New look Palmyra Has Unfinsihed Business - Round 2 'Match of the Round'
Palmyra and Associates both have unfinished business from last season in the background at Tompkins Park in Saturday's RugbyWA club competition match of the round, sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.
Associates ran red hot through the early rounds of 2009 and led the competition approaching mid-season, only to fall away in the later stages and miss the finals. The young Soaks team has attacking talent to burn and will be looking for a step up this year as definite finalist contenders.
Palmyra won the 2009 minor premiership and raced into the grand final on an exciting brand of open, running rugby only to fall badly at the final hurdle against Cottesloe. Rumours of mass player defections seemed set to return Paly to their familiar boom and bust cycle, finalists one year and wooden spooners the next.
But anyone expecting to add Palmyra to their list of easy wins may be in for a surprise. High player turnover there has been but the numbers and calibre of Paly's new recruits should see the Melville unit going from strength to strength.
Top of the list has been Perth-Bayswater's premiership-winning coach, the highly regarded John Taylor from Picton, New Zealand.
The player losses have been costly – inside centre Konelio Feaunati, fullback Tajhon Mailata and flyhalf Quentin Austin have all left the club. Number eight Flip Manu has returned to Brisbane and lock Kiti Fuluna has yet to start training. The injury list is also extensive -- lock Chris Rankin is recovering from a knee injury, and halfback Dave Serukai and flanker Jerry Viriki have both suffered Achilles tendon injuries.
But on the other side of the ledger, incoming talent is impressive. Centre/wing Maia King joins the team from Marlborough, New Zealand, utility inside back Sam Moon and loose forward Jarel Te Kahu have followed JT from Perth-Bayswater, and flyhalf Eruera Haimona joins the club from the NZ Bay of Plenty NPC team. Other new arrivals include halfback Dallas McLaren from Brisbane, captain and number eight Anare Koliavu from Wellington NZ, lock Jake Ball, flanker Harley from Auckland NZ, ex-NZ schools prop Zac Williams, and ex-NZ Under 20s hooker Nathan Fotuali'i.
There is no doubting the potential of a stellar lineup such as this but with some of the arrivals missing the pre-season, Taylor's main headache is getting the team to form combinations quickly enough to be in striking distance of the top half of the table later in the year.
“We only had one training together before we played Nedlands, and it showed,” Taylor said.
“There's undoubted talent there, the challenge for us is gelling and getting the game plan that suits us.”
Taylor aims for a complete team performance with the players at his disposal, adding threatening ball-winning potential up front to the exciting attacking skills that were Paly's hallmark in 2009.
Palmyra lost 40-21 to a slick Nedlands team in the opening round, but the score didn't reflect the game, Taylor claims.
“We had the better of the second half, and they had a couple of lucky tries,” Taylor said.
“But having said that, Nedlands look very slick and very professional.
“They shot out of the blocks and were ten points up after six or seven minutes.
“We kept making mistakes, and compounding them, and by half time the contest was over.”
Last Saturday's 24-3 win over a young Wests-Subiaco team didn't offer too many indicators of Palmyra's progress but Taylor paid tribute to the opposition for their commitment.
“They were very tenacious. They have a lot of young guys but they tackle their hearts out,” he said.
“We put a lot of pressure on them but we didn't capitalise on all our chances – we blew about four tries.
“But we did what we had to do to win.”
Taylor expects a stern test against Associates with possession the key.
“They'll be fast and fit and furious, like they usually are,” Taylor said.
“There's no secret about playing Associates. You have to win that first phase ball and get over the advantage line.
“We're getting better at every training, we've just got to make sure we win our ball.
“I know Soaks will be efficient at the breakdown, so we've got to make sure we get our physicality right.
“I'm just hopeful we can make progress.”
Taylor says he is aware that big things will be expected from the new look Palmyra team after coming so close in 2009, but his concern is with the task ahead.
“There's a hollow feeling that they didn't go all the way,” Taylor said.
“But that was last year. This is a completely new team and we have to find our own way of playing.
“Our immediate goal is to win a few games now so we're not playing catch-up later in the season.
“The ultimate aim is to get into the finals – then that's a new competition.”
In other games, Kalamunda will want to continue their impressive winning start to the season against University at Hartfield, Nedlands will expect few troubles against Wests-Subiaco at Sir Charles Court Reserve, Wanneroo will hope to return to the winners' circle against a struggling Perth-Bayswater at Kingsway and Cottesloe may be in for an interesting battle with Rockingham at Harvey Field.
- Rick Boyd
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