Fremantle Roosters 16 – South Perth Lions 66
By PETER ROWE
After just six rounds of this season’s Fuel to Go & Play Premiership South Perth Lions have staked an early claim for another grand final spot after they put the Fremantle Roosters to the sword at Treeby Oval on Saturday afternoon.
The Lions, who emerged 66-16 winners against an undermanned Fremantle side, controlled the game from almost start to finish, leading 30-10 at the break, before running way with the game in the second half.
The Roosters, who were without several key stars, saw five step up from reserve grade before kick-off and had a torrid afternoon as prop Mathius Tomuli-Ah -Kuoi crashed over after just four minutes.
Three minutes later they were over again as centre Harry Kendall took advantage of a big kick from Eddie Proudler that was missed by Taiapa Graham to gather and score.
Proudler was playing his 150th first grade game for the club and was enjoying the ocassion – and fittingly he was named best on ground afterwards.
“He kicked 11 from 11 as well,” a delighted coach John Crawford said.
“Eddie was superb and so was Hepa (halfback Hohepa Taiatini), Harry (Kendell) grabbed four tries and Mathius (Tomuli-Ah -Kuoi) was also big out there.”
Crawford said his side was also missing several key players, but once they got past the early wrestle, the three quick tries before the break set them up superbly.
“I think it may have shocked them a bit,” he said. “We got the bounce of the ball and capitalised on their mistakes and it went all our way.”
Ishmael Leilua pulled one back for the home side as the Roosters regathered and when Roydon Gillett closed the gap further everyone thought we were in for a classic.
But their resurgence didn’t last long as the Lions roared back and on the half hour Tomuli-Ah -Kuoi barged over for his second the day.
Halfback Hohepa Taiatini produced a sparking individual effort five minutes before half-time, breaking through a ragged Fremantle defence to cross as the score began to blow out.
South Perth were not done yet, scoring again before the siren through Oisin Keating as Fremantle struggled to stay in the game.
And the second stanza was no different, as fullback Travis Haney breezed past tired defenders to increase the lead.
Harry Kendall then grabbed his second of the day and backrower Hallam Day pushed the score along before halfback Taiatini made it a half century.
Kendall completed a hat-trick minutes later as the Lions exploited gaps on the left edge and then it was four when Haney put him through with 15 minutes left on the clock.
Eli Beattie scored a late consolation try four minutes from time for Fremantle, but by then the game was long gone.
After early season concerns that his side was only a 40-minute team, how did Crawford see this performance?
“75 minutes for sure, we clocked off for the last five minutes and that let them score, but overall very pleasing. I thought the first 30 was tight and was expecting more from them but our defence was impressive and we got the points.
“But it is only round six – there’s a long way to go.”
Player coach Duane Butler had little positive to say after the game, in what was a disappointing day for the home side.
“Very disappointing,” he said. “But we had five players step up after playing reserves and we were down on troops. It is what it is and we move on.
“It’s probably better we get a game like this out of out system now, in round six, rather than in round 15.
“I think we had 45 missed tackles – so that shows how the game went. Our right edge was really tested and we came up short.
“It’s a long season, we will get over it, regroup and be ready for round 7.”