Kwinana Titans 20 – Willagee Bears 76
By PETER ROWE
Willagee Bears racked up 14 tries and 10 conversions to maintain a healthy lead at the top of the Fuel to Go & Play Premiership on Saturday as fullback Iziah Lolohea showed what a great future he has in the game with with four tries.
And Manfred Kelly made it 23 tries for the season with his hat-trick.
But it was Kwinana who scored first, off the back of consecutive penalties in the third minute before Vilive Sawalu levelled for the visitors.
Kwinana, who scored 20 points, have actually scored more points against the Bears in one match in 2026, than anyone else. Which is a positive sign for the fledgling first grade club.
“The first half was tough for us,” assistant coach Shae Smith said. “We conceded a lot of penalties and had to adjust.”
Missing several regular first team players the Bears dug deep and defended well. “We didn’t have much ball at all in the first half,” Smith said.
Backrower Ethan Ransfield added a second and lolohea opened his account before winger Charlie Parkin scored for the Titans on an edge.
Kelly got the first of his three before the break and Shai Wiperi added another as the teams went to the sheds with the visitors leading 22-12.
Willagee tweaked a few things and were much the better side in the second period as tries began to flow.
“We toned down the aggression a bit and played to the whistle and it came good,” Smith added.
Saimoni Qaranivalu was first to cross before Lolohea scored twice. Malakai Chan Boon added another to an impressive display and Kelly crossed for his second.
“Malakai was awesome, played the entire first 40 at prop, came off for a breather after 65 minutes and then went back on,” Smith said.
Qaranivalu scored his second of the afternoon at Wellard Oval before Kelly made it a hat-trick and Lolohea then grabbed his fourth.
Halfback Matty Lansdown rounded off a superb individual performance with the final four-pointer of the game.
“Matty controlled the game and orchestrated our attack,” Smith said, adding Rangi Thompson at lock also had solid game.