It was a wet and wild Saturday for Round 15 of the Fortescue Men’s Premier Grade, with pouring rain and muddy pitches keeping the competition on its toes.
With just one Round to go before Quarter Finals kicks off, last weekend was do-or-die for teams, as their chances of securing their place in the Finals Series gets harder and harder. With strong performances across the board, and teams only getting better and better, the competition amongst all the rain this weekend was a hard one.
In Conference B, Southern Lions pulled off win despite the cold conditions, ending Wanneroo’s winning streak in a shock upset. With a young team taking to the field, Wanneroo looked good to claim victory, with a strong season to back them, and two tries before the 12th minute. But with more experienced players, solid conversions and one extra try on Wanneroo, Southern Lions pushed past the visiting side to secure their fifth win of the season. The final score saw Southern Lions, 31, defeat Wanneroo, 22.
Tries for Southern Lions were scored by Papillon Sevele, Peni Naqau, Raikadroka Rafaele and Liam McKinnon, who also completed four conversions and one penalty goal. For Wanneroo, tries were scored by Manaia Tetana (4’), Thomas Crofts (11’) and Ben Strang (85’), with two conversions (4’, 85’) and one penalty goal (37’) by Luke Ale.
In Conference A, a close battle between UWA and Palmyra at McGillivray Oval saw the visiting side secure a one-point victory, in a stellar battle between the sides. With the wet conditions seeing a muddy game down at McGillivray, it was a tough game for both sides. UWA was first off the bat to score, with a penalty goal in the 14th minute, Caleb Young slotting one between the posts. With an equal three tries each, it was solid kicking from Matt McKenzie which secured Palmyra’s win, with two conversions putting the side further ahead on the scoreboard to keep their finals dreams alive. The final score saw UWA, 18, defeated by Palmyra, 19.
Tries for Palmyra were scored by Kento Nakai (33’), Viliami Fine (45’, 60’), with two conversions from McKenzie (45’, 60’). For UWA, tries were scored by Aidan Shortall (27’), Jack Daly (67’) and Tiam Toufan (70’), and one conversion from Young (14’).
The final round of the regular Fortescue Premier Grade season will kick off this weekend, before the Finals Series takes place.
This weekend marks Women in Rugby Round, a celebration of the women who make the rugby community the vibrant, inclusive community it is. Women in Rugby Round will see all Women’s and Girls teams celebrate at McGillivray Oval, with all games taking place at the one location across the day.
Fortescue Men’s Premier Grade Round 15 Results
Cottesloe (40) d. Kalamunda (0)
Joondalup Brothers (12) l. Perth Bayswater (28)
Southern Lions (31) d. Wanneroo (22)
UWA (18) l. Palmyra (19)
Nedlands v. Associates cancelled due to weather conditions.
