse made sure of the Mulga’s win with his try with 15 minutes left.

Maile Li got a second try – and his 10th for the season – with seven minutes left to extend the lead to 38-16, with Blacktown pivot Kieran Wyld getting a consolation try for the home side in the last two minutes.

Wentworthville kept their place in the Shield’s Top Two with a hard working 42-18 win over an undermanned Belrose at Lionel Watts Reserve last Sunday.

Badly missing leading Shield try scorer Christian Bate on personal leave, the patched up Eagles were on the back foot from the time the opening kick off went dead.

Wenty took full advantage of their early field position when centre Jack Miller got the first try wide on the right in the sixth minute.

Stand in fullback Richie Goodwin ran off a Wallace Tangiiti pass to get a Belrose reply against the run of play six minutes later, before Wenty five eighth Jake Rafferty-Butfield strolled through flimsy goal line in the 21st minute to extend the Magpies’ lead to 12-4.

Belrose centre Marvin Slavin got a second try against the overwhelming run of play 10 minutes before half time, before a Belrose turnover in the shadows of half time saw Wenty interchange player Nicki Toomata score wide out on the next set to give the visitors a deserving 18-8 lead at the interval.

Belrose then put together their best period of play in the first 10 minutes of the second half.

First a superb Tangiiti cut out pass hit unmarked winger Isaac Kassis on the chest for an easy try in the corner, then replacement hooker Maverick Tweedie burrowed over from dummy half to level scores up at 18-all after Layton converted from near touch.

Wenty then upped the ante in defence, forcing turnovers and setting up field position for prop Mana Aonga to burst through from close range and score mid way through the second half to regain the lead for the Magpies at 24-18 with Brendan Newton’s simple conversion.

Miller’s second try against a backpedalling defence then broke the Eagles’ backs with just over 18 minutes left.

Fellow Wenty prop Solomone Lasalo then got a similar barging try to Aonga’s with 10 minutes left to make sure of the win, before an Aonga bust up the middle with five minutes to go fed a pass to fullback James Goring to finish the job under the posts.

St Marys returned to their best form with an emphatic 46-20 win over defending premiers East Campbelltown at Waminda Oval last Sunday.

The Saints set the platform for the big win in the first half hour – initially with an early blast from tries to prop Veta Lilomaiava and five eighth Aiden Glanville for an 8-nil lead after 10 minutes.

St Marys then extended the lead through the middle with tries to lock Latu Fifita, interchange prop Taylor McCann and second rower Joe Vaegaau to set up a commanding 24-nil lead over the shellshocked Eagles.

East Campbelltown half Chris Standing got a late first half try to get the Eagles on the board at 24-6 down at the break.

Any hopes of a trademark Wamdina Oval comeback by the premiers were dashed when Saints winger John Tuliatu scored in the opening minute of the second half, with a second try to Glanville which he converted himself blowing out the lead to 34-6 just 10 minutes into the second stanza.

Theo Leato got a try back for the premiers, before St Marys put the game to bed with converted tries to fullback Andy Oughtred and interchange player Brad Borland to have the match decided at 46-10 with 20 minutes to play.

Late tries to singer Amanono Tovio and centre Ben Baker – who the Saints kept quiet most of the day – were only of consolation value to the well beaten Eagles.

Asquith moved back into the Shield’s Top Four with a handsome 34-12 win over Cabramatta at New Era Stadium, Cabramatta last Saturday night.

Against a Two Blues outfit boosted by five players dropping back from their Ron Massey Cup team thanks to a bye in the Cup, Asquith won the match with a storming first half after Cabra prop Taku Simon got the opening try in the second minute.

Centre Adam Kalcina, returning fullback Jake Pickering, winger Jeremy Marshall and backrower Cameron Yeates all crossed for tries in a slashing first half that gave the visitors a 22-6 lead at the break.

Asquith looked to be running away with the match when Kalcina got his second try six minutes into the second half to blow the lead out to 28-6, before Cabramatta came back following Magpies skipper Aaron Groom’s banishment to the sin bin by referee Cameron Paddy.

Cabra interchange forward Siu Huihahau burst over to score while Groom was in the bin to bring scores back to 28-12 with still 25 minutes left.

Asquith then steadied after Groom returned from the sin bin as the match got bogged down under a stack of errors, and eventually secured the two points with just over 10 minutes left when Magpies five eighth Jon Grimes sent a deft chip kick over the top – for the flying Pickering to take on the full and dash the last 45 metres for score his second try under the posts.

The Hills District Bulls snapped a five game losing streak in just edging out Western Suburbs 22-20 in the match at Crestwood Reserve last Sunday.

The young Magpies started the better in the early exchanges and converted their advantage to points when Jamin Williams finished off neat lead up work to score under the posts in the sixth minute.

Wests extended the lead when centre Eddie Vatuvei got through poor defence to score at the end of a repeat set for a 10-nil lead after 12 minutes.

Five minutes later, the Bulls opened their account when winger Anthony Overton finished off a well directed attack to score, before Jake Attard – another player who started the year with Blacktown Workers – burrowed over from dummy half to score under the posts and level scores at 10-all after 23 minutes.

Wests then regained the lead on the stroke of half time when Magpies winger Charlton Schaafhausen picked up a loose ball from a bomb by Bulls half James Boustani on his own goal line, dashed 50 metres upfield, then fed a pass to centre Nathan Tui who bolted the last 50 metres to score a spectacular try.

Blake Higgins converted to give Wests a deserved 16-10 half time lead.

A Bulls turnover in the first set of the second half opened the door for backrower Corey Kurnoth to finish off the counter attack wide out for a try to extend the lead to 20-10.

The class of former Lebanese international Boustani then came through when the Bulls needed it most when he scored a good solo try with 18 minutes left to set up a grandsand finish at 20-16 after he converted his own try.

A right side raid with seven minutes left saw centre Josh Fraser – another ex-Blacktown Workers player on Bulls debut – dive over to score lock the game up. Boustani nailed the conversion to give the Bulls the lead for the first time at 22-20.

In a dramatic finish – even though Boustani missed a late penalty goal attempt for a late tackle that would have made sure of it – the Bulls were able to hang on in the closing minutes to snare their first Shield win since Round Five.

Finally, Guildford moved back into the Shield Top Eight when they came away in the second half to post an easy 52-14 win over Moorebank at McCredie Park last Sunday.

After a tight, scoreless first 10 minutes, the Owls opened the scoring when Julian King marked a return to his regular position of hooker with the first try in the 14th minute. Winger Jayden Wheelhouse scored in the corner three minutes later for a 10-nil lead.

Classy centre prospect Nick Okladnikov scored in the 21st minute to extend the Guildford lead to 16-nil.

The Rams were able to respond after a steady 15 minutes late in the first half when winger Brodie Vassallo finished a backline movement in the opposite corner five minutes from half time – reducing the Guildford lead to 16-4 at the interval.

Guildford interchange prop Austin Dias charged over from close range to start the second half, before Vassallo got a second try in the 12th minute of the second period to keep the Rams in the game with a faint hope at 22-8.

However, Moorebank’s resistance was finally broken with Todd Sapienza’s first try with 20 minutes left – this burst the floodgates open for the Owls.

Opposite winger Ash Brown bagged a double, while centre Cajun Alaalatoa and interchange player got over the stripe as Guildford scored five tries in 12 minutes to put the Rams away with a 46-8 lead.



.

 

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Results | Ron Massey Cup Round 13
Mounties 26 (J Steadman, A Mataele, S Chapman, J Toole, B Speechley tries; M Kennedy 3 goals) def Cabramatta 16 (B Anderson, I Montgomery, D Thompson tries; D Thompson 2 goals)

Results | Sydney Shield Round 13
Mounties 32 (D Smith, J Hobbs, L Li, J Ellul, Z Foster, C Cheeseman tries; J Ellul 4 goals) def Cabramatta 16 (Z Wedesweiler, T Touma, K Pope tries; B Cox 2 goals)

Mounties had to work a bit harder than might be expected in both grades. Fijian test half back, Henry Raiwalui made his first appearance for Mounties since leaving Blacktown 6 weeks ago. He shared the hooking role with Dylan Izzard but a spot in the backline may become available with 40 year old winger Shannon Chapman going off with an arm injury in the second half. Mounties' Leva Li looked too good for SS, showing the penetration that resulted in an NRL appearance for the Titans in 2015.

 

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Sundays results

RMC

St Marys 48 (M Sivo 3, M Place 2, M Cerruto, T Eisenhuth, S Luke, S Tuigamala tries; M Place 5, S Luke goals) def. Auburn 6 (T Carr try, M Rudolph goal)

After 13 weeks of competition, Cabramatta have played more games than any other club for 1 win and 9 losses. 5 clubs have only played 8 games including the other 2 candidates for bottom 2 spots - Auburn 2 wins and 6 losses and Wests - 1 win, 1 draw and 6 losses. At the relevant end of the table, St Marys have 8 wins and 1 loss and Hills are doing well with 7 wins and 2 losses.

Another hat trick to Maika Sivo takes his tally to 18 tries in RMC building on the 45 tries he scored for Mounties in mainly SS last season and 29 for Gundagai in 2015.

SS

St Marys 36 (J Toby 2, P Nay 2, R Vai, T Luamath-Tuigamala tries; A Glanville 5, M Revell goals) def. Moorebank 34 (B Cassell, L Talau, Z Hethrington, B Starr, A Manu, J Gordon tries; K Hayman 5 goals)

East Campbelltown 42 (G Lahey, C Moustakis 2, B Baker 2, A Soultan, A Tovio, F Tevaga tries S Connor 5 goals) def. Belrose 12 (C Abrahams 2 tries, 2 goals )

Asquith 31 (J Pickering 2, J Grimes, S Jarvis, J Hall tries; V Ngaro 3, J Palmer 2 goals, J Grimes 1 Field Goal) def. Guildford 30 (T Shelley 2, H Hunt 2, S hunt, L Ngaluafe tries; T Sapienza 3 goals)

Some inconsistent performances on show in SS - last week St Marys hammered 5th placed East Campbelltown but this week knocked off early allowing winless Moorebank to score tries in the last 10 minutes to almost steal the game. Asquith led 24-6 just before half time but had to rely on a field goal at the death to take the points. Belrose shot out to a 12-0 after 12 minutes but East Campbelltown dominated the remainder of the game. Belrose's task was hampered when newly recruited ex peninsular forward Damien Lawler fell in a sprinkler hole in the warm up meaning that Belrose went in with a reduced interchange bench.

 

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Wests Magpies are replacing Wests Tigers in NSW Cup in 2018. I suspect the Magpies will be weaker in RMC as a result, if they continue to run a team, or they may follow Asquith's lead and play SS.

 

[magpie4ever]

Wests Magpies are replacing Wests Tigers in NSW Cup in 2018. I suspect the Magpies will be weaker in RMC as a result, if they continue to run a team, or they may follow Asquith's lead and play SS.

Or stronger, if the Magpies' clubs fund the 3 sides correctly - NSW Cup, RMC & Sydney Shield and use the excess from WTs for the NSW Cup side.

It will be great to see the Magpies back in the highest level at a state level.

 

[rightleftin]

Or stronger, if the Magpies' clubs fund the 3 sides correctly - NSW Cup, RMC & Sydney Shield and use the excess from WTs for the NSW Cup side.

It will be great to see the Magpies back in the highest level at a state level.

In theory you are correct, but there appears to be a problem at the Magpies, whether it is money or administrative I cannot say but last year they finished 2nd on the RMC ladder, winning 15 of 20 games. Of the 15 players that appeared in 10 or more games only 6 are in the 2017 side and yet there was minimal recruitment. It appears they thought guys from the Tigers NSW Cup squad could fill the gaps but so far only 1 win against Cabra. Will it be the same approach in 2018?

 

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Today's results

RMC
Western Suburbs Magpies 40 (V Mapesone 2, T Mapesone, J Key, L Willuams, J Davis, J Tamasi tries; V Mapesone 5, M Farrell goals) def. Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 4 (S Fitzgerald try)

SS
Western Suburbs Magpies 30 (J Wiliams 2, O Tui, R Ceasar, J Mitchell, B Powers tries; B Higgins 3 goals) def. Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 24 (A Soni, I Ioane, A Tufui, C Davis tries; L Chalkey 2, D Ayoub 2 goals)

Blacktown won their first 4 games in RMC but have won only 1 since they lost more than 20 players to other clubs. Given that have been transformed to one of the weakest sides it is now possible that clubs will have to win 4 games out of 18 rather than 3 games to qualify for the finals.

 

[Timmah]

Mounties catch-up games happening today from R4 in both grades - vs Belrose in SS and Concord Burwood Glebe in RMC. The Shield change means the Belrose-ECE game schedule for this round moves to R18 and the Asquith-Belrose game from R18 moves to R19.

Basically, the draw is a mess lol

 

[Tigers1986]

All thanks to Asquith's withdrawal from the RMC and poor organisation from the NSWRL. I've said it numerous times but the RMC could be a fantastic competition if managed correctly.

 

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RMC

Wentworthville Magpies 34 (A Gafa 2, N Kassic, T Lasalo, J Gammidge, E Tangira tries; J Walsh 5 goals) def Hills District Bulls 12 (T Black, J Fraser, C O'Donnell tries)

Mounties 34 (M Li 2, L Li, J Steadman, B Speechley, F Tagilima, R Coates tries; J Steadman 2, J Kennedy goals) def Concord-Burwood-Glebe Wolves 12 (S Williams, J Dokonivalu tries; K Aldridge 2 goals)

CBGW scored first and had another disallowed just before half time to trail 10-6 at the break but Mounties dominated the second period. Kurt Aldridge played for Blacktown against Mounties 2 weeks ago, so the exodus continues. Is this a case of players simply wanting to play for anyone else or might it be that contract payments were not being honoured?

SS

Mounties 22 (C Makelim, J Martin, C Taripo, Z Foster tries; C Taripo 3 goals) def Belrose Eagles 18 (A Raheb, A Layton, R Goodwin tries; W Tangiiti 3 goals)

Wentworthville Magpies 40 (J Miller 2, T Tepu-Smith, B Walsh, K Mackenzie, A Carling, C Ve'e tries; B Newton 6 goals) def Hills District 16 (A Overton, D Dean, I Gorman tries; J Boustani 2 goals)

St Marys Saints 24 (J Toby 2, S Tuigamala, R Tuisese tries; A Glanville 4 goals) def Asquith Magpies 22 (A Kalcina, J Grimes, J Pickering, A Groom tries; A Calvert-Evers 3 goals)

After playing for the Cook Islands in the last World Cup, Chris Taripo spent some time in Japanese Rugby and then with Randwick before signing with Mounties at the start of this season and was presumably injured in the trials and played his first comp game today. It was 12-12 at half time and after hitting the front it appeared that Belrose would hold firm on 18-12, and even when Taripo was on the end of a passing chain with 2 minutes to go he could not convert from the sideline. However, Cheeseman broke the Belrose line from the restart and offloaded to Foster to travel the final 60 metres to consolidate Mounties position at the top of the table.

Asquith almost matched it with a St Marys side that included 3 NSW squad members and a few other RMC regulars.

 

[Henson Park Hornets]

Anyone else hear the gossip that the NSWRL are getting rid of the SS from next season?

 

[rightleftin]

Anyone else hear the gossip that the NSWRL are getting rid of the SS from next season?

Tiger 1986 posted this suggestion months ago, but it seems strange that the NSWRL would axe a comp where you have 12 clubs want to compete (although nothing would surprise) and Glebe proposes to enter in 2018, when teams are falling away in RMC. Is it a plan to boost the RMC by forcing Asquith, Belrose and East Campbelltown to return to that comp.

 

[rightleftin]

A few mid season movements:

Sione Tovo from CBGW to Thirlmere (Group 6)
Elias Sukkar from CBGW to Auburn
Joe Rokoqo from Mounties to CBGW
Jett Hobbs from Belrose to Mounties
Jake Butfield from St Marys to Wenty
Ben Fritz from Newtown/Cabra to Blacktown

 

[magpie4ever]

Anyone else hear the gossip that the NSWRL are getting rid of the SS from next season?

This current mob at the NSWRL couldn't run a brothel in the middle of an army camp. So nothing would surprise me with the ex-Australian bowler at the helm.