Under 18’s V Southern Sharks Round 17-August 16
You have to give an enormous amount of credit to the Penrith rams Under 18’s side of 2008.
On Tuesday night at training, one could expect a poor turnout at training. It was amazing that twenty three players turned up for the run.
Only a few days prior, the team travelled to Rosedale Oval at Warwick Farm and were the recipients of a complete pasting by a hungry Moorebank Sports outfit when, after scoring the first goal, suffered a 100 point loss. The Magpies had an outside chance of making the finals, whilst the Rams season was almost over.
It was pretty well the same scenario when the team took on the Southern Sharks at Grey Gums on Saturday. It was the third time the teams had met this year with the Sharks having a 2-0 record against us and sitting in third spot on the ladder. The Rams had little to play for except pride. Coaches Kevin Tate and Barry King-Smith asked them to show inner strength and a commitment for eighty minutes. The team has always shown their true ability during the year, but often a bad quarter had cost them matches. They were asked to win the game, although privately they were just hoping the boys would be competitive and not reproduce the previous weeks poor form.
The first quarter started poorly for the Rams with the visitors putting the first major on the board but the response was positive with a quick reply. In a first quarter dogfight, the Rams missed another four opportunities with points but led their more fancied counterparts by four points. The second quarter saw the match open up with both sides upping the pace and adding four goals apiece but the Rams extended their lead courtesy of three more behinds to go to the sheds with a six point lead as the wind started to strengthen.
There was an air of new found confidence in the team at the major break. The hunger that was non- existent last week had returned as the Rams dominated the third session. But it was to be quite a horror story with the Sharks kicking the only goal of the quarter whilst Penrith contributed five minor scores to lead by just five points. As shown in almost every match they played this year, when the Rams have a sniff of victory, they go on with the job. This was to be the biggest task of all and it was a dogfight all the way to the end. The visitors got to within five points of victory and in the last minute, took a mark almost in front and about fifteen out. It was going to be a cruel defeat for the local team but finally the football gods decided to reward the Rams as the kick cannoned into the left hand post and the siren sounded to give the Rams a sensational four point victory.
There were many standouts for the team. Every player did his bit. Brendan Cooke played his best game of the season and along with Kyle McDonagh, Ben Robertson and Cameron Jaworski provided spark in the team. Max Roberts, Alex Henry and Dean Siljanoski were again superb whilst Under 16 player, Matty Payne played a pivotal role once again. Michael “Magic” Morgan recovered from a nasty pre-match incident to lead the team (with a higher voice) whilst the “J-Train” of Jamie (King), Jakeman (King-Smith), Jesse (Begley) and Josh (Anasis) were pivotal in the win.
The team ends their 2008 campaign at home against the second placed Macquarie Uni at 10:00 AM Saturday. It would be a fitting end to see another win over a top four team. The future is looking bright with most of the team eligible to play 18’s next year.
Penrith Rams 7.14-56 def Southern Sharks 8.4-52
Goals: Cameron Jaworski 2, Kyle McDonagh 2, Ben Robinson, Josh Anasis, Brendan Cooke
Last Modified on 18/11/2008 07:18
