Great Trick From Old Dog Late Try Steals Points For Kurri

Sun Herald

Sunday July 20, 2008

By CRAIG KERRY

VETERAN hooker Ron Griffiths provided a fitting finale to the Kurri Kurri Old Boys' day when he dived over in the dying stages to steal a 24-22 win over Central Charlestown yesterday and enhance the Bulldogs' chances of making the finals.

The third-placed Butcher Boys led 22-14 at half-time in a scrappy and often fiery encounter but failed to land the knockout blow in the second half against an avalanche of penalties and missed opportunities.

The win lifted the Bulldogs, who won all grades yesterday, to 16 points and equal fifth place with Macquarie ahead of the Scorpions' match against high-flyers Western Suburbs today at Harker Oval.

Kurri, who have matches against Nelson Bay and Lakes United remaining, have an easier run home than the Scorpions, who tackle competition leaders Cessnock and Central.

Promising Kurri fullback Robbie Rochow, who was later carried from the field on a stretcher with an ankle injury, gave the Bulldogs a sniff when he stepped through in the 55th minute to make it 22-20.

Both sides were unable to take their chances until Griffiths's heroics at the death.

Griffiths ducked between two defenders for the matchwinner in front of the Old Boys, who had just started the Kurri chant, to spark celebrations. Full-time blew as Central kicked off, and Kurri knocked the short kick-off into touch.

Bulldogs coach Shaun Collingwood said Griffiths deserved to walk off as the home side's saviour.

"It wasn't just the try," he said.

"When you look at his whole effort, it was just fitting.

"He was playing reserve grade before last week and played the whole 80 minutes today, and he hadn't done that before this year.

"We went in with an extra forward on the bench rather than a back-up for him, and he certainly did the job for us."

Central coach Wayne Richards was unhappy with his side and the officials.

"The penalty count was 14-5 against us and it was 18-5 last week. I'll definitely be looking at the DVD this week," Richards said.

"But we beat ourselves. With our mistakes, and the refereeing, we made it very hard on ourselves.

"The first 20 minutes of the second half we dropped the ball six or seven times."

Kurri centre Luke Knoblanche scored two tries in the first half, as did Central playmaker Scott Briggs, who pounced on mistakes both times.

At Cessnock, the Goannas accounted for South Newcastle 50-10. Cessnock coach Todd Edwards said veteran trio Adrian McNab, Kane Bradley and Lance Lennard, who have said this season will be their last, were his side's best in perhaps their final regular-season game at home.

Today, Wyong host Nelson Bay and Raymond Terrace travel to Cahill Oval to play Lakes.

Meanwhile, NSW Country lost to the Jim Beam Cup side 28-8 yesterday in the final of the Quad Series in Caloundra.

Dan Stuart (Kurri) and Vern Moana-Mason (Cessnock) went off in the first half with injuries.

© 2008 Sun Herald

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