Saturday’s game between the top and bottom of the George Tooke League table was never going to produce anything spectacular but the Rover’s defence proved to be something special.
Boorowa actually managed to keep the premiers scoreless for almost 20 minutes in the first half and gained reasonable field position on many occasions. Their 5/8 Murray Armour directed his team well and he got good support from his forwards.
Weather conditions were again difficult with moderate westerlies across the Boorowa Rec Ground which made ball handing difficult and as a result Binalong had a lot of trouble completing their sets. Turn overs were frequent and the Brahmans looked decidedly different from the side which won this corresponding game in 2013 by 88-0. In short, one observer quoted: “This was a game we won ‘ugly’ and best to forget for now”.
Nevertheless, The Premiers applied maximum pressure to their hosts and Dave Brown scored in the nineteenth minute to put the visitors up 4-0. This was followed by a try 5 minutes later by Captain Chris Rawlinson, and another by Matty Cooke shortly after to bring up a score line to 16-0 and Phil Sparnon found the line open with seconds left in the half for Rawlinson to convert and the players went to the sheds at 20-0.
As the second half opened, Boorowa kept up their defence but could not keep Jonno Butt away from their try line and Rawlinson converted. At half way in the second stanza, Coach Rawlinson elected to run the ball himself which was effective when he scored and converted his own try. This writer always likes to see Rawlinson run the ball himself, he so disrupts a defence line when he does this; other ball carriers then get free passage.
Second rower Shaun Davis was prominent all afternoon, a powerful runner who was ably assisted by Ben Potts and in his first game for 2014 Mick Spencer took the ball up all afternoon. Front rowers Tony Worthy who played with a bad head-cut and Reuben Olah were both in good form again.
To finish the game out, acting half Matt Lawrence scored in the 28th minute of the second half, Rawlinson converted to bring up the 38-0 score line. Still stricken with injuries, the Brahmans added Tim Barrie to their ranks to replace 6 injured players, all Clubs having the problem of replacing injuries.
Boorowa have withdrawn from the touch football competition, so The Jersey Girls won by forfeit.
On a lighter and more positive note, Binalong school boy and Magpies junior, Jake Arabin has been selected by the Riverina School Sports Association to travel with the Riverina under 15’s team to Melbourne to play a trial match against the Melbourne Storm Academy during the last weekend of the school holidays. This should be a wonderful opportunity for a very promising young local player.
Binalong 38: tries; Rawlinson (2), D.Brown, M.Cooke, P.Sparnon, J.Butt, M.Lawrence. Goals; C.Rawlinson (5), defeated Boorowa 0. Referee: Mr. Ed Wylie.
Bos indicus.