THE top two sides during the course of the Victorian Rugby League
first-grade season happened to be from the west – minor premier Sunbury
United and reigning champion Altona.
Both sides travelled to Casey Fields in Cranbourne for their eagerly anticipated semi-final on Saturday.
Is it too much to ask for the playing surface to be up to scratch for one of the biggest games of the season?
Altona Roosters president Brandon Taonoa was seething over what he
described as a “mud pit”. The Roosters’ usual uptempo, exciting playing
style was rendered impractical.
The game turned into a scrappy battle of metres between both sets of forwards.
Taonoa’s side lost 34-14, but his concern had more to do with the look of the game and the safety of his players.
He has urged the VRL to look into getting the best grounds for the finals so the players can showcase their skills.
“We think it was unacceptable conditions,” he said. “It was a
one-versus-two playoff … to play out there was shocking, just atrocious
conditions. Even Sunbury weren’t happy with the conditions. People were
slipping into tackles – it was just really hard conditions.”
The first half was an arm-wrestle with just two points it in.
Winger Ryan Lambert was one player who handled the conditions with
aplomb, scoring the Roosters’ only two tries. After the break, it was
all the Sunbury United Tigers, who piled on 18 points to nil.
“They pretty much blew us off the park,” Taonoa said.
“They were running hard and we kept slipping off them.
“We lost momentum – too many handling errors cost us.”
Captain Ben James and Brad Potae stood up in the forward pack, while five-eighth Keni Blair was outstanding.
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was a key loss in the last 20 minutes, sidelined with back spasms.
The Roosters live to fight another day, cashing in their double
chance in a preliminary final meeting with Waverley Oakleigh Panthers, a
side that has not reached the grand final since 1996.
