PREMIER 1
Warnervale 18
Tevita Vaenuku, Sete Falekaono tries; Ben Austine 1 penalty goal; Sione Braxton 1 conversion, 1 penalty goal
defeated
Avoca Beach 12
Chris Truyens, Fionn Henderson Foley tries; Fionn Henderson-Foley 1 conversion
——
Lake Macquarie 26
Joe Lewer, Ratu Josua Camaisala, Ifan Hunnam, Ruasiate Silimaibau tries; Sam Neufeldt 2 conversions; Joe Lewer 1 conversion
defeated
Woy Woy 17
Mitch Hyde, Jacob Mills tries; Jacob Mills 2 conversions, 1 penalty goal
——
Terrigal 40
Blake Irwin, Jayden Woolley, Lachlan Sooialo, Adam Danckert, Jacob Farnworth, Ben Correy-Smith tries; Adam Danckert 10 conversions
defeated
Gosford 5
Karl Verhoef try
——
PREMIER 2
| Warnervale | 30 | Avoca Beach | 0 |
| Terrigal | 31 | Gosford | 0 |
| Lake Macquarie | 34 | Woy Woy | 12 |
PRESIDENT’S CUP
| Warnervale | 17 | Avoca Beach | 10 |
| Terrigal | 24 | The Bay | 0 |
| Lake Macquarie | 27 | Kariong | 15 |
| The Lakes | 14 | Razorbacks | 7 |
WOMEN’S 10’s
| Avoca Beach | 39 | Warnervale | 5 |
| Lake Macquarie | 58 | Woy Woy | 0 |
| The Lakes | 20 | Razorbacks | 0 |
REPORT:
The 2024 Central Coast Rugby Union season continued with Round 7 in the WLG Premier 1 series of matches. At this halfway point of the season, results are becoming more and more important in terms of the race to the Finals Series this year.
Avoca Beach and Warnervale met at Heazlett Park in very damp and overcast conditions. Warnervale caused a minor upset when they defeated the reigning Premiers Avoca Beach by 18 points to 12. It was an arm wrestle from start to finish. The conditions were extremely difficult with continual rain during the match and with the occasional heavy downpour. There was nothing in the match for the entire 80 minutes. Warnervale opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a penalty goal and these 3 nil leads remained the score for quite a while. Avoca Beach did respond with a converted try at the midway point of the first half to take the lead by 7 points to 3. The match was being played in very soggy conditions but despite this, both teams were putting on a good display of rugby. Avoca Beach went further ahead right on halftime when flanker Fionn Henderson-Foley crashed over for a try wide out. The halftime score was 12 points to 3 and the match was very much up for grabs at that stage. It was in the second half that Warnervale really did come to the fore. They played some great wet weather rugby and their big pack of forwards certainly made good use of the damp playing conditions. Their forward pack worked as a unit and made much territory on numerous occasions. Warnervale scored the first of their two second half tries in the 15th minute of that half. They scored their second try not long after to take a 15 points to 12 lead. It was certainly a pleasing performance by the visitors, especially in the second stanza. The win was cemented late in the half when Warnervale kicked a penalty goal to make the final score 18-12. The Warnervale forward pack dominated proceedings and their best players were props Jacob Gaul and Tupou Soane, and lock Enosi Falekaono, who scored a vital try. Best players for Avoca Beach were hooker Cooper Elliott, lock Emile Thomas, centre Liam Jenkins and wing Tyke Harvey. As an aside, Warnervale, because of the victory, also took home the Challenge Shield for the first time since the inception of this Shield in 2014.
Gosford hosted Terrigal at Gosford Showground and it was all Terrigal for the huge majority of the contest. Terrigal went on to defeat Gosford by 40 points to 5. Terrigal scored early with a converted try and never really looked back from that point. The match was played on very trying conditions. Terrigal scored consistently throughout the first half and went to the halftime break leading by 26 points to 5. Gosford scored their only points in the first half when prop Karl Verhoef crashed over for a try. Terrigal maintained the rage in the second half and went on to post a further 14 points in the second half. Gosford never stopped trying but Terrigal were just too strong on the day. Terrigal had several very good performers on the day but none were better than flanker Sam Kenny, five-eight Adam Danckert, lock Issac Riviere and hooker Ethan McInnes. Gosford were best served by locks Taylor Mildren and Brad Porter, and flanker Marley Williams. The win sees Terrigal positioned at the top of the competition ladder at the midway point of the season.
The match between the Lake Macquarie and Woy Woy at Walters Park, Boolaroo saw a fierce contest from start to finish. Lake Macquarie won the match by 26 points to 17 but they certainly did not have it all their own way. Lake Macquarie scored the opening try and they led by 7 points to 3 early on. Lake Macquarie controlled proceedings early on and went to a handy lead of 19 points to 3 close to halftime. But to Woy Woy’s great credit, their never say die attitude came to the fore. They scored their first try late in the half to reduce the lead to 19 points to 10 at the halftime break. The second half was a very even affair and both teams played some pleasing rugby. They levelled the scores at 7 points apiece in the second half so it was the home side Lake Mcquarie who held on for the win. It was their first half performance that got the home side through to victory. It was a far better performance by the Woy Woy team and they will get stronger and stronger as the season progresses. Best players for Lake Macquarie were flanker Joe Lewer, centre Ifan Hunnam and No.8 Rob Buaserau. Woy Woy’s better players were halfback Mitch Hyde, No.8 Tali Sitani and hooker Sione Fanua. Jacob Mills posted 12 personal pints in the match for the visitors.
In summary, at the halfway point of the competition, there appears to be 5 teams fighting to make the Top Four for the Final Series this year. Terrigal is locked in top spot, with Warnervale sitting in second position. The other 3 teams – the Razorbacks, Avoca Beach and Lake Macquarie – are only separated by the single point on the competition ladder. It will be a real fight to the finish to see who makes the Finals this year. The ladder is so close and many changes could occur in the second half of the season.
The CCRU Women’s 12’s competition recommenced this weekend with some exciting matches. Lake Macquarie continued their great form and recorded a pleasing win over Woy Woy, while The Lakes and Avoca Beach recorded victories in their respective matches. At the halfway point of the competition, the ladder sees three teams – Terrigal, Lake Macquarie and Avoca Beach – in a three-way struggle for the Minor Premiership, while the remaining teams fight for the final spot in the Top Four.
In the President’s Cup competition, The Lakes, Lake Macquarie, Terrigal and Warnervale all recorded victories on Saturday. This competition continues to develop into a tight tussle. The competition ladder sees Terrigal and Warnervale at the top, at the halfway point in the 2024 season. The standalone teams of Kariong and The Lakes make up the other two teams in the Top Four at this stage of the year.