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Tooheys New Shute Shield Elimination Semi-Finals Preview
September 11, 2009 - 12:59pm
Story by: NSWRU
GORDON (3rd) v WARRINGAH (6th)
Pittwater Rugby Park
Kick-off: 3:10pm (ABC TV Game of the Day)
Gordon are the only team entering week one of the 2009 Finals Series on a high and will be looking to carry that momentum forward when they face Warringah at Pittwater Rugby Park in the ABC TV Game of the Day.
In an interesting twist of the draw, the match is being played at sixth-placed Warringah’s home ground, however when the two sides met at the venue in round three it was Gordon who finished on top in a 19-point victory.
But it is their round 14 clash which poses a more relative indicator towards this match. When they met back in July, the Rats rushed out to a 24-0 lead at the break however the Highlanders came back to close to margin to just three, before going down in a double bonus point loss. If both teams take that never-say-die attitude into this match the scene is set for a classic encounter. The two sides have lost just one match between them since the end of July, and it will take a continuation of that form to progress into the final four.
Gordon started the season on fire with five straight wins, and they finished in similarly impressive fashion. After dropping four out of six matches between rounds 14 and 19, the Highlanders fought hard for victories over Manly and Eastwood to secure a playoffs berth, before dismantling Penrith by 71 points last weekend.
Warringah on the other hand slipped in the final round to scrape into the top six. A last minute penalty delivered the Rats a draw in their last match, seeing them into the finals by just one competition point. Prior to that the Rats had won nine of their previous 12 matches to storm into premiership contention, with their season picking up immediately after their impressive contingent of Super 14 players returned in June.
One of the advantages both teams have benefitted from in recent times is line-up consistency. Again this week Gordon and Warringah take stable starting XVs into this sudden death match, with the main change being the inclusion of Wallaby prop Pek Cowan in the Warringah front row.
Teams
Gordon: 1.Ofa Fainga’anuku, 2. Tobias Gukibau, 3. Marty Plokstys; 4. Nifo Nifo, 5. Ed Gower [c]; 6. Paulie Tuala, 7. Craig Thomas, 8. Viliame Ratu; 9. Justin Turner, 10. Josh Kiel; 11. Terry Preston, 12. Dave Harvey, 13. Mark Preston, 14. Matt McDougall; 15. Dane Haylett-Petty.
Warringah: 1. Pek Cowan, 2. Luke Holmes, 3. Dan Barnard; 4. Hugh Pyle, 5. Chris Thomson; 6. Brent Murphy, 7. Beau Robinson [c], 8. Trevor Richardson; 9. Brett Sheehan, 10. Sam Harris [c]; 11. Dylan Smouha, 12. Josh Holmes, 13. Haig Sare, 14. Jordon Macey; 15. Pat McCabe.
Referee: Steve Walsh
MANLY (4th) V EASTWOOD (5th)
Forshaw Rugby Park
Sunday 13 September 2009
Kick-off: 3:00pm
Manly and Eastwood enter the Elimination Semi-Finals on the back of losses, and will need to drastically turn around their form to progress any further in 2009.
Luck has certainly gone against the Marlins in recent times who won nine of their first ten matches to lead the competition at the halfway point. Three weeks ago Lui Siale dropped the ball over the line when a match-winning try looked certain. Their last home game featured held up tries in the closing minutes against the competition front-runners Sydney University. Then in round 22 the Marlins were forced to play 55 mins with one-man down after Tyrone Smith was sent from the field for a spear tackle.
If the Rugby gods think Manly are due for a stroke of luck, it could come at the expense of Eastwood who last weekend were in the wars themselves.
On top of going down 81-7 in a long afternoon at University Oval, the Woodies also lost Western Force scrumhalf Chris O’Young and former New Zealand Schoolboy Ray Isara to injuries. Wallaby prop Matt Dunning and HSBC Waratahs hooker were also forced from the field in the match, while the team lost Ben Batger a few weeks ago when the Italy-bound back was in a hot-streak of form. Add to that the loss of second rowers Josh Dunning and Phil Mathers earlier in the year, and many would argue Eastwood have done well to make it to the semis.
Both sides will take something out of their head-to-head encounters this year. In the opening round of the competition, Manly got home in what was the definitive ‘match of two halves’. The Woodies streaked away to a 19-0 lead at home, however failed to score a point in the second half to go down by six. Their round 12 meeting provided one of the more memorable games of the season. In windy, wet and wild conditions at Manly Oval, the home side was victorious in a torrid encounter, however Eastwood was still pushing hard well after the full-time bell.
Manly have been boosted by the return of rampaging No.8 Wycliff Palu for this encounter. Palu played one of his best matches in club colours against Sydney University two weeks ago and will again prove a handful for Eastwood. His showdown with aspiring NSW backrower Lachlan McCaffrey will be one of the key match-ups.
Eastwood however have been forced into changes due to injury. O’Young’s departure has opened the door for Mick Snowden, while Rowan Kellam moves to fullback after Isara was ruled out. Cam Mitchell joins the new-look backline on the wing.
Teams
Manly: 1. Eddie Aholelei, 2. Elvis Taione, 3. James Lakepa; 4. Will Munsie, 5. Luke Andrews; 6. Dylan Sigg, 7. Will Brame [c], 8. Wycliff Palu; 9. Chris Cottee, 10. Josh Gamgee; 11. Leon Bott, 12. John Payne, 13. Brian Sefanaia, 14. Luke Johnson; 15. Adam D’Arcy.
Eastwood: 1. Simon Norris, 2. Damien Fitzpatrick, 3. Matt Dunning; 4. Ben Hand, 5. Tom Alexander; 6. Gareth Palamo, 7. Hugh Perrett [c], Lachlan McCaffrey; 9. Mick Snowden, 10. James Foote; 11. Cam Mitchell, 12. Sione Piukala, 13. Tim Bennetts, 14. John Grant; 15. Rowan Kellam.
Referee: Nathan Pearce
http://www.rugby.com.au/news/tooheys.../section/21893
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