Cantebury v Penrith

[Matthew O'Neill]

Country Carnival, Canterbury v Penrith.
Venue: West Cowra Recreational Ground.

RESERVE GRADE
Canterbury coach Steve Folkes picked two sides but mixed the players
around but the first game was known as the reserves game and the papers
the next day show the 40-4 win as the Country Carnival game.

Penrith who fielded their reserve grade side in the reserves game were
unlucky to lose 22-16 to a much more fancied Canterbury side. Canterbury
scored first when a nice Rod Silva pass put youngster Tim Breeze over
for the try. Penrith hit back with a great try to Rhys Wesser, exposing
a lack of speed out wide in the Bulldogs. Matua Parkinson scored a soft
try near half time to put the Bulldogs up by 10-6.

Fred Peterson levelled the scores just after half time, again exposing
weak defence out on the left hand side. Two soft tries to to Parkinson
who scored his second and Robert Mears put Canterbury into what they
thought was a comfort zone of 22-10. Again Peterson found space down our
left hand side to score his second try and brought Penrith back into the
game at 22-16. Penrith nearly scored on full time but Canterbury just
managed to hang onto a lucky win.

For the Bulldogs, Robert Mears stood out, making several great runs from
dummy half. He will sure keep Jason Hetherington on his heels which will
be good for the Bulldogs in 1998. Matua Parkinson continutes to impress
in the back row. Also playing well were new buy Troy Stone while regular
first graders Hazem El-Masri, Craig Polla-Mounter and Steven Price did
nothing wrong.

Penrith fielding a full reserve grade side did not disappoint and the
running games of young fullback Rhys Wesser and the wing play of Fred
Peterson were really impressive.

Scoring details and Canterbury team
Canterbury 22 (Parkinson 2, Mears, Breeze tries; Breeze 3 goals)
Defeated Penrith 16 (Fred Peterson 2, Rhys Wesser tries; Brad Drew 2
goals)

Canterbury: Rod Silva, Wes Doyle, Greg Fleming, Tim Breeze, Hazem
El-Masri, Peter Wheeler, Craig Polla-Mounter [c], Matua Parkinson, Tony
Grimaldi, Steven Price, Troy Stone, Robert Mears, Mitch Newton.
Res: Robert Tocco, Barry Ward, Barry Berrigan.

Man of the Match: Robert Mears (Canterbury).
Best for Canterbury: Steven Price, Matua Parkinson, Troy Stone.
Best for Penrith: Fred Peterson, Rhys Wesser.

FIRST GRADE
The Main game is coming now and as a Canterbury supporter, I start to
feel confident when I hear that Ryan Girdler, Craig Gower, Jason
Williams and the games star attraction Mark Geyer are all ruled out
injured. The Bulldogs were without Simon Gillies who stayed with his
wife who was in hospital, Paul Mellor injured and Steven Price, Hazem
El-Masri, Craig Polla-Mounter, Rod Silva and Troy Stone playing in the
reserves game as Steve Folkes mixed the two teams around.

Penrith got off to a good start but the Bulldogs hung on. Canterbury
scored the first try when Travis Norton made a break and found fullback
Barry Berrigan in support to score, Halligan converts. The Bulldogs now
start to completely dominate the game.

Winger Daryl Halligan scored a soft try after a long Canterbury break.
Halligan missed the kick and Canterbury led 10-0, already a great lead.
Norton having a great game burst through the defence to score near the
posts and a Halligan conversion put Canterbury further ahead to 16-0.
Soloman Haumono, a awesome sight in full flight found some space and
burst through weak Penrith defence to score a 40m solo try. Halligan
converts the try and puts Canterbury up by 22-0 at half time.

Canterbury scored three tries all converted by Halligan to one in the
second half. A Duncan McRae bomb was fumbled by Penrith, picked up by
Halligan and passed on to Robert Relf who scored. Canterbury again
pressured the Penrith line and again it cracked when Shane Marteene
burst over for a try under the posts to put the Bulldogs up by 34-0.
Penrith scored their first try when a pass from Penrith was knocked down
by Canterbury and David Woods chased the ball into the ingoal area to
score. That was the only lasp by the Bulldogs. Replacement Hazem
El-Masri who was playing fullback scored our final try backing up a nice
passing movement. Canterbury won the game by 40-4 which gives me great
hope for the 1998 season.

The most impressive aspects was no players being injured, no easing up
once the game was sealed and a good brand of attacking football.

Travis Norton was my choice for Man of the Match. A blockbusting game.
Also playing well for Canterbury were Jason Hetherington (responding in
fine style to the challenge by Mears), Robert Tocco, Soloman Haumono and
the halves combined well, Glen Hughes and Duncan McRae. The bruising
defence of yesteryear looked to be back in force and the backs combined
well.

Scoring details and team lists
Canterbury 40 (Berrigan, Norton, Halligan, El Masri, Haumono, Marteene,
Relf Tries; Halligan 6 goals from 7 attempts)
Defeated Penrith 4 (David Woods try; Greg Alexander missed with only
shot at goal)

Canterbury: Barry Berrigan, Greg Fleming, Shane Marteene, Matthew Ryan,
Daryl Halligan, Glen Hughes, Duncan McRae, Darren Britt [c], Jason
Hetherington, Robert Tocco, Robert Relf, Soloman Haumono, Travis Norton
Res: Hazem El-Masri, Troy Stone, Barry Ward, Matua Parkinson, Tony
Grimaldi.

Penrith: Peter Jorgenson, Chris Hicks, Bobby Thompson, Sid Domic, Robbie
Beckett, Steve Carter [c], Greg Alexander, Darren Brown, Matt Adamson,
Jody Gall, Brett Boyd, Carl MacNamara.
Res: Paul Johnson, Daivd Woods. Other reserves unknown to me.

Man of the Match: Travis Norton (Canterbury).
Best for Canterbury: Solomon Haumono, Jason Hetherington, Glen Hughes,
Robert Tocco.
Best for Penrith: Very hard to find a good player in a poor performance
but Robbie Beckett did some good things on the left wing.

During the past week, Peter Moore had been accused of all sorts of
traitor acts. Well, they can all be put to sleep. I did not believe them
and didn't even think about it. Why would Mr. Moore turn his back on a
club he single handidly built. His son-in-law Steve Folkes is our coach
who married his 2nd daughter Karen. Yes, I saw Mr Canterbury-Bankstown
at Cowra in his 1995 premiers polo shirt sitting directly infront of Bob
Hagan, Barry Nelson and NRL boss Neil Whittaker who made the trip out to
Cowra.

The highlight of my weekend other then the performance was getting my
photo with Mr. Whittaker in my full Canterbury gear. Neil in my eyes
saved Rugby League and I rate him on par with Peter Moore as the best
official in League history.