Since I assume they're not coming...
Cairns have continued Birchgrove’s nightmare season, the far North Queensland side scoring a dominant 18-2 win over the struggling Pistoleers.
Cairns: Luke Finnerty, Kenichiaou Yukamizo, and Ken McGuinness. Gordon 3/3
Birchgrove: None. Vassilakopoulos 1/1
PoM Points: Steve Simmons 3, Hefin O’Hare 2, and Michael Gordon 1.
A double to Cooper Vanu and a classy performance from first grade bound Morgan Turinui has lead the Balmain Storm to an exciting 20-14 win over the always unpredictable Christchurch Comets.
Christchurch: Morton Weatherall, Mark Muggleton, and Braden Mohammed. Van Straaten ¼
Balmain: Cooper Vanu 2 and Robbie Farah. Collis 4/4
PoM Points: Morgan Turinui 3, Simon Greally 2, and Isaac De Gois 1.
Nightmares for the financially struggling Souths Magpies in today’s game against Gisborne, with the side hit with a 38-10 thumping just hours after being told they won’t be participating in next year’s Rising Star Conference competition.
Gisborne: Martin Aspinwall, Chuck Randall, Richard Whiting, Simeon Rice, Jarred Lawrence, and Demetrius Lichtenstein 2. Melling 5/7
Souths: Heathcliffe Lawrence and James Anderson. Lucas ½
PoM Points: Richard Whiting 3, Martin Aspinwall 2, and Demetrius Lichtenstein 1.
Even a man of the match performance from former New England star, Toori Tatu, wasn’t enough to lift Hawthorn to a much needed win against the Kandy Jesters. Both sides scored a brace of tries, but the goal-kicking of Victor Akiba saw his side home to a 16-12 win.
Hawthorn: Cameron Ciraldo and Ben Jeffries. Tatu 2/2
Kandy: Brorten Levy and Trey Matthews. Akiba 4/6
PoM Points: Toori Tatu 3, Victor Akiba 2, and Owen Craigie 1.
Hunter have been surprise round fourteen losers, the high flying Bantams being brought to ground by the Ryde Eagles, 36-12. It was a classy performance from the Eastwood feeder, with Brent Grose and little known back-rower, Nautake Haga, scoring doubles.
Hunter: Scott Naylor and Beau Mundine. Randall 2/3
Ryde: Brent Grose 2, Simon Cooke, Ken Rogers, and Nautake Haga 2. Smith 6/6
PoM Points: Brent Grose 3, Nautake Haga 2, and Simon Cooke 1.
Port Kembla have easily accounted for Pine Rivers in today’s match, the Voodoo too strong and getting away with it 24-4. Former first-grader Ben Harris was impressive, scoring a try and having a hand in one other.
Port Kembla: Ben Harris, Reinhard Aust, Ryan Jones, and Tommy Gallaghar. Thomas 4/4
Pine Rivers: Quentin Lalau-Togage. Dorahy 0/1
PoM Points: Ben Harris 3, Chris Feather 2, and Tommy Gallaghar 1.
The biggest winners of round fourteen have been the North West Kookaburras, who impressed in a big 30-0 win over the hapless Rabaul Rangers. With Port Moresby announcing they’ll dissolve at season’s end, the game was just another sour point in a poor year for Papua New Guinean rugby league.
Rabaul: None.
North West: Aaron Erbs, Sam Key 2, Daniel Ferris, and Darren Burns. Ferris 5/5
PoM Points: Frankie Grills 3, Daniel Ferris 2, and Sam Key 1.
Sunshine Coast have won the much publicised battle of the Rising Star Conference’s super clubs, with the Wizards proving too strong for the Tigers in a 16-2 home win. In a game featuring a host of future first graders, the Wizards’ backline players shone.
Sunshine Coast: Brett Stewart, Dustin Cooper, and Aaron Payne. Sweeney 2/4
The Entrance: None. El Masri 1/1
PoM Points: Riley Brown 3, Dustin Cooper 2, and Reegan Tanner 1.
Peter Robinson was the hero in today’s game between Wests and Kensington, with the back rower’s late try lifting his side to an exciting 18-16 win over the Highrollers. Kensington will leave feeling content with their performance, however, with all of the PoM points going to their squad.
Wests: Peter Robinson, Nick Parfitt, and Daniel Heenan. Barnes 3/6
Kensington: Lewis Williams, Dale Newton, and Pierre Foord. Opan 2/4
PoM Points: Rich Portale 3, Daisaku Ohata 2, and Andrew Meads 1.
