Cover Photo: Kat Patton Photography
Tallon Smith
The Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs remain unbeaten through the opening five rounds of the Group 16 season after a three tries to nil second half propelled the side to a 30-12 win over the Cooma Stallions at the Pambula Sports Complex on Sunday.
After heading to the sheds up 16-12, the Bulldogs controlled the second half, with tries to Toroa Rapana, Reeid McNamara and Jayden Reyneke sealing a fifth win in five games to start the year.
Despite the side sitting pretty atop the table following the result, Merimbula-Pambula captain-coach Trent Casey said it hasn’t been easy for the Bulldogs in recent weeks, as injuries continue to test the club’s depth.
“We started off really well, we have got a few injuries at the moment, but the boys that are coming up from reserve grade,” he said.
“We have got probably five of them coming up each week, so to get a win with less numbers this week was massive for us.
“We have just got to see how we go next week on the road.”
The Bulldogs opened the scoring through Ravyn Whetu, before Cooma hit back with two tries in seven minutes to James Dyball and Asto Nunan to lead the game 12-4 at the quarter mark.
However, it was Merimbula-Pambula which took a four point lead into the break after Casey burrowed over, followed by a rampaging run by centre Jordan Whetu who scored out wide.
A tense period followed to open the second half, with neither team able to add to their total in the first 16 minutes following half time, until Bulldogs halfback Toroa Rapana skipped wide and raced through a gap to score a simple try from 10 metres out.
It was all Bulldogs from there onwards, with Reeid McNamara and Jayden Reyneke adding two more tries to the home side’s tally to seal an 18-point victory at home.
After starting the season with back-to-back 60-0 wins over Batemans Bay and Moruya, the Bulldogs have faced tougher opposition, being pushed all the way by Bega for 16-14 win in round three and tested at times by Bombala and Cooma in the following matches.
Following the first up wins, Casey said the Bega game was a valuable one for the club, with the contest giving the club a good reality check after a dream opening to the year.
“At the start, we got off to an absolute flyer the first two rounds, probably felt a little bit invincible for the first two weeks, but it was really good to get that game against Bega,” he said.
“It was probably closer than we would hope, but it is always good to realise where you are actually at other than the first two rounds.
“Even [in this week’s] game we only just snuck away, but the boys know to just take it one game at a time.
“That is our main focus, one week at a time, and forget about everybody else in the comp, just about us.”
One standout for Merimbula-Pambula on Sunday was halfback Rapana, who crossed for a crucial second half to highlight a solid performance.
Casey said that it was good to see the halfback return to form after a tough couple of weeks, while one of the side’s wingers also impressed.
“Today, I would probably say Toroa, he has had a couple of weeks our number seven where he has probably got a bit down on himself, had a few errors and a few mistakes, but today he was big for us, [he] got back to his best and even today
“I [also] gave my three points to our winger [Jackson O’Meara], he was massive [with] carries out of our end today.”
Next up for the Bulldogs is a trip to Bill Smyth Memorial Oval to face the Narooma Devils, who come into the clash off a 10-all draw with Batemans Bay at Mackay Park on Saturday.
In terms of his approach to the match, Casey said he is wary of the Narooma side’s ability to produce an upset, with the side pushing other top teams Bega and Tathra all the way in rounds two and three despite those being its two losses this season.
“I have been up there multiple times and they have been low on the ladder, they [gave] us a touch up and they beat us once or twice,” he said.
“I [told] the boys it is always going to be a tough match up in Narooma, so focus on what we are good at, and don’t worry about anything else.
“That is our main focus this year, go back to the simple stuff, just kicking long and completing.”
Looking around the grounds in round five of Group 16, the Tathra Sea Eagles picked up their fourth win from five games 32-24 over Bombala, while Eden prevailed over Moruya by an identical scoreline, and Batemans Bay played out an aforementioned 10-all draw with Narooma.
