Mariners Rampage Reef Raiders in Final Round

A Grade Match report

A return to our traditional home ground on the weekend saw the JCU Mariners defeat the Port Douglas Raiders. This game was an important one for many reason’s, firstly to maintain momentum into the finals and also to defend the Tubby Jekyll Trophy (Played for during the

regular season with the holder defending it at there home games). We have been the major holder of this trophy since it’s inception into the competition about 3 seasons ago.

With a blustering wind cutting straight across the paddock and changing direction frequently we had the advantage in the first half with it predominantly coming from the south east. With the wind at our back we began to execute the game plan very well and even at one stage implementing a team set move which almost got pulled off. The boys played well and with a couple of little small things to improve, had the match well and truly under control. We did keep the Raiders scoreless in the first half with our boys spending at least 95% of the first half entrenched in there 50. The score at half time was 17 to nil.

With the wind changing continually we would not know who would have advantage in the second half but that was to be the least of our problems. We tended to go to sleep in the first 10 or so minutes allowing Port to achieve some field position which was missing in there first half. They managed to take advantage of this and eventually score some points. It is amazing how we can have two very contrasting halves of Rugby after showing so much dominance in the first half to turn around and be dominated in the second. We failed to continue with our game plan and where poor at the break down, with too many ball runners getting isolated and consequently loosing the ball thru pilfering from the opposition or being penalized for infringements following.

In the end it was a win all the same and there where some great displays by a few of the boys in particularly Fred Samuels, Justin Brown, Tahl Young, Jordan Massey and 2009 CDRU A Grade top point scorer Dion Pryor. The final Score JCU Mariners 29 (Jordan Massey 3, Tim Scott 1 Tries and Dion Pryor 3 conversions and 1 Penalty) Defeated Port Douglas Raiders 15 (3 Tries).

– Dave ‘Norto’ Norton

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