Tallon Smith

The Kiama Knights have continued their strong run of form in Group 7 First Grade after storming to a 46-6 win over the Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs at the Kiama Showground on Sunday.

In front of a healthy home crowd, the Knights led from start to finish to record their eighth win of the year and move one step closer to a potential top three finish.

The Knights started well with Tom Atkins diving over from dummy half in the corner after a long-range break.

Max Jennings then doubled the Knights’ advantage not long after, slicing through the defence to finish off a left-side shift with a four-pointer, before the margin extended to 16 points when Keiran Poole crossed.

Callan Thistlethwaite was the next in line to score, diving over in the corner in an effort any NRL winger would be proud of, to score the Knights’ fourth of the day.

Needing to be next to score, the Bulldogs did just that, with halfback Jayden Millard backing up in support to receive a brilliant offload and race in underneath the posts for a 20-6 half time score.

However, normal transmission resumed on the other side of the break, with Thistlethwaite and Jennings completing their doubles as Kiama crossed for five second half tries for a 40-point win.

Speaking to Battlers after the game, Kiama halfback Cameron Vazzoler said that 

“Really happy with the boys’ effort today,” he said.

“Really happy with our defence, we’ve been defending well all year. 

“I feel like we’ve had a lot of games this year that have been close games, so it was nice to get a bit of a blowout there, a bit of a reward for effort.”

One feature of the Knights’ performance on Sunday was the side’s emphasis on defence and discipline, two key areas Vazzoler said will hold the side in good stead as the pointy end of the campaign approaches.

“Obviously we’re building into the semi finals, so we’re sort of working on those one percenters,” he said.

“Discipline’s a massive thing in rugby league so if we could keep completing our sets and getting to our kicks, it’s gonna go a long way to winning footy games.  

Next up for the Knights is one of the biggest games in Group 7 if not all of NSW, the local derby against two-time defending premiers Gerringong Lions.

With the Knights building strongly ahead of the clash with their traditional arch-rivals, Vazzoler said that the Kiama side is ready for the challenge.

“It’s a big game next week down at Gerringong,” he said. 

“It’s obviously a big rivalry between both of those clubs, [and also] it’s a big game obviously where the top five sort of separate itself from the pack.

“Those top three spots and the minor premiership are up for grabs. 

“So if we show up with the same attitude we did today and be disciplined, we’ll go a long way to winning that footy game.”

As for where Kiama stands in the context of the premiership race, Vazzoler said that the Knights are taking it one game at a time. 

“We can’t get too far ahead of ourselves yet, we’ve got a couple of big games coming up leading into the semi-finals,” he said.

Moving to other games, the match of the round at Ron Costello Oval lived up to its billing with Shellharbour rivals Sharks and Stingrays playing out a 16-all draw.

Tim Lafai continued his strong form, crossing for two of Stingrays’ three tries, but three four-pointers to Malokai Tomo, Hudson Bailey and Palu Tausala saw the two sides finish the game deadlocked in yet another display of how close this year’s competition is.

Defending premiers Gerringong made sure they were on the winners’ list, taking down an Albion Park-Oak Flats side still flying high after last Sunday’s win over the Sharks.

The Lions were at their best at home, running in five tries to one as they now turn their attention towards the derby with Kiama on Saturday.

Finally, the Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies left it late, but they got the job done against the Jamberoo Superoos with a last-minute try sealing a 32-26 win.

The loss all but rules Jamberoo out of finals contention, with the Superoos remaining five points outside the top five with four games left up their sleeve.