Jim Honner (centre head poking out) right in the thick of things, just how he likes it.
The Harden Red Devils season has taken a turn for the worse after a defeat at the hands of the Yass Rams, at Victoria Park on Saturday.
Both sides had won two matches and lost two matches so far this season, however, Harden had previously beaten Yass in a trial match and were favourites going in to the encounter. Unfortunately a 5-20 scoreline was the result at the end of play.
The Devils are known for playing a physical game but are fast becoming know for offering little in the form of attack. This includes dropping the ball, not kicking the ball out properly-allowing a counter attack from the opposition, not kicking the ball ten metres off the kick off and not fighting their way to the ground to give their own players a chance to win the breakdown.
The Devils trained very well on Thursday night with an extra long session and were optimistic at their chances against the Rams.
They defended well all day and they will have to continue to do so if they are any chance of making the top four and the final series.
The ball handling was atrocious. The handful of chances the Devils had were squandered in a lack lustre affair that went from bad to worse. There probably wasn’t a player in the back line that didn’t drop the ball and there were a few players who racked up four or five dropped balls.
Players will need to catch the ball before they start thinking about what they will do next.
At the moment the Devils are their own worst enemy. On a number of occasions Harden had two and three man overlaps on one side of the field with outside backs yelling for the ball to no avail. Half-Back John Manchester will have to open his eyes and ears and take control of the forwards and get the ball out at the right time.
Harden started well but fell in to the same old trap of heading backwards in the scums and not competing at the lineouts. On at least five occasions the Devils didn’t put a jumper up gifting possession to the opposition.
From now on players won’t have to worry about the ref sending them for ten minutes for back chat or potty mouth. Coach Matt Stadtmiller said that he will pull them off the field himself and they will play no further part in the game.
On the upside the lads looked dangerous when keeping the ball in the forwards when they were going forward. This ploy paid off when Leo Tamale went over for a meat pie to leave Harden trailing 10-5. Toby Spackman made a cracker of a tackle however re-injured his ribs for the 3rd consecutive game. The big fella will now have to stay on the sideline for a couple of weeks until they repair themselves properly before making a return.
Marty Hawker was busy again and got up from a brutal tackle from a Yass player which was only bettered by Graham Murray’s hit on his Yass opposite. ‘Muz’ said he hadn’t hit anybody like that throughout his whole career, which was full of two decades of playing first grade with the Harden Hawks in Group 9 and George Tooke.
Adam Ceeney was handy in the Back Row and may have found a permeant home. Time will tell.
Jim Honner needs to be cloned and put somewhere else in the side. Stadtmiller praised his efforts again and said he would have two Jim Honners if he could. He is that good at the moment. He again took out points after the game closely followed by Big Bad Bustling Benny Brady who also made it on to the rugby committees paperwork this week. Honner was everywhere and was and is, a fine example of an open side break away. He gets to as many rucks as he can and tackles himself to stand still. You can throw in a few steals at the ruck and line out and a few well placed kicks and he was the only shining light for the Devils on Saturday. Up and coming Second Rowers/Flankers Fergus Hall and Toby Hayden should try to emulate Honners effort and work rate each week.
Clint Stevens was tireless in attack and defence running the ball with determination and tackling with plenty of sting. However, he was asked to leave the field this week by the referee after his passion got the best of him towards the end of the game.
Some older heads will be chosen for this week’s clash against competition front runners Bungendore so that the younger more inexperienced playes can do some watching from the sidelines.
They can watch a polished side such as Bungendore take on some older heads from Harden and then come on in the second half and apply what they have seen from both sides with fresh legs.
The Devils players shouldn’t be too hard on themselves this year. It is the first year back in the comp and they are competitive. However, an improved performance against both Boorowa and Yass would now see them sitting in third place on the ladder instead of 6th. Both matches the Devils went down by just 12 points and 15 points respectively. The problem is they are under achieving. There is plenty of improvement to be made and that can only come with teaching and time.
The players will need to up the ante for Saturday’s match and put everything on the line. After Bungendore the lads will have a bye and plenty of time to rest up and rid themselves of niggling injuries before they head to Crookwell on May 28. That match will signal the half way point in the season for the newly formed Devils and will provide some shape as to where they may finish.
The Squad now sits at 30 players with several of the farming boys set to make a return in the next two weeks after they finish sowing crops. They will no doubt be putting plenty of pressure on some lads who are under performing. Props are like hen’s teeth and a few old war horses will have to help us out if the club is to get some of these young men ready for next year.
Harden will face Bungendore at home this Saturday at 230pm. Bungendore and Taralga are right out in front on 30 and 26 points respectively and hold down first and second place on the ladder. Bungendore beat Taralga 42-37 on Saturday in the top of the table clash. They sit on the following points. Bungedore for-263 and against-73. Taralga for-259 and against-78. Boorowa is sitting in third place on 19 points with for-122 and against-127. Crookwell are in fourth place on 18 points with for-141 and 68-against. Yass now sits in 5th position on 15 points, one point clear of Harden with for-122 and against-195. Harden is in 6th position on the ladder with 14 points and for-77 and against of 101. This translates to a Devils average score of a loss in each of their last 5 matches 20-15 and highlights how close they are coming to really giving the competition a shake.
The Devils will need to throw something at the mudchooks in the form of attack this weekend and continue to defend the way they have all season.
Injured Devil and clubmen Harry Sachs is currently working on a new scoreboard for the home games at Robert’s Park.
Training is at 6pm on Tuesday and 7pm on Thursday.
