Will the Titans overpower the game, but shorthanded Badgers?
Or will the Badgers' intangibles trump the Titans' best laid plans for a Grand Final against Anthony Magro and the Fairfield Stallions?
After the Fairfield/Ipswich game, will Fox have time to show this game sometime this week, as they apparently needed to run "Family Guy", "The Simpsons", and "The O.C." before they could show Tamworth City/Wagga?
...and what does that say about Fox Sport's honourability, as they are supposed to, by contract, preempt all other programmes for ASRL playoff action?
East Coast is waiting for the winner, and Tassie awaits the loser of this match - shown "live", whenever Murdoch and Howard get around to it, on your local Fox station (or whatever channel we can pawn this lot off onto, so we can run "Simpsonmania 2005" instead)....
It's come down to this one, two of New South Wales' high flying sides who have both turned around nightmarish 2004 seasons (in which they finished 19th and 20th respectively) to become real powerhouse clubs. Finishing second in their respective divisions, the Titans and Badgers today do battle in a match that will set them in good stead for the rest of the finals.
Tamworth City Titans Wagga Badgers
1 Steve Turner 1 David Simmons
2 Wendell Sailor 2 Ruben May
3 Joseph Goldstein 3 Mirco Bergamasco
4 Graeme Frame 4 Sam Speedy
5 Anthony Farrah 5 James Rowles
6 Greg Davidson 6 Tobias Jones
7 Kurt Gidley 7 Stefano Saghini
8 Clint Newton 8 Fabian Devichi ©
9 Eron Bates 9 Smeds Stahl
10 Jerry Seu Seu 10 Rachid Hechiche
11 Stephen Kearney 11 Marlon Steele
12 Anthony Farrell 12 Jon Wilkin
13 Scott Sattler © 13 Sam Payne
++Interchange
14 Robbie Paul 14 Marc Reed
15 Scott Logan 15 Demiti Pelovski
16 Keith Galloway 16 Colin Best
17 Ashley Graham 17 Mixie Lui
The game started off in fine fashion, with the Badgers setting the tone with some big hits from the likes of Fabian Devicho and Jon Wilkin. The Titans' opening set was limited to just thirty one metres. The Badgers made the ideal start to the match when they crossed for their opening try after just ninety seconds of play - Sam Speedy crossing out wide after Stefano Saghini made the bold decision to send the ball wide on the last tackle rather than kicking. James Rowles made the difficult sideline conversion to give his side a 6-0 lead.
The Badgers continued to enjoy the run of play in the opening period of the game, the Titans' making things harder for themselves with some uncharacteristically cavalier play- which saw them surrender possession in good field position a number of times. Wagga almost made them pay in the 8th minute when Sam Payne wrestled free of a weak Anthony Farrah tackle before getting across the line. However, replays showed that Payne had failed to ground the ball, and the Titans were given a brief reprieve. The Tamworth side's class shone through almost immediately, as they put a torrid opening behind them to get their first try in the 11th minute. Steve Turner was the man to do damage for the Titans, running through the tiniest of gaps and racing away to score a blistering individual try from his own forty. The try set the Titans' section of the crowd alight, and Greg Davidson duly added the extras to lock things up at 6 all. Just like that, the Titans had put themselves right back into the game despite the lesser share of possession.
The Badgers didn't let the Titans' long distance try dampen their spirits however, and just three tackles into the follow up set- the muscled Kurt Gidley into touch to give themselves possession at close range. Again running it on the last tackle, the Badgers were able to put Fabian Devichi in under the sticks with a brilliant inside ball from Stefano Saghini. Devichi wrestled across, and Rowles added the extras to put the Badgers back in front as 12-6 leaders.
The game could have been blown right open from the follow up set of six, when the Badgers made an amazing seventy five metre charge that saw Ruben May fly above the Titans' backs to score out wide. The video referee again proved to be on Tamworth's side, ruling the try was scored from an offside position and letting the Titans off the hook. The Tamworth City reply was immediate, showing just how dangerous they can be from anywhere on the park. Some lazy defence aided them, but it was Wendell Sailor who did the hard yards- dominating the likes of Speedy and Bergamasco as he made a memorable twenty metre barging run to the line. Davidson landed the difficult conversion to make it 12 all.
What followed was a period of intense football that fans had come to expect from finals football, with both sides showcasing why they finished second in their respective divisions with free flowing football and some great sliding defence. The next points didn't come until the 27th minute when Graeme Frame's big run was ended prematurely by a grassing Demiti Pelovski tackle. A late flop from Jon Wilkin inflamed an already tense atmosphere, and soon an old fashioned melee erupted. Players from both sides came in, but it was Wagga who were penalised for their involvement. Greg Davidson stepped up to the plate and added two to the Titans' total to make it 14-12. A sickening high tackle just two minutes later, this time from Marlon Steele, saw the Titans take their biggest lead of the day- the 16-12 scoreline giving Tamworth City a little breathing space.
It was to remain that way for the last thirteen minutes of the half, although both sides pushed the defensive lines of their opposition to the brink on several occasions. But 16-12 was how it was to remain, and the half ended with Tamworth City having the morale boosting halftime lead.
HALFTIME: Tamworth City 16 lead Wagga 12
The second half started in fiery fashion, with both sides putting on some tremendous hits to stamp their authority on things. It didn't take long for someone to put points on the board, and it was Wagga scoring a much needed try when Tobias Jones dummied and danced across the line in the 43rd. Rowles converted, and the Badgers were in the lead again at 18-16. There was still plenty of time left, but Wagga had achieved the important task of scoring first and preventing the Titans from running away with it.
The free flowing football continued, and much like in the first half, the Badgers looked to be gaining the ascendancy with some promising attacking play. The play paid off in the 52nd when Demiti Pelovski capped off a sterling game from the bench with a try of his own. Unlike the majority of Wagga's tries so far, this one came early in the tackle count, with the agile utility ducking over from ten out after only two tackles. The conversion made it 24-16, and the game was in danger of getting away from the Titans.
It was time for Tamworth City to stand up and be counted for, and they did just that, showing through their defence that they were committed to making a real challenge for promotion this year. The 64th minute saw the Titans get right back in the game, Graeme Frame continuing his great form for the Titans with a four pointer. Davidson's fine form with the boot continued, and the game was back in the balance at 24-22 in favour of the Badgers.
Wagga continued to dominate in offence, but it was the Titans defence that shone as the game wound towards its conclusion. In the 72nd minute Greg Davidson kicked his side back onto level footing with a penalty for a dangerous tackle on Tobias Jones, and just two minutes later the Badgers kicked themselves back into the lead when Stephen Kearney was penalised for a lazy swinging arm. The Wagga faithful rode the kick home, and 26-24 with five to go. With the game hanging in the balance, the Titans began to chance their arm as they sought a miraculous try to wrap up the final. It didn't come, but with just ninety seconds remaining, Greg Davidson levelled scores when the Badgers were cruelly penalised for offside. With scores locked, the Titans had one last set of six in regular time to score a game sealing try or field goal, but it didn't come- the Division Two finals seeing extra time for the second time in a week.
FULLTIME: Tamworth City 26 drawn with Wagga 26
The first ten minutes of extra time were frantic but, thankfully for both sides, scoreless. Indeed, the majority of play took place in the middle of the field, with neither side able to break the line as effectively as they had in regular game time. The second half of extra time was similarly close fought, but Wagga scored a telling blow in the 96th minute. After a rather pedestrian setof forward play, the Badgers looked like going nowhere, until a lose Devichi ball was swooped on by Colin Best. The talented winger was able to elude the defenders, and went over in the corner. Whilst Rowles misses the conversion, 30-26 with just three minutes of extra time remaining gave Wagga a big morale boost. The clock ticked down, and the Titans weren't able to find the extra gas to push forward for a win. Fulltime sounded, and Wagga celebrated as they advanced one step closer to their promotion dream.
FULLTIME
Tamworth City Titans 26
Steve Turner
Wendell Sailor
Graeme Frame
Davidson 7/8
lost to
Wagga Badgers 30
Sam Speedy
Tobias Jones
Colin Best
Fabian Devichi
Demiti Pelovski
Rowles 5/6
PoM Points
Demiti Pelovski...............3
Fabian Devichi................2
Stefano Saghini...............1
