Eden Tigers Brand Sun

NAROOMA TAKE 2009 TITLE

August 30th 2009

The Drew Houston coached Narooma Red Devils took out the Group 16 Premiership with a 10 try thumping of hot favorites the Cooma Stallions at the Bega Recreation Ground.
Cooma started the match in brilliant fashion and looked like the side everyone was predicting would take out the title as their big forwards steamed forward to set up the 1st try when Captain and Group 16 Player of the Year Steve Dunn crossed. Ty Fallins converted and the Stallions looked good.
It was just 5 more minutes before the Stallions were in again when Fallins orgastrated a right side play and winger Sam Gilbert crossed in the corner to the roar of the Cooma Supporters. Fallins missed the conversion and the Stallions led 10 nil.
The game became an arm wrestle and looked like exploding at times as Narooma half-back Clint Wright got under the skin of the big Cooma forwards. Both sides had some chances but failed to capitalize as play went from end to end. Just as it appeared that Cooma were on top against the run of play a Clint Wright/Drew Houston right side play put their winger Simon Hodge over at the 20 minute mark. What happened in the next 20 minutes was about to decide the title for 2009 for the Red Devils.
From the ensuing set Narooma scored again through fullback Pat Willis and then from the next kick off a length of the field special with almost every player handling the ball before pacy 2nd row forward Todd Ayres complete the spectacular try. Willis Converted and the Red Devils had hit the front 16-10.
Then again it was Ayres on the end of a Clint Wright grubber that hit the post who scored before Willis again crossed before half-time and the Red Devils had turned on 20 minutes of the most spectacular attacking football to lead 26-10.
Narooma Coach Drew Houston had come up with the perfect tactics to make the big Cooma forwards struggle and was moving the ball from side to side with half Clint Wright and veteran five eight Troy Beacham playing main roles as well as hooker Justin Keegan with his little darts around the ruck had all the Cooma side 2nd guessing. Houston played wide on the right side with centre Todd Bennett while his other 2nd rower Ayres was wide on the left with Lance Wright and which ever way they elected to go fullback Willis would loom up in support. The Stallions simply had no answer to the constant movement of the ball and after leading 10 nil were simply starved.
The Stallions needed to hit back straight away in the 2nd half to have any chance but again it was the Red Devils who did the scoring with Pat Willis crossing for his third in just the 3rd minute of the 2nd half this was followed by veteran butcher Jeff Rapley charging over and then a Lance Wright intercept as Cooma were attacking saw the young centre run 90 metres and outsprint the defence to score. Willis converted all three tries and the Red Devils led 44-10. They had scored 44 points in just 30 minutes of football.
The game then became somewhat boring as Narooma appeared to put the cue in the rack and Cooma foughtback with another try to Steve Dunn at the 25 minute mark of the 2nd half. This was followed by tries to Jake Whitehead and Mike Talaepa and with Fallins converting them all the Stallions had a spring in their step. Narooma 44 Cooma 28. with 10 minutes remaining.
Then it was Man of the Match Clint Wright who from a scrum after Cooma knocked on from the kick off stepped and beat Cooma's defence to score under the post. Willis converted and then backed up a Houston break to score his forth try before Cooma's young front rower Mitch Simpson crossed to end the match. Narooma 56 defeated Cooma 32.
Clint Wright was named the Nev Littler Memorial Medalist while Justin Keegan was named best & fairest player for the match.
Narooma 56
Tries Pat Willis 4, Todd Ayres 2, Clint Wright, Simon Hodge, Lance Wright, Jeff Rapley. Goals Pat Willis 8.
Cooma 32
Tries Steve Dunn 2, Sam Gilbert, Jake Whitehead, Mike Talaepa, Mitch Simpson. Goals Ty Fallins 4