0
Saturday, 10 August, 2013
Kick-off times:
First Grade: 3.30pm
Reserve Grade: 1.55pm
Under 20s: 12.35pm
Under 18s: 11.15
Third Grade 12.35pm (Field 2)
Fourth Grade: 1.55pm (Field 2)
Fifth Grade: 3.05 (Field 2)
Emirates Western Force players playing this round:
Associates: Angus Cottrell
Cottesloe: Junior Rasolea
Rockingham: Kieran Longbottom
UWA: Chris Alcock
Wanneroo: Phoenix Battye, Rory Walton
Wests Scarborough: Jayden Hayward
Best tries from Round 17 of the Pindan Premier Grade.
Match of the Round: Nedlands (1) v Cottesloe (2) at The Foreshore, Nedlands
Last time they met: Nedlands 12 defeated Cottesloe 0 at Patersons Stadium, Subiaco
The way the fixtures have unfolded this week may be the first of three possible clashes between the two Pindan Premier Grade giants – Nedlands and Cottesloe – over the next month.
A major semi-final against one another has been guaranteed for a number of weeks but with top spot on the ladder yet to be resolved, the winner of this weekend’s Pindan Premier Grade match of the round will be crowned minor premiers for 2013.
However, as one coach has already stated this year, few people remember who finished the home-and-away season on top of the ladder – the real statements are made on the first day of September.
Nedlands bounced back last week with a dominant 42-point win over Perth Bayswater which boasted six try scorers, and included a double to halfback Michael Ruru.
On the flipside, Cottesloe has slumped to three losses in the past month, with some wondering where the ruthless and aggressive Gulls who dominated first half of the competition have gone.
This week may provide the audit Cottesloe needs ahead of finals, against a consistent Nedlands who have an ability to manufacture wins irrespective of changes to on-field personnel, a trait Cottesloe coach Ian Fowler also believes his side holds.
Fowler says despite last week’s loss, a strong second half showed that his side was on the right path to finding strong finals form.
"We were happy with how we finished the game off but discipline is something we need to work on," he said.
"We can score more tries than anyone else but if we give away penalties then we will lose games."
With key names such as Adrian Hall, Tobias Hoskins and Nick Haining all under monitored workloads for the time being, Fowler believes his team can still mix it with the best in the competition.
"Those guys will get a some solid minutes over the next week but we're comfortable with the depth we have and that whoever we put on the field will do a good job," he said.
Nedlands coach Tony Ball says with ladder positions still undecided, there will be no holding back from either side.
“The competitive spirit will come out,” he said. “There is a minor premiership up for grabs so we will be doing everything we can to win this week.”
Having gotten the wood over Cottesloe earlier in the year Ball believes an out of form Cottesloe will be hungry for a positive result.
“I think they need a win, you don’t want to go in to finals losing three on the trot so all the pressure will be on them.”
Nedlands has made six changes ahead of the clash with Josh Eden-Whatiri, Michael Egan, Cal Sauer, Luke Doherty, Fred Tuua and Jake Stevens all returning.
Nedlands: 1, Mark Davies, 2 Mason Pomare, 3 Joe Richie, 4 Josh Eden-Whatiri, 5 Michael Egan, 6 Cal Sauer, 7 Richie Naylor, 8 Luke Doherty, 9 Michael Ruru, 10 Dylan Loversidge, 11 Ben Titoko, 12 Ryan Mcloud, 13 Fred Tuua, 14 Jake Wilson, 15 Jake Stevens
Cottesloe: Not Submitted
Referee: Graham Cooper
Perth Bayswater (10) v Palmyra (3) at Pat O’Hara Reserve, Morley
Last time they met: Palmyra 59 defeated Perth Bayswater 10 at Tompkins Park, Alfred Cove
Palmyra booked themselves a semi-final spot booked courtesy of last week’s 33-19 win over Rockingham, and, in doing so, extended their string of unbeaten matches to six.
Despite spending ten minutes with a man in the sin bin, the riverside club was clinical in the 14-point win as flyhalf Jared Trevathan booted 23 points for the match.
While they could be forgiven for resting a few players carrying niggles or heavy workloads, Palmyra has made just one change with Paul Harte replacing Nick Els on the wing.
For Perth Bayswater it’s been a year of learning, as the young group adjusts to the physicality and intensity required to compete for 80 minutes of rugby in the Pindan Premier Grade.
The home side has made two changes with centre Jason Neal and winger Sean Metcalfe coming in.
Perth Bayswater: 1 Laione Mulikihaamea, 2 Chris Kidd, 3 Adam Grant, 4 Joel Winterburn, 5 Campbell Saunders, 6 James Eliaschewsky, 7 Jacob Buist, 8 Sean Flatman, 9 Jackson Condren, 10 Wynston Cameron-Daw, 11 Eroni Lagavakatini, 12 Jason Neal, 13 Rick Wielinga, 14 Sean Metcalfe, 15 Jordan Luke
Palmyra: 1 Joe Savage, 2 Shane Manu, 3 Connor Higgins, 4 Jarrod Menary, 5 Padraig De Burca, 6 Shannan McRae, 7 Sam Vannah, 8 Hummer Tioki, 9 Brian Jurisich, 10 Jarrod Trevanthan, 11 Paul Harte, 12 Adam Kennedy, 13 Malei Va’a, 14 Hayden Baird, 15 Ray Maloney
Referee: Kyle Burnett
Wests Scarborough (4) v Rockingham (8) at Bennett Park, Scarborough
Last time they met: Wests Scarborough 18 defeated Rockingham 13 at Lark Hill Sporting Complex, Port Kennedy
Last week’s exhilarating one-point win over Cottesloe has made West Scarborough’s equation against Rockingham this week simple: take a point from the match and play finals for the first time since 2006.
Teava Terangi held the key in the nail-biting win as the flyhalf landed 16 points to counter his side being outscored four-tries-to-two.
Regardless of what happens this week Rockingham will finish in eighth spot on the ladder, with broad daylight between them and ninth-placed Wanneroo.
The southern club has had some terrific victories this season, as wins over Cottesloe and Associates highlighted the potential threat the side can become over the next 12 months.
Wests Scarborough has made several changes with prop Jimmy Harvey, lock Matt O’Brien and winger Brendan Anderson all coming in.
Emirates Western Force outside back Jayden Hayward is set to make his first appearance for Wests Scarborough while Rockingham’s favourite son – Kieran Longbottom – will also return this weekend.
Wests Scarborough: 1 Kane Nooroa, 2 Conan Haukomau, 3 Jimmy Harvey, 4 Ben Henan, 5 Matt Obrien, 6 Brad Griffiths, 7 Kane Koteka, 8 Josh Beer, 9 Michael Marshall, 10 Teava Terangi, 11 Brendan Anderson, 12 Marty Campbell, 13 Jayden Hayward/Pierre Roberts, 14 Sean Curd, 15 Brad Lacey
Rockingham: Not Submitted
Referee: Steve Chapman
Associates (6) v Wanneroo (9) at Allen Park, Swanbourne
Last time they met: Associates 23 defeated Wanneroo 10 at Pat O’Hara Reserve, Morley
Last week’s five-point loss to Kalamunda was just the latest instalment in a frustrating year for Associates.
Plagued by injuries and inconsistency in the halves, Associates have struggled to find the level of performance that took the club to the Premiership last season.
A slow start had the Swanbourne club on the back foot for the majority of the season, and second round losses to contemporaries Rockingham, Palmyra and UWA dashed any finals aspirations.
An injury-plagued season has forced Wanneroo to spend much of the season fighting it out with Perth Bayswater to avoid the unenviable wooden spoon tag.
The northern club sits two points clear of the bottom of the table and will be fighting to finish the season on a high with an upset performance this weekend.
Wanneroo has made one change as flyhalf Jason Stewart returns to the starting line-up.
Associates: Not Submitted
Wanneroo: 1 Timothy Larkin, 2 Kevin O’Byrne, 3 Steve Mangan, 4 Brian Khaemba, 5 Phoenix Battye, 6 Rory Walton/Makoni Mafi, 7 Michael Lovie, 8 Silvio Iro, 9 Kaufosi Moataane, 10 Jason Stewart, 11 Adam Knight, 12 Common Terry, 13 Andrew King, 14 Sivi Muli, 15 Liam Hemming
Referee: Mark Calverley
UWA (5) v Kalamunda (7) at McGillivray Oval, Mt Claremont
Last time they met: Kalamunda 25 drew with UWA 25 at Hartfield Park, Forrestfield
At times it’s been difficult to watch for UWA supporters this season, and fittingly it isn’t over yet, with the Students still a chance to sneak into fourth spot at the conclusion of the weekend.
Averaging 28 points-per-game, UWA has a wealth of attacking options but defensively the side has been unable to contain the opposition, as close losses have cost the side dearly.
To be any chance of fourth spot, the Students need to take all five points on offer this weekend, a feat not unachievable given their form in last week’s 47-point thrashing of Wanneroo.
Meanwhile, Kalamunda showed they still had some fight with a stirring five-point win over Associates – a week after the loss to Palmyra officially put a line through their season.
UWA are expected to make just one change for the final game of the season with Emirates Western Force back-rower Chris Alcock making his first appearance for the club.
UWA: Nevin Mills, 2 Harry Scoble, 3 Jacob Gionoli, 4 Bruce Smith-Wright, 5 Tim Carslaw, 6 Richard Hardwick, 7 Chris Alcock/Cian O'Connor, 8 Jeremy Smith, 9 Ethan Carlisle, 10 Luke Burton, 11 Nathan Cummins, 12 James Wilson, 13 Joel Rapana, 14 Mike Lees, 15 Christian Joubert
Kalamunda: Not Submitted
Referee: James Sherriff