Watch the highlights as Saints Academy came away from their third tour match with a fantastic result after a 10-8 victory over a physical South Sydney side at the Mascot Oval.
Once again the boys were able to train on the field ahead of the game giving the boys some knowledge of the shape and dimensions given it also hosts cricket matches on occasions.
On another warm day, Saints won an early penalty in the first set, but a loose pass gave Souths some ball. They kicked early in the tackle and the ball was brought back very well by Kallem Rodgers and then Shay Martyn. Lewis Baxter then had a good carry in the middle of the field and got a quick play the ball, before Lewis Dodd then turned it back inside to Reece Sumner who offloaded in a two man tackle back to Dodd who jinked through dummied another and beat the fullback to score under the post. Dodd then converted his own try and after four minutes of play St.Helens led 6-0.
Saints turned the ball over in the next set early only to have Souths return the favour giving some food field position. A very good carry by Cole Appleby gave us some space out wide and a good left footed kick from Dodd resulted in Jonathon Bennison and Sumner forcing a goal line drop out. From the next play the Saints thought they had doubled their lead, but it was disallowed by the referee for a forward pass from dummy half.
Some very good goal line defence by Joe Woods and Harry Brooks forced Souths out wide and Martyn came up with an intercept relieving the pressure. A penalty then had Dodd find touch inside South’s half. A smart back line play with a great one handed offload out the back had a try beckoning, only to be held just short. From the play Dodd put another grubber in and Bennison and Woods completed the tackles forcing yet another goal line drop out.
Brooks was then stopped right on the line through some very good scramble defence from Souths and the ball went out to the right where Dodd showed his versatility by kicking right footed and the pressure from Moss forced the South wing man to run the ball dead.
Another goal line drop out saw Saints drop the ball. We again compounded this with a penalty forcing us to have to defend our own line, before some smart play from Souths resulted in a smart pass from centre for the winger Mocevekaca to dive over for a try. The conversion was unsuccessful meaning the Saints led after 22 minutes.
A short stop in play with 3 minutes left as Taylor Pemberton took a knock whilst defending and from the play the ball Rodgers knocked on giving Souths the scrum feed 5 metres from the Saints try line. St.Helens then had to defend their line and Ben O’Donnell forced a knock on which was much needed. The half ended with a good kick from Dodd and great chase by the outside backs. 6-4 to the Saints at the break.
Five minutes into the second half and the Souths moved the ball out wide for the winger to score. The conversion was unsuccessful, but the Souths led 8-6.
From the kick off Saints added to their woes with a penalty and again had to defend. We did this very well and after a kick was gathered by Dodd, good carries by Jumah Sambou and McDaid ended with Baxter knocking on in the play the ball. Pressure was again mounting on the Saints defence before the South’s winger should have scored out wide, only to drop the ball.
Some smart play up the middle of the park, firstly with an offload by Ethan Bradbury who passed to Brooks who in turn threw a neat pass to Bennison who raced away looking to score only to be denied a metre from the line. Saints then had three sets to defend and looked good while Souths were throwing the ball around playing some enterprising footy.
More great defence from the Saints boys resulted in the Red V regaining the ball for the first time in over six minutes with a seven tackle set. Play was moved quickly out wide to the left and Blackwood looked certain to go over in the corner only to be ushered into touch. From the scrum Souths came up with only their second error of the half giving St.Helens the chance with a scrum feed 10 metres off the Souths try line.
The ball was passed to Dodd who stepped of his left foot drawing in two players and passed out to Rio Corkill and he carried a couple of players over the line to score. 10-8 to Saints and that is how it stayed as the Saints defence held firm again for am impressive win.
Man Of the Match: Lewis Dodd.
Best Back: Shay Martyn
Best Forward: Reece Sumner.
Souths Team
1 Carson Carol
2 Josh Mocevekaca
13 Evan Manning
25 Terrell Kalo Kalo
5 Josh Martin
21 Mac Puafis
7 Dion Tea-apa
8 Aiden Harry
9 Ratu Vesikula
10 Izayah Tuigamalo
23 Harry Prin-eas
12 Byron Parnell
22 Ned Hicks
14 Ame Cotterill
15 William Talini
24 Joseph Laraki
14 Jonathon Chan Kum Tong
16 Archie Donelly
20 Eranza Haue De Thierry
21 Fraesa Palu
13 Joseph Natura
23 Lachlan Large
St.Helens Team
3 Jonathon Bennison
12 Shay Martyn
7 Rio Corkill
21 Jumah Sambou
20 Kallem Rogers
15 Daniel Moss
8 Lewis Dodd
19 Jamie Pye
18. Taylor Pemberton
1 Cole Appleby
17 Ben O’Donnell
22 Reece Sumner
2 Lewis Baxter
23 Joe Woods
13 Harvey McDaid
5 Ethan Bradbury
10 Zack Lee
11 Tom Lyon
6 Harry Brooks
16 Kian Naylor
4 Owen Blackwood
9 Ellis Keppel injured)
14 Keenan McDaid (injured)
Weekend Summary
Day 12…
After last nights late night, it was a a relaxed morning with an 8am breakfast followed by team video to review the teams performance from Wednesdays match.
Before we headed off into the city we did a short positional specific training session with the backs working on kick-catch and the forwards looking at ruck attack. The bus journey offered an opportunity for Derek to finish off the lads individual video review with each player. After every game each player sits down individually with coaches to look at their own personal strengths and weaknesses and highlight areas to improve.
Free time in the city saw the lads doing various things, trying to find rebel sports shop to buy Under Armour clothes, visiting ‘Paddy’s market’ to buy NRL training kit and Zack Lee even tried to persuade his mum to take his dirty laundry back to her hotel to wash for him!
Captains run at Mascot Oval again followed by a visit to, and dinner at Souths Juniors Leagues club before we headed back over to Penrith.
Day 13…Game Day!
The usual game day routine was followed by breakfast, team walk, pre-match meal then on to the bus for the ride over to Mascot Oval for today’s match against South Sydney Rabbitohs Juniors.
As a reward for what he has done so far on the tour, Jamie Pye was selected as team captain today.Obviously new to the role, Jamie struggled with his initial job, the coin toss! When the referee told the South’s captain to toss and Jamie to call, he didn’t really understand what was going on and as the coin bounced he asked the referee “What do you want me to say ?”. The referee, and his entourage, simply replied “heads or tails”….
After eventually winning the toss, the boys put in a fantastic, patient performance and despite not being at our best, hung on in there with some desperate defence, found a way to win with a late try to earn a 10-8 result.
The post match celebrations continued in the South’s Juniors Leagues club with the boys mixing with families to enjoy the occasion.
