Some days the rugby gods just shine on you.
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The sun sits obediently off to the west, warming and shining your favourite venue, but offering little advantage either way. The slight breeze favours one direction making decisions easy at coin toss time.
The opposition is strong, as is the knowledgeable crowd and your own support base. The running rugby is hard, but clean, crisp and fair. The end result is favourable.
These are the times that make rugby an easy game to love – last weekend was not one of those times.
The Dogs went into last week’s match in Braidwood against the Redbacks missing 12 players from their squad, they were coming off a terrible training week and the prevailing straight westerly breeze could best be described as cyclonic.
Under-done, under-resourced and under pressure. The dogs need someone to stand up, regardless of conditions and regardless of excuses.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man and enter Gearin Price.
Chick’s Pick Price, along with his front row partners Scott Kensit and Pat Carlon lead the Crookwell Pack. Time after time they battered the Redback line, which considering the onslaught, held well.
Other opposition at other times in better circumstances have crumbled.
Jimmy Croker, Ryan Seaman, Sam Elliott, Robbie Cosgrove and Will Croker completed The Dogs eight in the engine room and all had strong games.
Angus Hedges stayed out of retirement one more week to wear nine and did another exceptional job. Scoring a try and is looking like keeping captain Aaron Leighton at best, on the bench next week.
Tom Worman played smart football in difficult conditions and utilised his centres Matt Roberts and William Croker well.
Danny Knight, Mitchell McGeechan and Booka Smith were all strong and only on one controversial occasion did the BTC surrender their line.
At the final whistle the dogs had triumphed, 36-5.
Very little of this match will make the highlight reel at the end of the season. The dogs were resilient without being brilliant and improvements will have to come for success to continue as the encounters get more difficult.
The Dogs have scored fourteen tries and relinquished only two in their two games this year and are still a long way from fielding their top side. However, expectations are high, and the players know this. It is their own expectations as much as it is their supporters.
The Dogs will play against Bungendore Mudchooks on April 21 following a massive victory over ADFA.
- Try Scorers; Gearin Price 3, Matt Roberts, Angus Hedges, Danny Knight.
- Conversions; Tom Worman 3
- Best and Fairest, Gearin Price 3, Sam Elliott 2, Mitchell McGeechan 1.
- Player’s Player, Gearin Price
- Chick’s Pick; Jimmy Croker.
For all things Dog related, visit www.facebook.com/crookwelldogs.