Eastwood Preview Round 11
By Paul Treanor Grade Last Saturday saw the Eastwood juggernaut on the rampage against an opposition without any answers to the constant bombardment of the try line. Fifty tries across the four grades were scored by Eastwood with Thirds scoring 18 on their own. All up 326 points were scored and the score boards were having trouble keeping up. It would have been even higher had our kickers’ radar been on target. While this was going on our Colts also scored two from from two wins out at Penrith’s home ground. All in all a great result for the Club. A couple of players were seen taking photos of the scoreboard showing the Third grade score during one of the breaks in proceedings. A photo that could end up in the history section of a future Eastwood newsletter! Turning to this Saturday we have a number of tight contests on the cards as we take on Northern Suburbs. Grade travel to play them at North Sydney Oval while Colts host them at home. Both venues should produce top notch rugby with some results vital to Eastwood consolidating their place in each of their respective competitions. With results going Eastwood’s way last weekend we have tightened our grip on second place on the Club Championship. It is important to maximise points from this weekend’s round to maintain our place and keep the pressure on University.
4th Grade – 3rd place
Eastwood Fourth Grade kicked off last Saturday with an emphatic 61 to 20 win over Penrith. With Randwick and University also winning, the top of the competition ladder remains unchanged. This week they play a Norths side that is coming fourth and won last week against Parramatta 39 to 7. Norths have only lost twice this season and it is shaping up to be an even contest. It should be an entertaining game to get proceedings under way and set the mood for the day.
3rd Grade – 2nd place
Eastwood Thirds had an unbelievable 122 to nil win over Penrith last Saturday. A surprise win by Gordon over Randwick and University’s defeat of Manly has put some distance between the top two sides and the rest of the competition.
Their opposition this week had only their third win of the season against Parramatta (27-12) last Saturday. The form Eastwood have been in in recent games should see them again in the winners circle this Saturday. The clash between Randwick (3rd) and Manly (4th) will be watched with much interest as the result will have an impact on the ladder.
2nd Grade – 3rd place
Manly’s loss last weekend to University and Eastwood’s 76 – 10 win over Penrith has moved us closer to getting to the top of the ladder. This week sees two top of the table clashes. The top two sides – Randwick and Manly – clash at Coogee Oval, while Eastwood take on fifth placed Norths. With Eastwood only five points behind Randwick and three behind Manly the result of these two games will have a significant bearing on the table.
Norths will be no easy beats and Eastwood will need to play to their best potential if they are to secure the win. Norths’ win last week over Parramatta 41-32 puts them only four points behind Eastwood. This game is looking to be the match of the day with both sides needing to win to maintain their momentum.
1st Grade -1st place
The deck chairs on 1st Grade ladder are being rearranged following last week’s results. Easts continued their move up the ladder with their win over Warringah. Southern Districts loss to West Harbour was their third in the last four rounds and they are now dropped to fourth, leaped frogged by West Harbour. Finally University win against Manly has pushed Manly back to fourth. Eastwood still remains six points ahead of University at the top of the ladder.
Eastwood started patchy last week against Penrith. Miracle passes failed to find their mark letting Penrith back into the game time and again. The coach’s words at half time achieved their goal as the team came out more focused after oranges and ended running out winners 67 to 14.
This week they will need to be on their game from the kick off as Norths will not let them off the hook so easily. Norths lifted last week beating Parramatta 32 to 17 in the curtain raiser to the Waratahs Lions game. That was their fifth win of the season and they have shown they can threaten the top sides in the competition.
With Norths bringing their A game we should be in for a cracker of a game. Eastwood should account for them but after the buzz from play Norths to lift another gear against the competition leaders.
Colts
While Grade are set for four top games Colts return to Millner to take on three strong Northern Suburbs teams. Each game has the potential to going down to the final whistle and should be a great day’s rugby for those who can’t make it to North Sydney. Games this week will be critical to the teams season so you can expect both clubs will come to play.
The day starts with our Thirds taking on the competition leaders. They have not had much rugby in the last month with byes and a week off. They could be a little short of match fitness but will need to ignore this and go out and play to their full potential. Norths have only lost one game this season and will be an important test for third placed Eastwood. Both teams have been playing well and should put on a good contest. The team who takes their chances and controls its discipline will come away winners.
Seconds kept their opposition scoreless for the second game in a row when they defeated Penrith 59 to nil last Saturday. They are holding down third place on the ladder and with the bonus point win they are just two points behind competition leaders Sydney University and one point behind this week’s opposition Norths. Once again we have two teams evenly matched it should be a great contest and worth seeing. Eastwood’s discipline and defence of the last two rounds will need to be applied to this week’s game to minimise the scoring opportunities for Norths and allow their attack to make it count at the other end of the field.
Firsts 78 to 9 win last week over Penrith was their fifth win of the season. They have a pattern of stringing two wins together so they should win again this week if they are to maintain this pattern. However it takes more than that to win in rugby so they will need to bring their best game if they are to take the points from Norths who are three points ahead of them on the table. It is a watershed game for the team as a loss here will see them drop away from the competition leaders.
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