Hawks Winger Josh Quinn, Centre Tim Pinney and Halfback Daniel Drew, wrap up Crookwell’s powerful Front-Rower
Unseasonal inclement Autumn weather conditions greeted The Crookwell Green Devils R.L. Team on their arrival at the emerald green, McLean Oval on Saturday. Also there to greet them was a side that looks determined to go one better this year.
Both Clubs only had one trial game prior to the commencement of the Group 8 George Tooke Shield Competition. The ball was dropped a combined 5 times early on in sets due to the slippery conditions with scrums being the order for the first few minutes.
Crookwell were first to take the initiative by kicking the ball well down into Harden’s half. The ball bounced into the goal area and over the Hawk’s dead ball line, but not before one Harden finger-nail had touched it, and a drop-out was forced from under the posts.
Soon after however, when Crookwell dropped the ball, the Hawks swooped on it and at the end of a swift Harden backline movement, winger Andrew Jones scored in a handy position. The conversion was un-successful. 4-0.
Then almost before the Green Devils had time to recover, Harden Fullback Riley Manwaring, flashed over in the corner to make it 8-0. Crookwell then chose to return fire. But their advance was stifled just one metre short of the Hawks tryline, and they had blown a promising movement. This ray of hope was soon put to rest, when Adam Byrne split the defence, burst clear and careered 60 metres downfield to outpace his chasers, for a great try in the High-School corner. With three conversions missed the score now stood conservatively at 12 nil at half time.
The siren was practically still ringing at the resumption of the second stanza, when Hawks 5/8 Josh Logue, chip-kicked into Crookwell’s in-goal area to regather and score, for the Hawks fourth try. This time Logie converted his own try and his teams tally began to mount at 18-0. Not to be out done Captain/Coach of Harden, Luke Brown, who was certainly leading by example and having a blinder, ran the opposite angle to score between the posts.Crookwell were trying hard, but adding to their woes, when awarded a penalty, they failed to find touch.
Sparked by this Harden-Hawks,were set alight,with Centre Tim Pinney and Half Daniel Drew adding fine tries, and the Hawks led 34-0. Abed Attalah easing his way into the side after a couple of years absence, down the Coast, showed what a great acquisition he will be, delivering a short deft pass to Riley Manwaring for Manny’s second four-pointer, next to the posts.
It was then that Hawks Hooker Johnny Hill, dived over from dummy half to make the final score 42-0. Best for Harden were 3) Luke Brown, 2) Josh Logue and 1) each to Danny Drew and Dicky Turner.
On Saturday Harden Hawks travel to play Yass Magpies at Walker Park.
WINGS