Wanneroo V Perth Bayswater at Rugby Park

First Semi Final

Reigning Premiers toppled by the Green Machine

Wanneroo went from the outhouse to the penthouse in the space of a week when they stunned the WA rugby community by defeating Perth Bayswater at Rugby Park on Sunday.

In the last game of the season at Perth Bayswater’s ground Wanneroo were outplayed in every facet of the game by the men in black. After such a mauling it was assumed that Baysie’s juggernaut pack would steamroll a path through the Dogs defence that would enable their backs to accumulate points at will this week.

Unfortunately for them, Elwee Prinsloo and his team didn’t read the script. This remarkable outfit of over achievers swallowed the harsh rugby medicine and used it to formulate their plan of attack for the rematch. They willingly put in four days of toil on the training paddock and their hard work paid off in spades.

Perth usually start fairly conservatively, then increase the tempo of the game with their aggressive pack gradually crushing their opponents which enables their backline to operate with time, space and momentum. This time they opened up like men possessed and forced Wanneroo into defensive mode in their own 22 within seconds. The Baysie backs had an early attacking chance spoiled when Wanneroo winger Olly Viney rushed the ball carrier.

The Dogs were under immense pressure and lost their own line out but not their composure. They were shunted  backwards in a 5 metre scrum and scrum half Tyler Berry did well to grab the Perth No8 and stop his momentum when he tried a pick and go from the base. Perth hit the ball up repeatedly and all Wanneroo could do was hang in.

But they did it supremely well.  

After what seemed an age, but which in reality was only about ten minutes, Wanneroo withstood the onslaught and managed to break the Perth stranglehold through veteran Wanneroo stalwart Mike Johnston. He took the ball and barged his way through several Perth forwards before feeding his fellow front rower Semisi. He continued the bullocking run and got the ball to Feterika who somehow managed to find a little space and slid through it. He drew the defence and gave a sweet pass to Olly who made it into the Perth 22 and looked as though he may go all the way to the try line, only for a last gasp ankle tap to deny him the opportunity. Perth were penalised at the breakdown and Troy Doughty had a shot at goal that narrowly missed.

The Dogs made a rare mistake when Perth put a high ball deep into the Wanneroo half and it was allowed to bounce when at least three players could have claimed it. The Perth fullback followed up and took it on the second bounce. He charged into the 22 and set up an attacking phase ball when he was caught. Perth took the ball and hit it up for another 4 or 5 phases, but couldn’t penetrate a solid wall of defenders. Eventually Wanneroo transgressed at the breakdown and Perth took an easy three pointer right in front. Wanneroo would probably have been relieved to concede only three points when their mistake under the high ball could so easily have cost them seven.    

Wanneroo 0 – Perth Bayswater 3   

The next period of play was an arm wrestle between the teams with Perth controlling the set piece and chucking the lion’s share of the ball to their backs. But Wanneroo’s all round defensive tenacity denied them opportunities to capitalise on their possession and position. During this make or break period and Perth had to fight tooth and nail for every inch of ground. The pressure should have been greater for Wanneroo than Perth, but the Dogs toughed it out and it was Bayswater that cracked and made errors.

Out of nowhere the Wanneroo backs conjured up a break out when Palei and Fet combined to turn play round and surged into the Perth 22. Their good work was complemented by a wonderful support run by the Road Runner Adam Pine. He latched onto the ball and bludgeoned his way to within a metre of the Perth try line before being brought down. He rolled and popped the ball up, but there was no back up player and the try went begging. It actually looked like Adam could have rolled over the line for a try had he not been so unselfish. But as our French representative Ben would say ‘Cest la vie’.

Perth managed to kick for touch after taking the pop up ball, but Wanneroo were now coming strong. They moved the line out ball to Palei and he drove forward into the midfield where the Perth No8 was sin binned for foul play. Troy easily converted the penalty to level the scores. Wanneroo 3 – Perth Bayswater 3

Wanneroo resumed their attack mode shortly afterwards when Palei fed Troy Woodman out wide and Troy used his speed and strength to beat several defenders and get into Perth’s half of the field. He was eventually held, but the attack continued and Perth were forced backwards. Their scrambled defence was pressured into conceding a penalty 30 metres out, but Troy was unable to convert it.

Wanneroo’s early defence, good structure and team work was beginning to pay dividends and their efforts were rewarded when Troy Woodman again powered down the left wing from his 22 to set his team up. His good work was carried on by Ben and Fet (I think – I was too busy cheering to take notes) who tore into the 22. Perth got across to them, but couldn’t stop Whemi Davies who showed courage, endurance and athleticism to follow up and carry the ball over for an excellent try. Troy added three points.

I take this opportunity to pay tribute to Whemi. He was in pain and injured when he went into the game. He absorbed a lot of punishment during the game and afterwards he resembled a live version of a Picasso abstract painting. His head was joined to his body at an unnatural angle and his shoulders seemed to emanate from his torso at illogical locations. Wanneroo 10 – Perth Bayswater 3  

Woody was back in action with ball in hand almost immediately and created all sorts of problems for Perth. Semisi gathered a high ball and crashed his way through some fragile defence to set up a ruck. Perth’s nerves were stretched as much as their defence and they picked up another yellow card. Troy claimed the three points just before the break.

Half time: Wanneroo 13 – Perth Bayswater 3  

Perth resumed with a trade mark, forward orientated grunt & groan drive that got them going forward and freed their backs. Adam Pine showed good vision and work ethic to get to the midfield and help stop Baysie’s back line run. Richie supported his efforts with a massive hit, but Perth maintained their drive and were rewarded with a penalty 30 metres out in front of the posts. The kick sailed through. Wanneroo 13 – Perth Bayswater 6.

Jonno caught the drop out ball and took it forward supported by Richie, but Perth turned the ball over at the breakdown. A period of tit for tat play ensued where both sides won possession but couldn’t capitalise on it. Joe and Tu were prominent in attack and defence, Ben began to assert his presence with some booming positional kicks and Whemi was ruling the line out, but illogically the Dogs began to haemorrhage penalties during this time.  A high kick was fielded deep in his own half by the ever reliable Troy who, for some unaccountable reason, tried to take on four Perth players on his own. Inevitably he got caught and Perth were awarded a penalty which they kicked to take them within a try of Wanneroo. Wanneroo 13 – Perth Bayswater 9.

Ben heeded his coach’s half time instructions and began to pepper the ground with varied, quality kicks that continually turned Perth round. Wanneroo were in the driving seat and looking good. Their pack had absorbed the early brutality of Perth’s scrum and were now dishing out some of their own in the set piece. The green forward’s work rate was still high. The Dogs back line was eager and willing to get involved at any opportunity. Perth were disjointed but still dangerous. A Wanneroo scrum ball was quickly fed to the midfield and the backline rampaged through the Perth defence. Each time they were held they manoeuvred the ball to the right and advanced a little more until Ben put it out to Woody on the wing and he forced his way over the line ion the corner. Troy missed the very difficult conversion. Wanneroo 18 – Perth Bayswater 9.

With Ben’s tactical kicking controlling position and his team mates willing to put their bodies on the line the Dogs were ascendant, but Perth didn’t win last season’s premiership by folding when the going got tough and they fought it out to the end. They managed to get the ball into Wanneroo’s 22 where their forward’s hammered their green counterparts relentlessly. The pressure saw Wanneroo stand tall in defence but they conceded a penalty which Perth kicked into the corner for a line out. It didn’t take a genius to work out their strategy. They took the ball, set up their stock in trade driving maul and steam rollered their way to the Dog’s try line where they went over for a five pointer. The difficult conversion was stroked home. Wanneroo 18 – Perth Bayswater 16.

Wanneroo then showed their spirit and their determination by attacking their own drop out ball. Adam Pine and his cohorts charged into Perth, forced them into errors and were rewarded when they took possession and aggressively took play into Perth’s 22. They bombarded the Perth line looking for a try when they could just as easily have kicked the ball out and their enterprise and determination saw Perth give away a penalty in front. Troy coolly added another three points and Wanneroo were home.

Final Score: Wanneroo 21 – Perth Bayswater 16.

What a turn around from last week. This Wanneroo team continues to amaze and delight their supporters. They have created history for our Rugby Club by winning a finals game for the first time ever. Their performance was extraordinary. They absorbed immense pressure early in the game, worked their way into a position of dominance and hardly put a foot wrong thereafter.

They have exceeded even their own expectations, but it has come at a cost for them. WA State prop Toby Foster was unable to play this week because of a neck injury he picked up last week. Lock Whemi moved with all the grace of an arthritic seventy year old after the game and most of his team mates weren’t in much better state. They put their bodies on the line. But this is what it takes to play at the top level and the fact that these guys step up to the mark in such condition is part of the reason that they are in the finals. The other components that mark them out as true competitors are team spirit, (which they have in abundance) very high fitness and skill levels, excellent structure and high level coaching nous. They have earned the right to be where they are.

A magnificent effort Wanneroo

Wanneroo play Nedlands at 3.30pm on Sunday at Rugby Park for a place in the final.

Please come and support them and bring as many of your friends as possible.
 

Click the links below to watch the video highlights of the big clash.

LMSC TV: Semi Final Perth Bayswater v Wanneroo 1st Half

LMSC TV: Semi Final Perth Bayswater v Wanneroo 2nd Half *including post game interviews

The ladies got a drubbing by Perth, but they also got a valuable lesson. They learned that endeavour and heart are fantastic bedfellows, but unless they have a threesome with structure it will end in dissatisfaction.

 Perth are big, organised, strong and reasonably pacey. They exploit a team’s weaknesses well, but they are not unbeatable. The UniRoos toiled all day, but they worked as individuals for most of the game and it sapped their energy. The forwards did it particularly hard because they also got a constant hiding in the scrum. But to their credit they didn’t lower themselves to the level of other teams and take the easy option of going uncontested. They toughed it out with pride and dignity and by the end of the game they began to win a few engagements.

Half time saw Perth ahead 27 – 0 with most of the points coming from errors by the UniRoos.

 The greens started the second half well but Perth soon added to their tally when they took a tight head scrum ball and crashed over the line. They scored another try from a high punt ball into the 22 where Carmel was left isolated and any one of four attackers could have strolled in. Perth repeated the high ball tactic minutes later and Carmel responded by taking the ball on the run and made an amazing solo run out of her 22 that saw her beat no less than five defenders. She made it to the 10 metre line before being monstered by a wall of Perth defenders.  

The visitors soon racked up 50 points and it looked like they would crack the century until the home team suddenly had a resurgence. They didn’t score, nor did they stop Perth from scoring, but their improved attitude and organisation at the breakdown forced Perth to work for the ball. Previous to this Perth had taken the ball almost at will and swanned around looking good. Now they were in a contest. Unfortunately the contest was only at close quarters. Once Perth broke free they were able to run wide with support and pierce the UniRoo’s desperately isolated defence (usually just Carmel who worked her butt off)

 But there were some good aspects to the green’s game. They tightened up their scrum and became a bit more competitive. They eventually managed to put a big shunt on Perth’s scrum feed and drive them off the ball. They became more workmanlike and started to win a ball or two. They managed to set Tamara up and she made an excellent break up the wing that took the UniRoos into that rarefied outer zone – The Perth 22. Perth had to work hard to close her down, but they eventually managed to stop her progress. The UniRoos gave their all and were exhausted but they showed great resilience and determination to make Perth fight for the points right to the end.    

 Final Score: UniRoos 0   - Perth Bayswater Lots 

Bill Watt