Week 2 in the Conference Structure in the Fortescue Premier Grade has shown what it’s all about – tough competition and hard-fought wins.
The Fortescue Men’s Premier Grade entered Round 13 this weekend, with hot competition in Conference A and Conference B. This week’s match ups proved the competition to be tough this season, and perhaps the foregone conclusion of teams who will make the Grand Finals to be in contention.
In Conference A, one point separated Nedlands from their win over Palmyra, with a final score of 32-33. The top two teams on the ladder, the match was a close battle, with impressive performances across the field. For Nedlands, Tupou Kaufononga put two on the board, scoring his first 2 minutes into the game against a strong home Palmyra side, his second to follow in the 24th minute. Between tries for Nedlands, Albert Alcock snuck past strong defences to put the first for Palmyra on the board in the thirteenth minute, followed by two from Curtin Rona, at minute 18 and minute 26. Consistency in kicking from Matty Lansdown is what pushed Nedlands to victory, with four completed conversions, while Palmyra’s two conversions and one penalty put them just one point behind. In a wicked match up, Nedlands emerged victorious, and the competition remained hot, with Palmyra so close to ending the Neddies winning streak.
Tries for Nedlands were scored by Kaufononga (2’, 24’), Cheick Kone (50’), Hamish Dawson (66’) and Othenaiel Vaevae (73’), with conversions by Lansdown (2’, 24’, 50’, 73’). For Palmyra, tries were scored by Alcock (13’), Rona (18’, 26’), Hendrick De Wet (45’) and Cooper North (80’), with two conversions (13’ 26’) and one penalty (65’) from Matt Mckenzie.
An upset in Conference B saw Wests Scarborough walk away with a win over Southern Lions, seeing the side reignite their finals hopes and bring back their winning ways. In a big win over a strong Southern Lions side, Wests Scarborough put seven tries past the line, with each try converted in an impressive effort from Ross Cadzow. With two tries from Wests in the first seven minutes of the game, it was clear they came to performance, pushing themselves to just two points below Southern Lions on the Conference B ladder. The final score for the match was 52 to Wests Scarborough, 24 to Southern Lions.
Tries for Wests Scarborough were scored by Blair Guy (2’), Lenny Valleyé (7’), Kane Koteka (37’), Kauri Tipene-Grace (48’), Cadzow (56’), Isaak Welch (70’) and Sitaleki Baker (75’), with six conversions (2’, 7’, 37’, 48’, 56’, 70’, 75’) and one penalty goal (39’) also from Cadzow. For Southern Lions, tries were scored by Bradley Lacey, Raikadroka Rafaele and Joel Lamatoa, who also completed three conversions and one penalty goal.
Round 14 will see the Fortescue Premier Grade return this weekend, with Mental Health Round being celebrated. Mental Health Round 2025 is in partnership with Think Mental Health, and their 'Find Your Way to Okay' campaign.
The ‘Find Your Way to Okay’ campaign acknowledges the unique circumstances and challenges experienced by young adults in Western Australia, and provides practical, evidenced-informed strategies to gain and maintain mental health and wellbeing. It acknowledges that we are all different and validates the process of exploring to find what works for you.
Life can be hard sometimes. It’s not your fault and there’s not much you can do about the things beyond your control. But there’s a heap of little things you can do to maintain your emotional strength. Little tactics that bring calm, steady the way and help you feel okay day-to-day. We are all different, and the things that work for others may be different to the things that work for you. Take the time to explore and experiment, until you find what works for you. Find your way to okay.
Resources can be accessed through RugbyWA’s Mental Health and Wellbeing webpage.
Fortescue Premier Grade Round 13 Results
Associates (2) l. Cottesloe (36)
Wanneroo (35) d. Perth Bayswater (20)
YWA (38) d. Kalamunda (22)
Palmyra (32) l. Nedlands (33)
Wests Scarborough (5) d. Southern Lions (24)
