After defeating the premiers last week the Butchers travelled up the coast and took on Grand Finalist Helensburgh in a heart stopper yesterday, played again in muddy windy conditions. After training was cancelled through the week and all trials and round one played in the wet, the butchers will be itching to play on a dry track.
A tough first period saw both teams have disallowed tries before Helenburgh crossed for first points to make it 4 nil. Former Butcher Eamon Hillen missed an easy conversion.
The Butchers hit back with a try to James Bannister after a mid field break from Luke Gallagher.
Thirroul added another not long after with quick hands through backs for a Reece Jaeger try in the corner., Thirroul 8 Burgh 4
After half time , Helensburgh scored next points off a cross field kick, The Burgh winger flying high in the air to score a great try. burgh 10 Thirroul 8
The Butchers peppered the burgh line, after going close several times, quick hands from Nathan Fien and a Jake Walsh cut out pass put Jaeger over again in the corner. Again the conversion was unsuccessful.
Thirroul 12 Burgh 10.
Thirroul will look back and think they should have closed the game up here but silly penalties and giving up good field position allowed the burgh back in.
The final period of the game was well worth the entry fee. Both teams threw quality plays at each other, stiff defence from both sides and great cover tackles prevented certain points, before the Burgh looked to have won with a late try and conversion which had the home crowd roaring and heckling the Butchers fans.
The Burgh dropped the ball off the kickoff to give The Butchers a final crack at winning the game. The Butchers showed great patience to work towards the line, going close to scoring, before deft passing saw monster centre Damien Blanche crash over in the south west corner. Not a good spot to kick to win game, a vocal home crowd screaming as Nathan Wynn looked to converted only to miss my the smallest margin.
A very entertaining game, while ahppy to come home from the Burgh with a pint, Thirroul could have easily won the game, penalties and dropped ball with good field position cost them several times.
Thirrouls best, in my opinion, were three players who didn’t score any points but had enormous games in the middle. Jay Gallagher, only 18 years old and new to the club from the Dragons Juniors, led the pack with bruising defence and hard damaging runs. Luke Gallagher, no relation, and Pat Franks, were both tireless in the middle in attack and defence. The Wynn brothers also added great versatility and a solid kicking game.
Reserve grade fielded a very strong side and have now created some selection headaches for the coaching staff of both grades. Julian Flego and Matt Syron played their usual tough games in the middle while Blake Davies and Denan Kemp added the spark to the backs which saw the Butchers run out winners 24 – 10. English flyer Mitch Cox opened the scoring with a hlaf way intercept. Blake Davies created many of the butchers attacking plays, Kyle Martens repsonded to being relegated with a very tidy game and Chris Astill showed he will also push for a first grade spot.Coach Jarrod Costello was pleased to get the points against a team that reserve grade hadn’t beaten for the last few years, yet, being a very hard marker, thought the boys could have point a few more points on the board.
Under 19’s played their first match for the year, fielding a very young side including three players from the under 17’s.Coach Brett Jones will be happy with the effort and with glimpses of brilliance from hooker Jake Sargent Wilson, tough running from Logan Cole and several of the young boys stepping up,Jones has plenty of talent to work with which will be strengthened by the return of players from junior rep comittments in the next few weeks. The Burgh ran out winners 42 – 18
The Butchers now have a week off over Easter and will play thier first home game for the year against Dapto on Saturday 26th April
S.Jarvis
13.4.2014
