Tigers Win Grand Final Replay

May 19th 2009-By Dave Evelyn

The defending premiers, The great Southern Inn Eden Tigers, had their pride on the line when they faced the Bega Roosters on Saturday in Eden. The side has been stung by recent uncharacteristic defeats and needed to lift their game in front of a good home crowd.

The game began in an arm wrestle with both sides completing their sets and kicking. Bega were the first to crack, with a turnover and then an Eden penalty giving Brad Chatfield the chance to score the first try after quick hands moved the ball out to the right. Creswick's conversion saw Eden lead 6-0. Bega controlled possession for several sets and after a dubious knock on call and then two consecutive penalties Bega's Michael Evans crossed from dummy half. The unsuccessful conversion left the Tigers in the lead 6-4. Eden's handling let them down, and when, after two knock ons and a kick out on the full, Bega were the beneficiaries of another dubious decision and awarded a try to Ben Coggins, the Roosters had hit the lead 8-6. It was then Bega's turn to make mistakes, and after a drop ball and a penalty Eden hit back almost immediately with Dane Bamblett scoring to put the Tigers back in the lead 10-8.

Nathan Kabilu, Dane Bamblett and Mark Jackson all had big games in the Tigers victory over Bega.

With the Bega defence tiring towards the break a scrum on the Eden 20m line saw the ball switched to Liam Wilkinson on the burst and he split the defence and ran 80 metres to score a great Tigers try which was converted by Creswick to see the teams back in the sheds for the break with Eden leading by 16 points to 8. Matt Bell was having a strong game at five-eighth steering his side around the field and employing a sound tactical kicking game, and Robert Horton was revelling in the tough stuff around the rucks.

The first half performance by the Tigers was a big improvement on their recent form, and captain Coach Geercke instructed his charges to play smart controlled football and to use their kicking game to play down in the opposition territory.

The second half began in a similar vein to the first with play moving from end to end. Both sides were completing and getting their kicks in, and it was not until Eden received consecutive penalties that the Tigers mounted concerted pressure on the Bega defence and Dane Bamblett scored his second. The Creswick conversion took Eden out to 22-8, and when crowd favourite Nathan Kalibu scored almost immediately after the score had blown out to 26-12 and Eden seemed to relax slightly. This was the cue for Bega to lift their game, and after a disallowed try to Eden's evergreen Jackson the Roosters scored from a charge down through Anthony Betts. Bega scored again after a clever kick through, and while neither of these tries was converted the score had crept back to 26-16.

With time running out the Bega attack swung into motion again and a good try by Captain Coach Mitch Clery again unconverted the scoring finished with the Tigers victorious 26-20.

The Bega side were let down badly in the goalkicking department and with tries at five a piece the difference proved to be the boot of Matt Creswick who kicked 3 from 5.

Next week we travel to Narooma to take on the Devils. The game will be played on Saturday night at 5.30 pm.No other Eden teams will be playing this weekend