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Palmyra are fighting for their post-season lives when they face premiers Cottesloe at Tompkins Park in Saturday's final round of the KWIK Transport and Crane Hire Premier Grade.
A loss by more than seven points will clear the way for Kalamunda to leapfrog Palmyra into the top four on percentage, provided the Bulls can score four tries in defeating Wests-Subiaco at Hartfield.
And worse, Paly will not be able to count on an ounce of complacency from the competition leaders, as Cottesloe also have massive motivation for a win. A loss to Palmyra would almost certainly hand Nedlands the minor premiership, and probably promote Associates into second place and into the major semi-final with its invaluable second bite of the cherry, dropping the Seagulls to third.
Neddies have produced some ordinary rugby lately but they are unlikely to fall to wooden spooners Perth-Bayswater. By contrast, third-placed Associates appear to be peaking at the right time and should have little trouble securing the bonus point against ninth-placed Rockingham. The Seagulls’ options are limited – they either defeat Palmyra, or suffer a triple loss.
Other than that, Palmyra still has a few safety nets before they bow out of the finals race. They don't need to win, just lose by fewer than seven points.
It’s not something that Palmyra Coach John Taylor is considering.
“We don’t play for bonus points, we play to win,” Taylor said.
“I’ve been stressing it to the boys all week. Play our game, play to win and forget about the permutations.”
Also in Palmyra’s favour is Kalamunda’s need to secure the bonus point in their match against Wests-Subiaco. The Bulls are producing impressive form heading for the finals, including last week's 35-8 hammering of Nedlands, but Wests-Subiaco are no pushovers this season and have notched up some impressive wins.
Playing the premiers and competition leaders is probably not the game Palmyra would have chosen for their make or break game, but Taylor has no qualms about his team being up for the job.
“If we can’t get up for this, what are we playing for?” he said.
“We’ll leave nothing in the tank.
“We had a pretty good game against Cottesloe in the first round. We’re confident we can do well, especially at home.”
To add spice to the contest, both Cottesloe and Palmyra can see chinks in the opposition armour. Cottesloe ran into a patch of flat form in the second half of the season, leaking points against lowly opposition, drawing with Kalamunda and losing to Associates.
However, Taylor is not interested in Cottesloe’s form.
“It’s got nothing to do with it,” he said.
“Other teams like Wests-Subiaco, University, Wanneroo and Bayswater have proven in the second round that when they’re on their game they can match it with any team in the top four.”
The point could also be considered with Palmyra’s recent form. Since drawing 22-22 with the Seagulls in round nine, Paly have lost three games, struggled to win against mid-table teams, and were very lucky to survive a last minute, one-point horror against Perth-Bayswater.
“We’re fourth, it can’t be that bad,” Taylor said.
“But a few guys got injured at the wrong time --we had or four or five second graders playing against Kalamunda.
“Perth-Bayswater has vastly improved. We shot out to 19-0 and the boys just went to sleep.
“Baysie played particularly well. I knew we had it in us to catch up but we left it to the last minute.
“The team can do it when they want, it’s just consistency over 80 minutes.”
Palmyra must produce a complete team performance in the vital game to succeed against Cottesloe’s tight, forward-oriented game, hopefully unleashing Paly’s exciting back line to score match-winning points.
“We match most forward packs, I think you’ll find,” Taylor said.
“We’ve got two big locks, our front row is back to full strength, and with leaders like Karl Leery in the loose I’ve got no worries about the pack.
“It’s what we do over the advantage line that worries me. The back line is bit like a set of taps. When they’re hot they’re hot, and when they’re cold they’re very cold.
“I have no doubt at all that our forwards will get enough ball, but halfback Davy McLaren and our five-eighths Jamie McDonald and Eru Hoimona, they hold the key to get us over the advantage line and put pressure on Cottesloe.
“It’s our last chance. We have to get points.”
by Rick Boyd | RugbyWA
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Originally Posted by pieter blackie
