It usually takes decades for a good rugby league feud to develop, but in the space of twelve months, league bad-boy Brian Randell has sparked a hate/hate relationship between his Hawkesbury Mavericks and the Port Moresby Power of Jelly Adams. The sides have met three times this season, including last week’s 38-18 hammering of the Power which let Hawkesbury snare fourth. With plenty on the line, this weekend’s clash promised to be a thriller.
Hawkesbury Mavericks Port Moresby Power
1 Brett Hodgson 1 Timothy Rice
2 Matthew Rieck 2 Marcus Bai
3 Joe Roff 3 Chris Kendra
4 Wise Kativerata 4 Lote Tuqiri
5 Marc Stcherbina 5 Jamie Bloem
6 Karle Hammond 6 Tommy Martyn ©
7 Mick Van Der Wall 7 Matthew Bowen
8 Solomon Haumona 8 Tim Jonkers
9 Patrick Varune © 9 Michael Marum
10 Barrie McDermott 10 Michael Smith
11 Ben Roarty 11 Tiri Toa
12 Anthony Himmler 12 Wairangi Koopu
13 Inoke Ratudina 13 Mohammed Zian Ali
++Interchange
14 Darren Treacy 14 Ryan Cross
15 Adam Perry 15 Ben MacDougall
16 Maleky O'Connor 16 Michael Coorey
17 Adrian Lam 17 Tavis Zephyr
The game had all the intensity of the usual grudge matches between these two sides, but doubled, as the hard-as-nails Hawkesbury forward pack threw itself against the grizzlied Islanders of the Power. The Mavericks enjoyed the opening possession, Joe Roff’s kicking game earning the home side two early drop-outs and plenty of pressure on the Port Moresby line.
Despite this, Port Moresby looked to be the first to score, Jamie Bloem picking up a loose Hammond ball and off-loading outside for Kendra. Usually the fleet of foot wing/centre would have cut free, but playing with a niggling ankle injury he was slow. The chase was put on by Inoke Ratudina, but his despairing tackle didn’t grass Kendra, who took it in under the sticks. However replays showed the Port Moresby speedster had stepped onto the touch-line as a result of Ratudina’s tackle, and so the scores remained at 0 all after thirteen minutes.
The next ten minutes were frantic, messy, and entertaining. Crowd pleaser, Maleky O’Connor was unpredictable throughout. Whilst his long kicks and short chips had Timothy Rice chasing phantoms, O’Connor was awful with the ball in hand, and was taken off the field in the 23rd. The return of influential captain, Patrick Varune, proved important, a long pass on Port Moresby’s line putting in German star, Anthony Himmler. Brett Hodgson couldn’t convert, and the score sat at 4-0 in favour of the home side.
The Power did what they could to get themselves into the game, and to their credit, played safe football flawlessly for the next ten minutes. The level heads of Tommy Martyn, Timothy Rice, Lote Tuqiri meant that the Power played mistake free football, and capitalised quickly on any penalties their opposition conceeded. Another promising raid came to nought in the 28th, Tommy Martyn ruled offside from a low Bowen grubber.
There was no denying Martyn in the 31st, the Irish sensation plucking an errant Ratudina long ball from the air and racing fifty metres to score a try despite the attention of Brett Hodgson. Zian-Ali converted the try with ease, and the Power lead 6-4 with eight minutes of the first half remaining.
You never want to follow up a try with an error, but Port Moresby commited that cardinal sin on only the second tackle- Matt Bowen dropping a bad pass from Martyn to give the Mavericks a sniff. Marc Stcherbina showed his class when he got the ball from dummy half, dancing around MacDougall to score in the corner. Hodgson took his time, but made no mistake, and the balance of power was back with Hawkesbury at 10-6.
Mistakes riddled the final six minutes of play, with veterans and rookies alike guilty of stupid errors. When Patrick Varune knocked it on from dummy half attempting to pick it up one handed, it looked like Port would finish the half with a dangerous set. From the scrum, however, Tommy Martyn dropped it cold to release the pressure entirely. Patrick Varune made up for his error, slicing through the Port Moresby line, drawing Rice, and then flicking it outside for Darren Treacy. The retiring second rower snared a try, and Hodgson converted on halftime to put Hawkesbury up 16-6.
HALFTIME: Hawkesbury 16 lead Port Moresby 6
Joe Roff got things underway with a high kick-off, which immediately put the Power under pressure as they sought to bring it out from their own ten with Hawkesbury right in their faces. A messy opening to the second half had both sides chasing their tales, and when the Power forced Hawkesbury to lose ground and trap them in their ten, it was the ideal opportunity. Professional units convert their opportunity, and a quick exchange of passes between the backs saw Matt Bowen take it around under the sticks. Zian-Ali hit the conversion, and it was a 16-12 ballgame.
The try visibly lifted the Power, and their next few sets, both offensively and defensively, had the Mavericks rocking. When Tommy Martyn scored on the back of a ninety metre set from his side, it looked like Port had edged ahead, but Zian-Ali’s conversion attempt shaved the upright and had things locked at 16 apiece.
The crowd watched in nervous anticipation as the game wound on, both sides chancing their arms, and both sides making big mistakes. Hawkesbury’s big break came in the 52nd, when their intense defence had Port Moresby penned in their own twenty. Zian-Ali showed his inexperience by trying to loop a pass out wide, and when the ref ruled it forward, the Lebanese lock was cautioned for sledging his opposition. Solomon Haumona took the insults personally, and sought out Zian-Ali in the line, running over him to score a crucial try. Hodgson hit the conversion, and the Mavericks had the lead back at 22-16.
Varune’s second break from the game came in the 60th, and Port Moresby took full advantage of the influential hooker’s absence. A long Tommy Martyn pass this time found Marcus Bai, and the big local star palmed off Kativerata to score a try in the corner. Zian-Ali showed plenty of class by landing the tough conversion, and the scores were locked again, this time at 22-22.
The young guns combined for Hawkesbury in the 65th, with Wise Kativerata repaying the favour to Bai by out-stepped and out-pacing the big unit. Kativerata may not have had the legs, dragged down by Timothy Rice, but a blind pass inside found the foot of Maleky O’Connor- who toed it ahead, collected, and scored the possible match-winner right beneath the posts. Hodgson didn’t hurry the conversion, and the Mavericks again lead 28-22.
Port Moresby tried desperately to get the ball back and score the winner, but over-enthusiastic defence conceded a stupid penalty, Hodgson making the visitors pay by landing a routine conversion and extending Hawkesbury’s lead to eight.
The final ten were frantic, but with the game within their grasp, Hawkesbury were content to play one out football and waste the game away. When Maleky O’Connor hit a fifty metre drop-out with his usual cocky calm, the score sat at 31-22, and the Power knew they’d lost it. The siren went minutes later, and the Mavericks celebrated as they beat Port Moresby for the fourth time in a year.
FULLTIME
Hawkesbury 31
Marc Stcherbina
Solomon Haumona
Anthony Himmler
Maleky O’Connor
Darren Treacy
Hodgson 5/6
def.
Port Moresby 22
Tommy Martyn 2
Marcus Bai
Matthew Bowen
Zian-Ali 3/4
PoM Points
Mick Van Der Wall 3
Maleky O’Connor 2
Inoke Ratudina 1
You should be LOSER. Go THE MIGHTY MAVERICKS.
Brian Randell had this to say to the press after his clash with the Port Moresby Power;
"Mate I am just too good, this should be a huge warning to the other top division two teams out there, we are here and we are ready to play. Don't think you will walk over us or we will teach you how to play football. To Jelly Adams all I have to say is how hopeless are you thats 4 times this season and you only came close the first time. Learn how to coach."
After hearing the words of Brian Randell Jelly Adams had these words to say "Well Randall believes he knows everything if i couldnt coach why are Port Moresby in the finals ands why am i still the QLD coach? Randall is a boaster! he has a quality team and they have been our bodgy side all year losing 4 games is a bad thing to this one team but they obvisouly have the edge over us and we are looking to improve so its time for the Power to produce the form and lets just get there and show a few people that we are a good team".
"Port are in the finals because if you look at it there isn't many quality sides in Division Two hell anyone made the eight. Just look at Tamworth. Your still QLD coach because apparently you did better this year, looks to me like you still lost. He calls me a boaster while he brags about his side and his QLD position, Truth be told you couldn't beat hawkesbury with Port if you wanted too. You just don't have the skill or the passion, hell I beat you two weeks in a row. I look forward to seeing The Titans finish you off in what would be a miserable year for you foreign wankers"
