By Peter (Parra) Montgomery

Albury Thunder scored eleven tries in recording its first win in Group 9 Great Northern Premiership, defeating Wagga Brothers 60-6 at Greenfield Park on Saturday.

The Thunder win was highlighted with sizzling performance by its smart backline with the halves Osika Kaufononga and Paul Karaitiana tormenting their opponents with a well thought out kicking game.

The halves had the Brothers defence on the backline on the back foot, after the Thunder forwards had dominated the early exchanges.

Kaufononga, in just his third match for the Thunder since arriving on the border in early April, showed that he is going to play a key role in the Club’s premiership chances.

He has adapted very well to the Club’s style, and has a good combination with classy five-eight Paul Karaitiana and Fullback Lachy Munro.

Kaufononga scored two tries himself – and had a hand in several others scored by team-mates during the game.

It didn’t take long for the Thunder to post points in the match, with prop Faone Fakatava bullocking his way over in the fifth minute and this was followed up with Karaitiana on hand to finish up a clean break by co-captain Lachy Munro just two minutes later.

Hard working hooker Blake Grounds continued his try scoring feats, by being on hand to capitalise on a run by Vili Cerei who went close, before being cut down by the defence with the line in sight.

Grounds quickly seized on the opportunity, and dashed over from dummy half for his third try in as many games.

Cerei converted and Thunder raced away to a 22-0 lead.

The Brothers started to lift with its forwards taking on the Thunder pack head-on.

Props Bill Ryder and Danian Whytcross were working well off halves Mitchell Carter and William Crosbie-Rollest, and fifteen minutes out from half-time crossed for a converted try with Whytcross over under the posts.

The conversion by Dominyc Schiro-Cook took the score to 22-6.

The Brothers defence had tightened up, the visitors did themselves no favours by turning overpossession early in the tackle count.

Thunder, armed with a change in possession, posted a sensational try, set up by slick centre Vili Cerei, who chip kicked over the defence, regathered and sent Sabastian Nelson over untouched under the posts to give the Thunder a 28-6 lead at the break.

The Thunder forwards opened the second half full of running, with good hit ups by Reece Clegg, Blake Grounds, Isaac Carpenter, with the mercurial Lachy Munro, backing up, to create another opportunity for Nelson, and big Sebastian -who loves scoring tries – raced of to complete a match double.

The Brothers prop and captain Bill Ryder made several strong charges at the Thunder line, butthe defence held, and held him up, preventing a score.

Ryder, and his fellow prop Patrick Sagigi, both have plenty of size and it took more than a couple of Thunder defenders each time to keep them from scoring.

Thunder had Isaac Carpenter sin binned for ten minutes after a heavy hit on Whytcross whichleft the second rower dazed.

Vili Cerei was heavily involved in the final four tries scored by the Thunder.

He produced two long range runs from intercepts – each from deep into Thunder territory.

On the first intercept, he was nailed close to the line, but quick hands across the backline saw Lachlan Hampton race over to post his fourth try of the season.

Just minutes later Cerei intercepted another loose ball, and set sail from seventy metres out, but this time had enough pace to outlast the ‘chasers’.

The Thunder finished off the match with another try to Hampton – his fifth in three games, and finally, the best try of the match – a combination between Munro, Karaitiana which put the five-eight into a hole, and he found half back Kaufonoga in support and he raced over for his second of the game.

Nathan Darby missed the game through injury, but told me he could have played ‘at a pinch’ and should be right for next week’s match at Cootamundra against the Bulldogs.

ALBURY THUNDER 60 (O. Kaufongha 2, L. Hampton 2, S. Nelson 2, R. Clegg, F. Fakatava, B. Grounds, Vili Cerei P Karaitiana tries; V. Cerei 6, L. Hampton 1, F. Fakatava goals) defeated WAGGA BROTHERS 6 (D. Whytcross try, D. Schiro- Cook goal)

BEST FOR THUNDER – Osika Kaufongha, Paul Karaitiana, Clayton Couley, Reece Clegg, Lachy Munro, Vili Cerei.

BEST FOR BROTHERS – Bill Ryder, Patrick Sagigi, William Crosbie Rollest.