Tallon Smith

The Dapto Canaries withstood a first half fightback from Sutherland-Loftus to pile on 26 unanswered points in a 38-10 victory at the Dapto Showground on Sunday afternoon.

After a fast start, the Canaries’ early 12-point advantage was reduced to just two midway through the opening half, before the Canaries clicked into gear and secured their fourth victory of the Illawarra Rugby League season.

Dapto captain-coach Tom Freebairn said he was proud of the way in which his side was able to wrestle back the ascendancy after the Pirates gained the momentum with two tries in 11 minutes.

“There was a little period in the game where we were in a bit of an arm wrestle as they say, and to go into half time [like] we did and come out in the second half and win is awesome,” he said.

“A big thing that I go into the game with is if we have got the momentum, hold it for as long as we can [and] if we don’t have it, find a way to get it back.

“That is usually the chat we have behind the posts, and credit to the boys, the way they turned it around and the way we got the momentum back and we held it for such a long period going into the start of that second half [was] awesome.”

Veteran five-eighth Troy Pieper opened the scoring for the Canaries in just the second minute off an inside ball from centre Logen Dillon following a right side shift, before halves partner Braxton Wallace doubled their early advantage to 12-0 under the posts five minutes later.

The Pirates hit back straight away when Thomas Wiseman dived on a kick to score, with Tyrell Lafituanai crossed in the same corner soon after to close the gap to 12-10.

However, Dapto regained the momentum when Jackson Rieck ran in under the posts in the 26th minute and controlled the match from there on in, turning an 18-10 half time lead into a 28-point win with three second half tries to Pieper, winger Jason Gillard and Rieck, along with a penalty goal to the former.

One of the stars of the show was halfback Braxton Wallace, who crossed for a try and assisted Pieper’s second with a grubber in a strong display at halfback.

Freebairn said the halfback has had an outstanding first half of the year since joining the Canaries from the Shellharbour Sharks over the off-season, with the playmaker also forming a key part of the club’s leadership group.

“A lot of people don’t know this, because I have been playing most games and playing pretty much all minutes, Braxton is actually our vice-captain, so that says a lot about who he is and his character,” Freebairn said.

“His energy, his voice, when I’m blowing or I’m in the hurt locker, or the washing machine as they say through the middle, the way he steps up and takes control of the team is something we have lacked in the past.

“He is unbelievable, he sees footy at a different pace I think.”

As for the other member of the side’s halves combination, Freebairn was full of praise for Pieper after another standout display with two tries and a perfect seven goals from seven attempts.

“Pieps is our most capped player, he’s been here through thick and thin, and I can’t talk highly enough of [him],” Freebairn said.

“He had to go back and play second grade this year, and he was disappointed, but he went down, put his best foot forward, and then he came back into the squad and he has been outstanding.

“I don’t think he counts by fours, he counts by six because he throws them over all the time, he’s got a magical boot on him.”

With the halfway mark of the season now in the rear view mirror, the Canaries sit in fifth spot, four games clear of the Pirates and equal with rivals Collegians and Corrimal but trailing on points differential.

With the race to secure a top three spot and a double chance shaping up as a close one between the three quality sides, Freebairn said there will be no easy games in the run home.

“Everyone in this competition has an opportunity to play finals footy, and everyone down here has quality players, so there’s no easy weeks,” he said.

“For us to be in that running hopefully at the end of the year will give us every opportunity to play finals footy, and as I have said before in the past, finals footy is another beast.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the Illawarra competition.”

Another story on the day was the debut of 17-year-old Seluki Halangahu, who played 14 minutes in the second half following strong performances in the lower grades at the club.

Freebairn was full of praise for the young forward following the match, believing that the junior representative star’s rise in the game is only just beginning.

“His ability to be able to stand up and do what he did as such a young man is very special and he has got a very big future in front of him,” he said.

“Hopefully he doesn’t play too many more games for Dapto, I know that sounds kind of weird, [but it is] because he will go onto bigger and better things.

“He has been outstanding through the junior rep systems, he won a competition last year with the under 16s, and he has been getting selected in rep sides.

“What he has been doing for the under 18s and second grade here at Dapto, it was only the rite of passage, you do all the right things, you get your opportunity to go to the next level, and he’s done that.”

Next weekend sees the Canaries on the road to face ladder leaders Thirroul at Gibson Park on Saturday, while the Pirates will host Wests at Sutherland Oval on Sunday.