By “Nutta”
Konnichiwa Cobbers,
After yet another lay-off weekend, the D.Reds approached the penultimate round (Rd13) of the 2023 Division 1 Sydney Suburban rugby competition with much to prove. Whilst Colts and 2nds sat more comfortably on their respective tables, all teams needed to be putting up 5pt bonus-point wins against a perennial dark horse in the shape of St Pats of Strathfield. Rhyme had to be re-found, rythym bedded down, combinations rediscovered and table positions cemented as the regular season nears its close. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, that while the season is far from done, the difference between this time this year and last year is chalk and cheese. But that said, now we must take the opportunity of what is on offer. And so on Saturday 05 August 2023, the Drummoyne Dirty Reds made the journey down the M4, turned south at the Fruit Markets, dodged the random golf balls and gathered for the fray at Hudson Park.
4th Grade (Judd Cup). Lost 19-10.
With the Judd Cup table largely sewn up in terms of spots 1,2&3, the race was well and truly on to secure 4th spot as the Finals approach. With our Red Judheads in 4th spot on 27pts and the Blue Goats on 25pts, the Forest lads were nipping nearby on 23pts. So a healthy win against 8th placed St Pats was viewed as a necessity to put some distance between Hellers Heroes and the other protagonists for 4th spot.
Comments from the Supercoach were that with St Pats having no 5ths, it was Supercoach Heller’s Judd Cup Heroes who started the day proceedings in what proved to be a tough day at the office. And unfortunately, it was generally self-inflicted. After a promising early 60 metre try off the back of Tim Balshaw, complacency snaked through the group and spoilt what was otherwise a domineering start. This allowed St Pats to take control of the pill and they proceeded to grind down the Red Judheads defence. However after a spell, some proverbial sunshine peaked through when Jack ‘He’s Gone’ Walker sped around the outside of a startled St Pats defence to post another long range pie. Thus it looked like a low possession game would not turn out to be an issue for the Red Judheads and the complacency returned. However, St Pats capitalised on this poor approach and they responded early in the second half to take the lead. The match went to & from from there with the Red Men creating plenty of opportunity, but finishing off little. And so with time increasingly against them, the Red Men resorted to opportunistic, low percentage ‘Hail mary’ style plays, of which none were pulled off and what should have been a clinical 5pts was allowed to slip away.
Best & Fairest went 1pt to Adrian Harrison, 2pts to Jean-Claude Van Lam Dam and 3pts to Jack ‘Johnnie on the rocks’ Walker.
Ours and others losses in the Judd competition over the weekend left the table surprisingly unchanged with the Red Heroes grimly holding 4th spot on 27pts, Blue Mountains in 5th on 25pts and Forest 6th on 23pts. However this also means that if Forest win next weekend they draw level with the D.Reds, while if they win with a bonus point, then the Red Heroes bow out. More alarmingly though, 5th placed Blue Goats have their Back to Lapstone Day against cellar-dwellers Petersham. And I can tell you the Blueys social media is red hot with Old Boys coming back for a trot against the clearly hobbling Shammies. So Blueys can be expected to post a bonus point win for 5pts and so go to 30pts and thereby squeeze out us and Forest if the Red Men don’t do something about it. Therefore, the Red Heroes must perform next Saturday at home to keep both Forest and Blueys at bay. Win Gentlemen. Therein lies salvation. Finals are starting one week early for the Red Juddites.
3rd Grade (Whiddon Cup). Won 52-0.
For the Red Widows, this round saw the return of a host of familiar faces, even allowing for the usual late-season up-draft of the higher grades. And coming off 3 straight losses and tied with Colleagues for 3rd place on 29pts, a healthy win was viewed as necessary to both put some distance between combatants on the Whiddon Cup table, but also to restore some confidence into a team who had been dented of late. As such the lads approached the match with their aspiration of ‘to be as good as we can be’ clearly in mind.
Comments from Supercoach Scully were that the team were aware of the importance of the day and so had trained and prepared well. The squad clearly approached the match with a palpable excitement and positive nervous energy. The return of team stalwarts such as Doc ‘been trippin’ Carruthers, Rabs ‘camping’ Karaali and some no-name old-aged pensioner, was always going to be a multifaceted boost for the side as their rugby awareness, dogged defence and rugged good looks would surely instill a sense of both calm and confidence to the squad. Meanwhile the return of the ever reliable Harry Stanton into the No7 jersey, Will Brandon to No9 and Cory ‘where’s my E Nutta?’ Johnstone to the Centres was sure to add some actual rugby prowess to the side and make things very hard for the lowly placed Pats to keep pace. And so it came to be as the team took to the field and executed the game plan ruthlessly and remorelessly from the opening whistle. The match was over as a contest inside the first 15min and thus suddenly the past 3 consecutive losses were dust in the wind as the lads rediscovered their groove with the Piggies punching forward and leaving a cleared runway for the Backs with their faerie wings to launch a succession of exciting long range tries (to be fair, Scully called them ‘imperious Backs with jet wings’ but I can’t write that in good conscious).
Best & Fairest were awarded with 1pt to Sam ‘I should be studying’ McKenzie, 2pts to Will ‘Show Boat’ Barton and 3pts to Aiden ‘I suck at darts’ Schmitt.
The weekends results significantly altered the Whiddon Cup table. Whilst Waverley remain unassailable Minor Premiers, the Red Widows rocketed back to 2nd on 34pts. Colleagues (with their bye this coming week) have capped out on 33pts and so will likely hold onto a Top4 spot, but their current 3rd placing may be overtaken by Mosman (32pts) should Mossy defeat Waverley. Should Mossy lose (as expected) but Forest beat us, Forest will tip Mossy out. So the permutations are intriguing, but largely semantic. What counts is that the Green Foresters are playing for their lives and so the 2nd placed Red Widows best be on their game for their 2nd last home game of the year and simply win and be done with it.
Colts (Barbour Cup). Lost 10-9.
To many, this was the most interesting match of the day. After being dead last on the Colts table in Round 3, the Red Barbourians had struggled, strived and clawed their way up to 2nd spot, tied on 34pts with next weeks opponents Forest. But the challenge for Saturday 05 August 2023 was to confront the 1st placed, and hitherto undefeated, St Pats Barbourians on their home turf. 1st was playing 2nd in a match that would do much to shape their respective approaches to the finals. And with 4th placed Colleagues on 33pts (but yet to eat their bye pie), again this was another match for the Red Men to not rest on laurels, but to win proficiently, efficiently and without giving quarter.
Comments from Supercoach Maybank were that the Colts were well aware it was going to be a hard fought game and loins were accordingly girded. And a battle was certainly got. Supercoach was generous and waxing lyrical in his description of St Pats large and imposing Piggies only being complemented by their agile and deceptive Backs. But in the same breath he fairly gushed that the D.Reds lads had geared-up heavily during the week in anticipation: “We came to rock their boat and that we certainly did!” The battle was certainly torrid but the Red Barbourians gave as good as they got and in the process they realised that ‘even Gods do bleed’. And so whilst an undeserved yellow card allowed the St Pats lads to snatch a late victory, the Red Barbourians have tasted blood and are now eager for another bite.
Points went as 1pt to Spencer, Josh, Callum and Ned and 2pts went to Liam. 3pts were awarded to the side as a whole (?).
The manner of the loss was clearly difficult for the lads to take, particularly as the chances to win the match had earlier been there. But it was hardly a loss with dishonour. It does however leave the table in an interesting place. The Red Barbourians have slipped back to 4th spot on 35pts, 3 adrift the now-finished Colleagues (bye this week) and 1pt ahead of 5th placed Hunters. This coming week, Hunters play St Pats and so it falls to the Hunters lads to do what no one else has done season thus far and topple the St Pats machine. If Hunters were to achieve that and the D.Reds lose, then our Red Barbourians season is done. But all things being equal, I can’t see that happening on the evidence of year to date. But stranger things have happened in Colts. So instead, this coming weekend the Red Barbourians need to be Masters of their own destiny, knock over the 2nd placed Foresters with a bonus point, and re-take 2nd spot outright and in doing so, squeeze either Colleagues or Hunters out of the Top4 altogether. Again, there are too many variations to worry about. So just win Red Men. Just win to take either 2nd or 3rd spot.
2nd Grade (Burke Cup). Lost 19-12.
Coming into the weekend, the Red Burkies were in 2nd spot at 7 from 10 on 36pts, 3pts clear of Hunters on 33pts but well adrift Colleagues on 10 from 11 and 43pts. However St Pats on 26pts clearly have their eye on a wet-sail finish and perhaps squeezing out Waverley for a Top4 finish if results were to go their way, particularly given the status of the St Pats Kenty side. And so no one in the Red Burkie group underestimated St Pats, for many has been the day where St Pats rained on a Drummoyne parade, especially in Burke Cup. So the stage was set for a ‘take no prisoners’ outing at Hudson Park.
Comments from Supercoach Mick were that even though St Pats were 5th on table, their slight mathematical chances of making Finals meant the lads knew it was to be a tough game, and that was what they got. Supercoach explained that St Pats ‘really took it to us’ from the opening whistle and dictated the early facets of play to jump out to a 2 pie and 1 sauce lead (12-0) ‘before we knew it’. From there, the Red Burkies worked their way into the game somewhat, but just before halftime some good St Pats play broke down before the pie was scored. However the Ref adjudged the D.Reds as cynical and so awarded a penalty pie to send the sides to oranges at 19-0 to the Men in Black (not red). After some calm and balanced halftime encouragement from Supercoach Mick, the Red Burkies commenced the 2nd course with good intent and improved execution. However whilst the lads did claw back two pies and a sauce, the elusive 3rd pie proved to be just that – elusive – and so the win slipped away. Meanwhile, unfortunately, Hunters took a bonus point win against struggling Shammies, and thus leap-frogged the Red Burkies into 2nd place on ladder. Thus Supercoach was clear of eye and crystal in intent in recognising a win next week as vital to secure the Red Burkies desired 2nd spot on ladder and a double-bite at the premiership pie.
Best & Fairest went as follows: 1pt to Josh ‘Mr Sensible’ Hayward, 2pts to Michael ‘Smashed em Bro’ Thompson and 3pts to Jimmy ‘The Hammer’ Vuniwa (welcome to the Piggies Jimmy, you will never look back).
As Supercoach Mick noted, the loss moved the D.Reds Burkies from 2nd to 3rd on table on 37pts, 1pt behind Hunters and 5pts clear of Waverley in 4th spot. Whilst Colleagues eat their bye this week, they remain unassailable Minor Premiers on 48pts. St Pats will be desperate men to pool all available resources and beat Hunters this coming weekend and so potentially squeeze out Waverley for 4th spot, if the Waves were to accommodate by also falling to Mossy. However, as unlikely as that may be, none of that counts if the Red Burkies do as they should and put the red sword clean through last placed Forest this coming weekend and so secure 2nd spot on ladder.
1st Grade (Kentwell Cup). Won 32-17.
The loss to Mossy last weekend put the Red Kenty’s in a tough spot this late in the season. At 5 wins from 10 starts and 30pts they seemed welded to 5th on table with Waverley on 34pts and Colleagues on 35pts above them. However with each of Waves and Colleagues needing to eat their bye-pies, the Red Kentwellians needed to post good wins for 10pts against last placed St Pats and 2nd last Forest. Doing so would potentially see the Red Kenty’s finish with 40pts and well inside the Top4. So the Red men had it all on the table before them against last placed St Pats. What were they going to do with the opportunity?
Comments from Supercoach Mews were that the lads were all too aware of the necessity of a win to keep our finals chances alive. Accordingly the team had worked hard on ironing out the things that let them down against Mosman a fortnight ago. And after roping in some specialist scrum and lineout advice on Thursday night, the team was well focussed on taking the win against our long-term 1st grade nemesis St Pats at the historically challenging Hudson Park. And the day got off to a flying start with Fly half Josh Flannery grabbing an early pie from a well-constructed lineout, and then still feeling a little peckish, helping himself to a second pie via an intercept. However someone clearly forgot the sauce bottle and so the Red Kenty’s left points on the table in grabbing an early 10-0 lead. The Red rhyme and rhythm didn’t last long though as some off-ball shenanigans and an exchange of French haute couture handbags saw a cheese shown both ways. From the subsequent dislocation, St Pats responded better to swing momentum their way. And after a period of sustained pressure, the St Pats lads pinched an unsauced pie back. However this only seemed to prick Alex ‘Pie Man’ Connolly from his slumber and he helped himself to a double pie while someone finally found that bloody sauce bottle and managed to squirt over one conversion to send the teams to oranges at 22-5 to the Red Kentwellians.
As was expected on St Pats Old Boys Day, the home team came out firing in the opening exchanges of the 2nd course and jagged themselves a 2nd pie. But that only prompted Reuben ‘I swear I’m a breakaway’ Brock to let loose with some fantastic footwork and draw & pass skills down the short side to pinch a pie back. However, unfortunately someone had lost the bloody sauce bottle again at half time and a further 2pts went askance. St Pats did help themselves to a 3rd pie in mid half, but Filipe ‘Ok I’ll play Lock then’ Labalaba then closed out the game with a pie on his own which, whilst dotted down next to the posts, still fell victim to the mysteriously missing sauce bottle (no conversion).
Best & Fairest were awarded as 1pt split between Tiger Parker and Cory Griffen, 2pts to Sione ‘I’m not playing Lock’ Takelo and 3pts to Alex ‘Fat Man’ Connolly.
The win finally cracked the Red Kenty’s out of 5th spot on the table. The 5 table points landed the lads at 4th on-table with 35pts, 1pt above Waves and equal with 3rd placed Colleagues on 35pts (higher via win/loss but now to eat their bye). So much hinges for the overall Kentwell Top4 makeup this weekend as Waves play Mossy. But from a D.Reds perspective, that is all superfluous as the Red Kenty’s must simply wipe the 2nd last placed Green Foresters away with a 5pt win to maintain their table positioning. Given the Blue Goats can be expected to beat Petersham by a comfortable margin at Lapstone, a 5pt Red win will likely put the lads into 3rd spot with 4th spot falling to either Waves or Mossy as they squeeze Colleagues out of the Top4. And in all of that, will somebody PLEASE find that Kentwellian sauce bottle? Leaving 10pts off pies at this time of year is more than this bear can bear.
Closing Comments:
So the day was mixed. With 2 wins and 3 losses, a good day doth not make. The 4th grade and 2nd grade losses were difficult to swallow and the lads were all duly ‘gutted’ post script, particularly the Judheads who are as-of now playing for their lives in every game. But frankly, the spirited effort from St Pats was not wholly unexpected given it twas their Old Boys Day and their last home game of a long season. However the St Pats Colts team were undefeated, were an entirely different matter, and are clearly a side to be reckoned with. Our Colts had their opportunities to beat them and will be both wiser for the experience and chomping at the bit for the next opportunity, provided they earn it via a win over Forest this coming weekend. For the Thirsty Widows, the win blew the cobwebs away as they rediscovered some form and connection after three successive losses. However the Red Widows will be tested and extended further this coming weekend against a sterner opponent, fighting for their season. For the Red Kentwellian team, they are in purgatory and paying the price for some moments of poor execution when it mattered throughout the season. So while they are a team of obvious talent and ability, every game from here on is a final for them as well. But they are game, and they are nothing if not talented, so they will face the coming matches with chins held high.
So with much on the line across the club, the coming Saturday 12th August 2023 will be a dead-set cracker of motivated rugby at the most picturesque harbourside ground in the worlds most beautiful harbourside city. With clear skies, bright sunshine, a light breeze and a min-max of 10-20* forecasted, Drummyne Oval will showcase the very best of Sydney suburban rugby as the D.Reds host the Forest Green in the final round of the 2023 regular season. So do yourself a favour and grab your mate, grab your wife, grab your sister and maybe even grab your mum and come on down for a steak sandwich and too many beers whilst you stand enthralled by what will be a cracking day of real club rugby.
Boire le vin.
Nutta.
#dirtyreds #deeperthanblood
For the other rounds
Round 01
Round 02
Round 03
Round 04
Round 05
Round 06
Round 07
Round 09
Round 10
Round 11
Round 12