Tallon Smith
The return of a three-time premiership coach helped Griffith Waratahs reclaim top spot on the Group 20 ladder with a 26-12 victory over Yanco-Wamoon at the Yanco Sportsground on Saturday.
Kose Lelei returned to the side’s line-up for his first game of the season, providing a try assist midway through the second half in the form of a grubber for Ulu Akolo, which put Waratahs six points clear of the Hawks and set up a crucial victory in the context of the minor premiership race.
Waratahs coach Brett Goldspink said Lelei, who hadn’t played any football previously this year, put in a solid performance after being brought into the halves at the 25 minute mark.
“He’s gone in with limited preparation, he obviously hasn’t played any football this year, [but] he didn’t look out of place one bit,” he said.
“He went on at five-eighth, he switched between half and five-eighth, with Moses Lolohea.
“It’s obviously an ace up our sleeve, he’s come at the right time, and he’s just going to be an extra strength that we’ve got now and I’m excited to see him get more minutes.”
Only two tries were scored in a frantic first half, with Willie Lolohea crossing after 16 minutes, before Caleb Atkinson hit back for Yanco eight minutes later to send the sides into the break level at 6-all.
The Hawks took the lead for the first time early in the second stanza after Shanon Bradbrook went over, only for Sina Tatofi to scoot from dummy half and equalise the game again at 12 points apiece.
James Girdler then added a penalty goal to put Waratahs back in front, before Lelei’s grubber for Akolo and another Girdler penalty put the visitors up 20-12.
A late try to Io Lotoa’atu then sealed the game and a bounce back victory for the Tigers following their last start loss to TLU before the general bye.
While he was pleased with the victory, Goldspink said the absence of suspended Yanco skipper Ulai Oti-Lahood did have an effect on the opposition, though he was impressed with the performance of the Hawks’ makeshift lock.
“It was a hard game, to be fair to Yanco, I thought they were a little [understrength], and I think they had a couple of players obviously out through judiciary and a few injuries,” he said.
“We had them down tired, but we just kept inviting them back into the game, and they took full advantage of that, but we were just too strong in the end.
“I was pretty impressed with their number 13 [Kobe-Joe Vulu], he normally plays halfback, but he had a big game.”
Holding a one point lead ahead of games to come against local rivals Black and Whites and Yenda, the Waratah Tigers are in the box seat to claim the minor premiership and a week off to begin the finals.
Goldspink said the ability to play a major semi final against either of the two sides below them in the Hawks and TLU Sharks off the back of a bruising qualifying final clash would be a big advantage for the side if they could earn it.
“I think it will be huge for us, not so much the week off, but I think it’s to see the other two sides go out and bash each other, and then we get them after that,” he said.
“We obviously have got a big game next week against Black and Whites, so we can’t look too far into the future.
“No disrespect to Yenda, we have got them at the end, but Black and Whites are going to come to fight because their whole season rests on that.”
The Hawks will look to bounce back when they face the Sharks in a potential finals week one preview at the Lake Cargelligo Recreation Ground on Sunday.
GRIFFITH WARATAHS 26 (Willie Lolohea, Sina Tatofi, Ulu Akolo, Io Lotoa’atu tries; James Girdler 5 goals) DEFEATED YANCO-WAMOON 12 (Caleb Atkinson, Shanon Bradbrook tries; Bradbrook 2 goals) at Yanco Sportsground, Saturday August 8.
