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Nedlands emerged as the early pace-setters with a red hot 41-7 win over Wanneroo in today's match of the round in the RugbyWA club competition, sponsored by KWIK Crane and Transport Hire.
There was no second half revivial for the Roo-dogs this week and but for a late consolation try, the hapless home side spent almost the entire spell pinned in their own territory while a slick, dominant Neddies team ran rings around them.
Ill discipline and increasing frustration cost the home side plenty as referee Daylin Waetford dished out two yellow cards in a half marred by several bad tempered scuffles.
The writing was on the wall in the first half with Nedlands running out to a 22-0 lead, grabbing every opportunity while Wanneroo wasted chances despite dominating the scrums and sharing possession and territory.
The match opened with a flurry as both teams chanced their arms but Neddies were first on the board with a penalty goal for offside, kicked from a difficult angle by flyhalf Mike Denton after four minutes.
A second followed, Denton landing another superbly kicked goal after Wanneroo were marched ten metres for backchat, and the visitors led 6-0 after eight minutes.
The Roo-dogs attacked with ability but again ill discipline cost them and Neddies kicked clear. However, the big Wanneroo pack had the Nedlands scrum in trouble and the home side's in-your-face defence pressured the Royal Blues' backline into handling errors.
But it didn't stop a high-paced Neddies attack from almost scoring after 18 minutes when an overlap had wing Ryan Fourie speeding into the corner, but he passed back in and a heavy three-way collision had centre James Dougall seeing stars.
Then from a Neddies tap penalty after 22 minutes, the Roo-dogs' clearing kick was charged down. Nedlands lightweight but livewire flanker Ritchie Naylor chased hard but it wasn't clear whether he or the Wanneroo defender made meaningful contact with the ball. Referee Waetford initially awarded the try but on advice from assistant referee Josh Burger, changed the ruling to a 22 drop out.
However, Neddies kept the scoreboard ticking over after 25 minutes with another perfectly judged penalty goal by Denton, again from a difficult angle. By contrast, Wanneroo couldn't get a point on the board although they came within centimetres of scoring a try in the corner, and missed a moderate penalty chance after 30 minutes.
Instead Neddies made the best of all their opportunities, centre Dougall collecting a poorly judged Wanneroo kick and slicing through the defence, flat-footing two more defenders with dazzling footwork to score beside the posts. Denton converted and the visitors jumped to a 16-0 lead.
There was more to come before half time from another tap penalty, Neddies rucking up to the line before big lock Callum Saur peeled off and swiveled in the tackle to crash over the line for a try under the bar. Denton converted the sitter.
To add insult to injury the Roo-dogs lost lock Tim Iro to the sin bin just for repeated inforingements just before the half time whistle and the team trudged into their half time huddle 22-0 in arrears.
Neddies opened the second half with even more energy and Denton slotted a simple penalty goal for not releasing after six minutes. Wanneroo continued to be masters of their own demise, conceding yet another penalty after ten minutes that saw Nedlands hammer their line from a lineout. The phases kept coming and the pressure eventually told when Naylor plunged over on the blindside from a ruck close to the sideline. Denton missed his first kick of the day, although it was also the most difficult, but the visitors rocketed to a 31-0 lead.
The scoring dried up as reserves came on and the relentess pace told but the game stayed locked in Wanneroo's half, the increasingly desperate and frustrated home side struggling to make an impact, but without result.
Injuries and a couple of scuffles further disrupted play but despite losing captain Tuaefe Palalei to the sin bin for a late tackle, Wanneroo staged a late breakout to take play into Neddies' 22 -- but there was no mercy for the home side. A crooked lineout throw returned possession to Neddies and they counter-attacked, the ever-present Naylor finishing off a length of the field sequence with a try out wide. Denton added the extras with a near-perfect display with the boot and the Royal Blues racked up a humiliating 38-0 lead after 34 minutes.
There was no doubting Wanneroo's heart though, as they surged downfield again for a try in the corner to Western Force centre Joelin Rapana with minutes left to play. Fullback Winston Cameron-Dow converted for small consolation at 38-7.
Oddly, Neddies elected to take a late penalty and Denton obliged with the 35 metre goal from the middle of the park, and the full time whistle followed.
In other games, Cottesloe kept on their winning way with a 60-5 belting of Perth-Bayswater , Associates downed University 37-27, Palmyra defeated Wests-Subiaco 24-3, and Kalamunda impressed with a 54-10 win over Rockingham.
- Rick Boyd
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