By PETER ROWE
Fremantle’s march towards another minor premiership continued on Friday evening with a hard fought 24-12 win over South Perth to take them clear at the top of the NRLWA Fuel to Go and Play Premiership ladder after round 14.
Under the Treeby lights the Roosters came from 12-6 down at halftime to keep their opponents scoreless in the second half as player-coach Delane Edwards once again masterminded the win.
“Getting harder every game,” Edwards joked after the game, but it was his game management skills that guided the home side around the park that proved so vital.
“They came at us from the kickoff,” captain Duane Butler said. “And that really tired us in that first half. Fair play to them, they wanted it as much as we did.”
“They played good footy, good play the ball and runners off their halves and they moved us around with an inside ball a lot and it tired us out.”
The Roosters used the halftime break to analyse their efforts and make changes, and emerged a different team.
Earlier Sonny Kerr, playing his 100th game for the home side, had opened the scoring after eight minutes – Kerr only cleared to play by doctors four hours before kickoff after being sidelined for three weeks with pneumonia.
Keiren Lis brought the Lions back into the game after 24 minutes, barging through a disrupted Fremantle defensive line to score and when Harry De Bique kicked the extras, the game was level.
De Bique then gave the visitors the lead six minutes later, twisting left to dive across to beat off the challenge of Kerr.
Photo – Karmel Potter-Green
The fullback converted his try and the Lions led at the break.
But a wonderful 60-metre break from Edwards, who had dropped to fullback, had the home side back in the game four minutes into the second stanza that set up winger Kaelin Heremaia-Philips to cross in the left corner.
Kerr missed the extras but the try clearly sparked the Roosters and seven minutes later Jules Wilson-Wyllie scored through a big hole after the home side were awarded a penalty for a ruck infringement.
Paora Kemp kicked the conversion and the Roosters were back in control as the Lions battled to stay in contention, but a penalty after halfback Jayden Evans was adjudged offside from a Fremantle kick gave Kemp the opportunity to extend the lead.
That six point lead held until another penalty call five minutes from time saw Kemp’s attempt hit the right upright and bounce back into play – where the ever aware Te Toa Parkinson scooped up the ball to score – to see off any South Perth hopes of a late comeback.
“Our goal in the second was to kick early and keep them down in their own half and to hold the ball, completion rate wins games,” Butler said.
“Credit to South Perth though, they are quality side and pushed us all the way.”
Lions coach Marty Collis was disappointed but proud of his side. “Against quality opposition it was always going to be hard, but there was lots of effort there,” Collis said.
The loss confirmed the top four for this season, with the Lions missing out but Collis still wants his side to push on.
“We want to finish the season on a high – we have two games left and we want to win both of them,” he said.
At Blueforce Park another battle took place as the North Beach Sea Eagles struck late to take the points in a gripping 34-30 win over the Rockingham Sharks.
Centre Jess Rafferty’s late try, two minutes from time, proved the difference between the sides in a game that saw the Sharks jump to an 18-0 lead before the Sea Eagles began their comeback.
“It was strange,” coach Phil Douche said. “At 18-0 down it didn’t feel like we were playing badly, so I was confident we could come back.”
Forward Kelepi Lei and then winger Kurt Da Amyand had given the Sharks a perfect start and when halfback Kelvin Coleman crossed after 19 minutes it was looking like a win for Rockingham.
But three minutes later Rafferty scored his first of the day down the left edge and then Ted Shand added another after a Jaylen Grey break down the right side to go into the break chasing just an eight point deficit.
Rafferty’s try scoring continued early in the second half, as he supported a superb break from fullback Korey Craig and the home side were in front for the first time in the game.
Photo – Karmel Potter-Green
“We got in front, then they came back at us and Keelyn (Tuuta-Edwards) was knocking them in from the sidelines,” Douche added.
“We had to keep at it, as the game could have swung either way.”
And swing it did as a Tuuta-Edwards chip on last tackle bounced awkwardly to allow back rower Zac McEntyre to score.
Winger Kyani Byron scored in the corner on 56 minutes as the home side re-took the lead before Tuuta-Edwards capped another solid performance, burrowing over next to the posts as the Sharks regained that lead – albeit by a slender two-point margin.
And it stayed that way until, in the 78th minutes a break down the left saw Rafferty complete his hat-trick to earn the Sea Eagles second spot on the ladder.
“It was great to get the points but both team were missing key players and it will be tough if we meet again in the playoffs,” Douche said.
The result was disappointing for Sharks player-coach Tom Murphy, but he was pleased with a much improved performance as both sides head towards the playoffs.
“Keelyn had a great game, back to his best,” Murphy said. “And (hooker) Derek Chizuni put in a big shift.
“We’ve hopefully got players returning from injury so we’re remaining positive.”
Photo – Libby McMillan