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Queanbeyan Blues (1) 48 defeated Gungahlin Bulls (3) 20 at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval

The Queanbeyan Blues have taken out the top of the table clash and remain undefeated in the 2015 TTM Canberra Raiders Cup season after defeating the Gungahlin Bulls 48-20 at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval.

The Bulls started the game the stronger of the two sides but a dominant end to the first half from the Blues saw them take the lead and they never gave Gungahlin a chance to get back into the game from then on.

Gungahlin got the scoring underway in the 7th minute after Queanbeyan made a mistake coming out of their own goal line and the Bulls were able to capitalise on this mistake through Chris Thorley, who also converted his own try for a 6-0 lead.

It was back-to-back tries from Gungahlin in the 18th minute when Lincoln Withers made a strong run at the line which created a gap in the Blues defence before sending Aiden Greenwood through to score under the posts. The conversion from Thorley was successful again for a 12-0 lead.

From that point on Queanbeyan were able to get into the game and score four unanswered tries going into half time. The first was scored after a cut-out ball found Craig Wilkinson in open space on the wing and he was able to cross in the corner and step up to convert his own try for a 12-6 score line in the 23rd minute.

The Blues were then able to take advantage of a Bulls mistake from the ensuing kick-off. The Bulls gave away a penalty for being offside giving Queanbeyan valuable field position. From there, Scott Rutland scored after a quick pass from dummy half close to the line. Wilkinson was able to bring the score back level with the conversion.

The third try was scored within 10 minutes after a length of the field play down the wing resulted in another try for the Blues through Dave Pangai and the conversion from Wilkinson made for a 18-12 lead in the 29th minute.

Queanbeyan was then able to get a 12 point lead going into the break after scoring in the 38th minute. Wilkinson once again found in space on the wing and scored in the corner and converted his own try for a 24-12 score line at half-time.

Queanbeyan Coach Simon Woolford was pleased with his team’s effort to get back into the game after conceding the first two tries of the game.

“There were some early concerns and they certainly came out of the blocks hard and we knew they would,” Woolford said. “We were down. They had a lot of early possession and they capitalised but once we turned that possession flow around I knew we could get back into the game.” 

The start of the second half saw the Blues continue their momentum by scoring in the 43rd minute after the ball was spread onto an outnumbered side of the field and Adam Misios was able to find a hole and cross underneath the posts. Wilkinson was able to continue his perfect kicking performance to extend the Blues lead to 18 points.

It then turned into a try-for-try period with the Bulls scoring next in the 46th minute after the Blues gave away back-to-back penalties. Gungahlin were able to capitalise on the field position for Shaun Grainger to score in the corner after being found with a cut-out pass. The conversion was unsuccessful from Thorley to leave the score at 30-18.

The Blues restored their lead in the 59th minute after Tom Ruediger was able to break the line and make a strong run down the wing before drawing out Bulls fullback Dwayne Connors and passing inside for Pangai, who scored his second try of the game.  The conversion was successful from Marc Herbert for a 36-16 lead.

Gungahlin hit back in the 69th minute when Channon McAskill scored after Grainger was able to drag the defence across and offload to McAskill. Thorley missed the conversion to make the Blues lead 16 points.

Quenbeyan then closed the game out with back-to-back tries to Ben Sione and Marc Herbert. Both conversions were successful from Wilkinson meaning that the full-time score line read 48-20.

Woolford pointed to players such as Dave Pangai and James Woolford as players that had an impact on the game.

“David Pangai played 80 minutes and that is the first time he has done that,” Woolford said. “Our hooker got Players’ Player so was obviously very good and has been for the last few weeks. He’s getting better and better the more he plays with his new team.”

Queanbeyan Blues 48 (Craig Wilkinson, Dave Pangai 2, Scott Rutland, Marc Herbert, Keresoma Sione, Adam Misios tries; Wilkinson 6, Herbert 2 goals) defeated Gungahlin Bulls 20(C McAskill, S Grainger, C Thorley, A Greenwood tries; Thorley 2 goals)

 

Queanbeyan Kangaroos (4) 26 defeated West Belconnen Warriors (6) 22 at Freebody Oval

The Queanbeyan Kangaroos have registered their third straight victory after overcoming a gallant West Belconnen Warriors outfit by four points at home.

West Belconnen went into the match with plenty of confidence having defeated the Roos 36-16 in Round 1 plus the return of fearsome forward John Papalii who hasn’t been available for two whole months.

However, in front of their parochial home fans and led by a double to back-rower Adam Pearce, the Roos dug to narrowly secure victory.

The decisive win sees the Roos, the 2013 Premiers, retain their place at fourth on the ladder.

Queanbeyan Kangaroos 26 (Adam Pearce 2, Matt Adam, Glenn Baker, Dan Maskill tries; Jack Miller 3 goals) defeated West Belconnen Warriors 22 (Dayne Ewings 2, Ryan McQueen, Luke Snedden tries; Howie Brown 3 goals)

 

Woden Valley Rams (5) 34 defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers (7) 26 at Phillip

A four try haul by Jordan Martin, the son of former Raider Paul Martin, has seen the Woden Valley Rams secure a 34-26 victory over the Tuggeranong Bushrangers in the local derby at Phillip District Oval.

Martin senior played in 122 games for the Raiders, including the 1989 and 1990 premierships, and as evidenced on Saturday, Martin junior has inherited plenty of his father’s finishing ability.

With his side behind 14-12 in a scrappy affair at half-time, Martin scored three second half tries to ensure the Rams remained just two points outside the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup top four. 

Interestingly, Martin’s Man of the Match display came days after he auditioned for the NRL Rookie television show in Sydney.

“Dad's my inspiration, I do what I do to try and impress him, really,” Jordan said. “This NRL Rookie thing is my best opportunity yet. He shows me little things to look for when the opposition is tired, all sorts of things, I could go on for hours.

“I may as well give myself the best chance and I thought I was competing with everyone else up there.

“I'll give it my 100 per cent best, if it doesn't work out at least I tried.”

Despite having a completion rate of just over 50%, Woden still managed to grind out the win, but Coach Ash Barnes said his side’s completion rate would need to improve substantially if the Rams are to compete with the best sides in the competition. 

“Usually with those percentages you lose games, so it just shows the attitude the guys have to compete,” Barnes said. “If we lost today it was going to be very difficult to claw back into the top four. I was happy to see the boys hang in there and it keeps us right on the heels of [fourth-placed] Queanbeyan Roos. If we give that sort of ball to the Blues though, we're going to be in for a long day.”

Woden Valley Rams 34 (Jordan Martin 4, Brad Martin, Steve Serry tries; Tim Crome 5 goals) defeated Tuggeranong Bushrangers 26  (Jayden Pollard 2, Brendan Brophy 2, Jordan Hammond, Matt Gruber tries; Hammond 1 goal)

 

Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (2) 44 defeated Belconnen United Scholars (8) 10 at Goulburn Workers Arena

Goulburn has continued Belconnen United’s nightmare 2015 season with a 44-10 thrashing of the Scholars at home.

Inspired by a hat-trick from winger Tim Turner, the Bulldogs led from start to finish in the eight-tries-to-two rout.

After eight rounds, the Scholars are still yet to win a game and are statistically ranked as the worst defensive team in the competition, conceding a disastrous average of 43 points per game.

The win by Goulburn sees last year’s runners up leapfrog Gungahlin to regain second place on the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup ladder.

Goulburn Workers Bulldogs 44 (Tim Turner 3, Ben Marmont 2, Michael Dodson, Matt Worboys, Nick Cornish tries; Chris Hart 6 goals) defeated Belconnen United Scholars 10 (Mitch Shaw, Uli Taitaki tries; Andrew Pelasio goal)

Acknowledgement of Country

Canberra Raiders respect and honour the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.