North Beach Sea Eagles 24 – Willagee Bears 26
By PETER ROWE
Nine minutes of rugby league mayhem that excited a large crowd at North Beach saw Willagee emerge winners by the slightest of margins as the Fuel to Go & Play Premiership regular season came to a dramatic end on Saturday afternoon.
With the scores locked up at 24-apiece, thanks to a Tama Mareta try, everything was on the line.
Add when big prop Emmanuel Maliko was penalised with seven minutes to go for being offside after shooting out of the line to make a tackle the ensuing melee saw the forward sinbinned and then sent off for alleged words to the referee with halfback Kelvin Coleman sinbinned as well.
With a large and noisy crowd making their feelings felt, the Bears were forced to defend with 11 men and did so until the last couple of minutes when Beach were caught offside and Matt Lansdown kicked the penalty in front of the posts to win the game.
“I was so proud of how they defended with 11 men,” coach Nelson Davis said. “They had us for numbers but it was inspirational to see how they stuck to it and worked our way out of danger to win the game.”
The Sea Eagles tried and tried to break down the defensive wall in front of them, but the Bears wouldn’t fold.
Urged on by their home support the Sea Eagles kept pushing, until the Bears got the ball upfield and then came the late penalty.
“So close but nothing in the end,” Beach coach Marty Collis said after the game.
“We had some momentum at the end but we couldn’t capitalise on it. But, is shows how far we have come this season.”
Fullback Iziah Lolohea had opened the scoring earlier in the game and Iverson Mapu-Satiu and former Sea Eagle Kobi added two more before Riley Bradley pulled one back for the home side.
Mackenzie Martin crossed a minute before the halftime siren to close the gap further.
Finely balanced at 18-12 it was Willagee who scored next, a superb individual long range effort from pacy winger Saimoni Qaranivalu, which then set up a second half battle that eventually saw Beach cross to level the game through Mareta.
Four tries apiece, four conversions piece – all to play for.
“Matty (Lansdown) was my best on field. He’s really stepped up since Kainoa Gudgeon was injured, He showed experience and leadership out there,” Davis said.
“And Malakai Chan Boon was massive, A big No.10 playing for 65-70 minutes.”
For North Beach Riley Bradley was their best on field. “His match-up with Manfred Kelly was really good to watch,” Collis said.
Bo Stein and winger Kyan Byron also figured in the 3-2-1.