ROUND 2 GPS FOOTY,  16/05/2009

Nudgee 62 df BGS 17

ACGS 31 df GT 24

IGS 19 DF BBC 13

BSHS 43 DF TGS 19

Fursden Road was my particular destination for Round 2 of GPS rugby,  2009.  A magnificent Brisbane Autumn day greeted all.  Arrived about 11:30 to ensure I caught the 15A's.  one of Toowoomba's premier teams,  and they came to play again,  knocking over State High in a tight arm wrestle.  I thought Henry Hawker from Goondiwindi was again outstanding with some powerful carries and strong defence against a big State High centre pairing.

The TGS 16A's were fairly outclassed but better than the previous week against Nudgee.  You can only keep getting better.

The seconds was another pretty good match with two very competitive teams on the park.  State High got the result,  but it was pretty close all match.

Now if you want to see some red hot rugby,  you need to have a look at this State High firsts,  and maybe get rid of referees.  Remember I subscribe to the Matt "Bubba" Ryan theory of rugby,  30 man battle royale,  no referees,  no touch judges,  no videos,  last man standing wins.  Seriously folks,  I thought this game was over refereed and it seemed this particular referee needed to have some type of decision at each breakdown.  Some of the decisions seemed quite hard to come to terms with,  but I would need to see the video to make any determinations,  but it certainly was a penalty fest. 

I would estimate TGS to have had 80% territory and possession,  but just unable to deliver the killer punch.  State High on the other hand,  has the ability to put you away from anywhere,  scoring some close range ones but some scintillating long range tries against the run of play.  A couple each to speed machines Chris Sautia and Joe Lalagavesi (Joe could have scored 4).  Again Jordie Tuapou,  Paul Alo Emile,  Joe Regan at hooker,  and Jayden Scheck at flanker.  Scheck and Alo Emile delivered some massive hits, and I am not sure why people kept running at them.  Curtis Browning remains an enormously mature 15 year old footballer,  has a big future and will rattle some cages come Qld Under 16 time 2009.

The TGS forward pack certainly got teh better of State High at the breakdown,  but the numbers they committed left them vulnerable to turnover attacks,  and those long range tries scored by the speed machines.  The TGS scrum too performed pretty well against a seasoned front row,  they have a good forward pack.

Interesting to be confronted by an angry TGS parent as I headed off,  minding my own business.  Folks,  it is a contact sport,  people will be hit,  perhaps you should all head off and hear some war stories from an era past when Shaw,  Fatai Kefu,  Mark Loane and Petro Civonaceva senior were playing to understand how particularly violent the game used to be.

Always a pleasure to watch the State High entertainment in action,  has been for years,  some of these kids do things that you have to see to believe.

TGS did play well,  just need to figure out how to finish,  and I would have thought should have scored lots more points given their weight of possession and territory.