By PETER ROWE
“Go out there and enjoy yourselves” was the message from coach Duane Gwiazdzinski in the sheds minutes before Perth Kiwi ran on to the Dorrien Gardens field on Saturday evening.
The NRL WA’s annual Anzac Challenge was back and once the reverence of remembering what the occasion was all about was over, we were treated to a quality display from the men in black and white as they put on a match-winning performance to beat their Perth City opponents 36-20.
The haunting silence and the last post, beautifully played by Corporal Dave Smith, set the stage for what many consider to be an official trial for the WA State team to play in the Combined Affiliated States championships in Melbourne in June.
And selectors would have been impressed with that they saw from coach Gwiazdzinski’s team, led on the field by fullback Kainoa Gudgeon and half Tamaho Tierney.
“Harry (Debique) and Tamaho were superb in the halves and Kainoa as well, he’s a natural leader,” Gwiazdzinski said.
“Kobi Aiesi was superb at dummy half and we had a pack of willing forwards, all wanting to do their bit.”
Forward Malakai Chan Boon was named player of the match, but Gwiazdzinski also praised backrower Brad Sparrow for his efforts.
And last minute replacement, Rockingham’s Trey Emery.
“He came in late and did a great job – and scored.”
Defence was the key, according to Gwiazdzinski, as they held the line when Perth City threatened.
“Yeah, a big defensive effort. That won the game,” he said.
But it was their attacking flair that gave them a commanding first half lead.
After almost 14 minutes of the traditional arm wrestle, the deadlock was broken when centre Eli Beattie leapt to take a high cross-field kick on the left edge to score.
Four minutes later they found the whitewash again – Samisoni Qavanivalu the willing recipient of a well-timed Gudgeon break and pass.
And when Tierney kicked a penalty six minutes later, the Kiwis were in total control.
Aiesi was next to score, weaving his way through traffic from 45 metres out to extend the lead at halftime to 20 points.
Whatever was said in the Perth City rooms at the break worked, because they were quickest out of the blocks when play resumed.
Brody Whitehead found Chris Siddons, who in turn found Mackenzie Martin and the City side were on the board.
But the elation was short-lived as Aiesi grabbed his second, diving over from dummy half to extend the lead for the Kiwis.
Emery was next to cross before play was halted for a serious injury to City backrower Martin, who dislocated his ankle and had to be stretchered from the field.
Fremantle winger Nick Riggs added a second four-pointer on 68 minutes, but again poor defence let the black and whites back in as Gudgeon found a hole on the right edge to increase the lead.
With the game won, and with both sides tiring, Perth Kiwi took their foot off the accelerator, allowing their opponents to give the final score some respectability as Joondalup’s Colman and Rockingham’s George Hough added consolation tries.
“Yes, we sang a few songs afterwards,” a delighted Gwiazdzinski said. “I think a couple of players might have even danced. It was great to see and it was also great to see the importance of Anzac on display.
“It was also important that we showed respect for that and played our part in the game – we did that and I’m proud of the boys, they had fun, enjoyed the occasion and came together as a team.”
City coach Ryan Foster joked afterwards his team looked the business warming up. “Didn’t drop a ball and we thought we were ready to give it to them,” he said.
“But we left that on the training paddock and they gave it to us.
“We couldn’t manage their big boys and when we had the ball we couldn’t complete our sets.
“Our line speed was off and we dropped the ball too much.
“It was hard to get any cohesion, too lateral and a lot of just one out plays.”
Foster though, like Gwiazdzinski, was impressed with the build up to the game and the presentations during the week.
“It made every one feel special about this event and the importance of it all, so well played Caleb and the boys at the NRLWA,” he said.
Brianna Young was named player of the match in the Women’s tackle game, a fast and exciting game that was won by Perth City 12-8 and Riley Bradley was MVP in an Under-18s thriller that ended 24-24.
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