Wash Out Round Sunday 31st July
Warilla Gorillas v Kiama Knights
- Author: Sophie Gleeson
After back to back losses, the Gorillas were desperate for a win as they head towards the final series. It's safe to say going into a game against Kiama Knights you are in for 80 minutes of entertainment, both teams with huge local talent and competitiveness.
It was an even playing field for the first few minutes of the game, however, Kiama grabbed the first points of the day in 17th minute of play, when Matt Morris saw a small hole and weakness in Warillas left edge. The conversion was successful and it was 6-0 in favour of the Knights. 7 minutes later into the match, Dylan Palmer-Quigg kicked across field, finding centre Callan Thistlethewaite who snatched the ball mid air finding the try line on his descent. Kiama Knights were in front 12-0 with just over ten minutes left in the first half. As a Warilla Supporter, it was painful to watch the points slowly creep up, desperately hoping the Gorillas could hold on and secure a win. Was this going to be a repeat of the last two weeks?
When the ball met Tyrone Roberts in the 31st minute he put up the most crisp ball 20 minutes out. Fullback Justin Jones was on the hunt, scooping the ball up and leaping over the try line to get them on the board. Beau Henry successfully converted and tightened the gap. Warilla were back in it and their determination didn't end there. Only two minutes after the successful conversion the Gorillas were back down their end. After a beautiful play by the Roberts brothers, the ball was held up. The boys set themselves back ten and it was on. It was a quick play, between Paul Roberts and Jake Brisbane who passed it onto an eager Dane Nelson who beat 4 defenders and reached out over the line and scored. What can't he do? Nelson has been on fire this year and he is definitely one to watch over the next few weeks, I am excited to see what he brings into the final series. It was converted succesfully by Henry and we were locked at 12 all, just before half time. The Knights had other plans. Vaughn Thistlethewaite came in like a bulldozer, no one could stop him as he charged straight to the try line. They ran into the sheds Kiama leading 18-12.
You could feel it brewing on the field, you could feel greatness coming. The look on the boys faces as they past the crowd on their way back to the sheds, you could tell they were hungry for more, they looked full of energy and pumped up for a second half of footy. They did nothing but start strong, four minutes into the second half, Anthony Skinner found the line and the Gorillas secured enough points to make it even. However, moments later Skinner was sent for 10 minutes in the sin bin and the Gorillas had to defend with 12, which is hard against any team, especially Kiama. It didn't seem to phase Warilla, when a sloppy play by the Knights was picked up by Dane Nelson, he took off running the length of the field, no one could catch him. He got his second try of the day and for the first time in 50 minutes, the Gorillas were in front 24-18. When I said I could feel something brewing, the boys quickly showed that they were still in the game when only moments later Paul Roberts fired the ball to oncoming Jake Brisbane, finding a hole in Kiama's defence slamming the ball down and extending the lead for the Gorillas to 30-18. With 10 minutes to go of the match, Dane Nelson made another HUGE linebreak offloading to supporting Paul Roberts, who could not be beat. After the huge attacking effort by the Gorillas, especially Nelson, Warilla made a huge gap on the scoreboard 36-18. After a knock on by the Knights in the 74th minute, Warilla had posession and Darnell Walker was next to make a line break passing it to Tyson Brown who charged through Kiama defenders putting the ball down under the post. After another successful conversion by Henry, the Gorillas were ahead 42-18. Unfortunately, in the final two minutes of play we had two Gorillas sent off for ten, Jake Goody and Jake Brisbane. The Kinights used these send offs to secure some more points. With both Killmore and Clark scoring tries for the Kiama side, the final score was 42 to 30. It was a huge and entertaining second half by the Gorillas and it truly showed the teams tenacity.
I spoke with Fullback Justin Jones about this round of footy. I asked what the team's main focus was going into the game, Jones said "Kiama always start off strong, it was important that we went with them for the first 20 minutes and if we continue to contest and attack well, the game would eventually break open". Jones believed the team "backed themselves and when they did things started to open up and go their way". I asked what he was hoping to improve on as a team for the coming weeks and Jones replied with "Discipline. It needs to be improved, after having so many injuries throughout the year and a few send offs it is so important to remain disciplined from kick off". I wondered what the back to back losses showed the team, Jones said "it proved the top 5 is closer than everyone is making it out to be, anyone can win it, but the losses put a fire in our bellies and made us desperate for a win". With only 4 rounds of the normal season, finals are on the minds of all coaches, players and supporters. Are the Gorillas ready? Jones said they are "still building towards finals, we still have players to return and we are on the right track, it's just time to come together as a team and do it for each other and I can guarantee we will be ready for Round 1 of finals". Jones hopes over the coming weeks that the crowds start to build and that a ton of supporters get around them at the grounds cheering them on, he belives it gives "the boys great energy and they all get around it". Next Saturday the 6th of August Warilla takes on Berry Magpies at Berry Showground at 3pm. After this Wash Out Round was played the Gorillas still sit in second place, just behind Gerringong Lions. At this point in time, the premiership is in anyone's hands...
