Tallon Smith
Three tries the space of 13 minutes midway through second half proved the difference as the Griffith Black and Whites flipped the script in the battle for fifth with a 26-20 upset victory over Leeton at the Leeton No.1 Oval on Sunday.
After the visitors headed to the break down 14-10, quickfire four-pointers to Corey Charles, Judd Stevenson and Mekhi Simpson flipped the match in Griffith’s favour, keeping the side ahead of West Wyalong on points differential with two rounds remaining.
Black and Whites coach Kodie Charles said the victory was “massive” for his side’s finals hopes, with the team’s confidence continuing to grow through each week of its season-high three-game winning streak.
“I think the boys found a little bit of belief within themselves to get that win over in Leeton against Leeton,” he said.
“I had belief, I knew if we [could] turn up with the right mindset, the warm-up was right, [and] the boys [stuck] together and [didn’t] turn on each other, I knew we could win.
“[Leeton is] the up the ladder, [so] it was really big for the boys, [it has] built momentum.”
Kelvin Simpson opened proceedings with a freakish try in the opening two minutes off a ball which Leeton attempted to boot touch-in-goal, before the Greenies replied with two tries to returning captain-coach Billy Dickinson and Jesse Watson to take an 8-6 lead.
Stevenson then crossed for the first of his two tries to reclaim the lead, only for Elwyn Ravu to steal it back and put the home side up 14-10 leading into half time.
After the break however, the Black and Whites went up a gear with three quick tries to Corey Charles, Stevenson and a runaway effort to Mekhi Simpson to extend their lead to 26-14, a margin that proved too much to overcome for the Greenies despite a late try to Ben Barnes.
Following such a dramatic turnaround in form, Griffith has surprised some around the competition in emerging as a serious contender late in the season with a series of impressive victories.
Having now claimed a top four scalp, Charles credits the transformation to a focus on fundamentals as well as the need to treat every match like an elimination final given the context of the ladder.
“We’ve just stripped it all back to the basics, the boys are trying to get around each other, but not only that, we’re just playing one week at a time and not getting too far in front of ourselves,” he said.
“I said ‘we’re in the five now boys, let’s take it week by week, and if the opportunity arises we can get the win’.
“We can’t hold back and try and be conservative, we’ve got to just play like it’s our last game every week.”
The implications of the victory loom large for not only Griffith but the sides directly above and below them.
The loss leaves Leeton three points adrift of third-placed Tullibigeal-Lakes United heading into the final fortnight, and with the Sharks having a final round bye, the Greenies will now be forced to play sudden-death football from week one of the playoffs.
Meanwhile, despite having the bye and a guaranteed two points this weekend, a vastly inferior differential means West Wyalong must at least match the Black and Whites’ win total to leapfrog them back into fifth position, but with one fewer game in hand.
The Black and Whites can seal a finals spot regardless of the Mallee Men’s results with two wins in their remaining fixtures against cross-town rivals Griffith Waratahs and Darlington Point-Coleambally, while one win means West Wyalong will have to defeat Leeton to unseat them.
Heading into the local derby against the ladder leading Tigers this weekend, Charles said his side is prepared for the challenge.
“The mindset heading into that one, like I said to the boys against Leeton, ‘we are the underdogs, we have got nothing to lose, let’s just go out there and have fun, throw everything that we’ve got at them and leave nothing in the tank’,” he said.
“Surprisingly we came away with the win, and that’s how we have got to go into it this weekend.
“We know they’re gonna be a big forward pack, we know they are going to be a hard side all over the field, but if the boys rock up like they did on the weekend and play for each other, and when things break down get behind [their teammate], get him out of the dumps, and stick together as a team when we are in the trenches, I think we can beat any team.”
The weekend was also special off the field for Charles, with his son and the side’s captain William becoming a father on Friday, before backing up off little sleep to feature off the bench in Sunday’s victory.
Kodie described the weekend as “special” for the family.
Leeton will look to bounce back when it travels to Yenda on Saturday.
GRIFFITH BLACK & WHITES 26 (Judd Stevenson 2, Kelvin Simpson, Corey Charles, Mekhi Simpson tries; Isaiah Buerckner-Little 3 goals) DEFEATED LEETON 20 (Billy Dickinson, Jesse Watson, Elwyn Ravu, Ben Barnes tries; Elwyn Ravu 2 goals) at Leeton No.1 Oval, Sunday August 9.
