Tigers Season in the Balance
July 4th 2009
With only four weeks until the finals series begins, defending Group 16 premiers the Eden Tigers are struggling for consistent form. Last Sunday Eden played host to Narooma with the first grade match the only game of the day. In many ways it was a strange game. Eden seemed to be getting on top of their opponents , but Narooma kept scoring tries- either from judicious kicks or length of the field efforts by their speed men.
The game began with both sides turning over possession , however Eden's second handling error saw Narooma's speedy winger Clarke scoop up a loose pass and run 90 metres to score, and when fullback Pat Willis converted it was 6-0. Both sides settled down and the game developed into quite a dour struggle. Another Narooma try was prevented when Tiger's half Todd Bolton brilliantly ankle tapped a rampaging Narooma player. Both sides got to their kicks and the match moved from end to end. Forwards Horton and Tsai Tui were getting heavily involved in attack and defence, and Captain Coach Mick Geercke continued his good form from recent weeks.
Mick Geercke and Jacko get their man
Eden had a good share of possession but couldn't crack the fast moving Narooma defensive line. There were some raised eyebrows when the best fullback in the competition, Eden's Liam Wilkinson was brought on as a second rower. Narooma scored again towards the end of the half when an astute mid field grubber kick on the third tackle caught the Tigers defence unawares and Todd Ayres pounced on the bouncing ball and ran twenty metres to score. The Willis conversion put Narooma out to a 12-0 lead.
A piece of Wilkinson magic right on half time when he burst clear of the defence and was pulled up inches short of the line set up Scott Jackson to score from dummy half and the Bolton conversion meant that at the break the Narooma lead was back to 12-6.
Coach Geercke was very disappointed with his charges at half time and urged them to lift the intensity and attack up the centre of the field. Eden had squandered possession on many occasions and needed to address that in the second half. The portents for the second half were ominous when after only two tackles Narooma's flying fullback Pat Willis scorched down the left wing running around the entire Tigers team to travel 90 metres and score next to the posts and then convert the try himself, and it was Narooma 18-6.
The home fans groans soon changed to cheers when , on the back of a Eden penalty the evergreen Jackson scored his second and the home side was back within six points. Unfortunately that was as close as the Tigers got. Narooma scored next from another grubber kick to extend the lead to 24-12.
Billy Michelin tries his hardest to Break the defence but the Narooma team show up in numbers to once again defy the Tigers.
The next ten or so minutes were crucial ones which determined the ultimate result. On three occasions Eden was on the attack deep in opposition territory but could not get the ball over the line due to good Narooma defence and handling errors of their own. A penalty to Narooma put them back on the attack and Todd Wright scored the final try to take the score to 30-12.
To make things worse, Eden's Mick Geercke was forced from the field with a chest injury. Perhaps his heart was broken in what was a fairly lacklustre, indisciplined effort by the Tigers. All is not lost however, and the Tigers will need to lift their game next weekend when we host the Moruya side. The group 16 competition is a very close affair with any one of the teams capable of defeating the others on their day. The Club needs all our supporters down at George Brown Oval next Sunday to cheer the mighty Tigers on in "must win" games for all three grades.
Tigger