‘Mad Chrisso’ Chris James was one of the best for the Hawks against Crookwell on Saturday. The Hawks won a close match 22-6. Photo Barry Quinn.
The matches between Harden and Bungendore were called off on the weekend due to the state of Mick Sherd Oval after a heavy down pour. We have popped the previous week’s match report online for our readers to get their Rugby League fix.
The last time Harden Hawks played the Crookwell Green Devils, they almost turned white, or should that be brown. It had snowed at their ground and when Harden arrived the playing surface was a sea of mud. The match itself was a close encounter, where Harden scraped in 18-16. Last weekend the Crookwell Green Devils came to visit the ‘Saintly’ Harden Hawks, on the lush green pastures of McLean Oval.
Our Hawks were perched on the top of the George Tooke Table and looked resplendent in their new style jumpers, hot from overseas. The Hawks are clear leaders with Bungendore back in third place after being defeated last weekend by North Canberra, with Crookwell in fourth spot. No snow, but all we could offer on the day, was a devilishly cool wind, a blanket of cloud and intermittent flashes of sun. When our visitors booted the ball deep into Harden’s territory, to be accepted by Chris Mason, who passed to one of his big forwards Luke Stanton the Hawks first play the ball ended 40 metres out from their own line.
After just four minutes Harden used their backline culminating with Lock Luke Snedden putting winger Riley Manwaring over in the corner. The conversion was astray, but the Hawks led 4-0. The next 10 minutes both teams sorted each other out. Harden ended the better of it though, rushing towards the Crookwell line. This time it was Luke Snedden himself who touched down wide out. The attempt at goal once again left the score at 8-0. The restart saw the Green Devils boot out on the full. From this Harden peppered Crookwell’s line. However a dropped ball saw them squander possession. A relieving penalty took the pressure off Crookwell. But on the third tackle they threw the ball into touch. To add insult to injury, soon after they were held up in Goal. Soon after the Hawks threw a few wild passes and play stagnated momentarily.
Harden redeemed themselves forcing play up Crookwell’s end and with a rampaging and punishing run NO.16 forward Charlie Butt (Our Master Apprentice), scored for the Hawks—raising his fist in triumph-YES ! This took the score to 12-0 to Harden when half time was semaphore. When the man with the whistle signalled the start of the second half, play see-sawed for a time. Then after a Hawk’s play the ball their half back Nathan Schofield, sent a real beauty, missing out a man, for it to be taken by Riley Manwaring who raced over for his second try. The Hawks had opened up a solid lead of 16-0 in a low scoring encounter.
Crookwell came back strongly and when they received a penalty in front of the Hawks goal-posts, they were in a prime scoring area. Attempting a quick tap-kick they knocked on,and it all fizzled out in front of the “ Harden-Hill “. Our Hawks then punted the pill deep into Red Devil territory. This was followed by a free kick. Both Sides were having the occasional case of dropsy. In the final 10 minutes Crookwell were held up over the line. Then almost immediately they scored a well earned try in a handy position, which was converted 16-6. Not to be outdone,as the clouds rolled in, Luke Brown added to his season’s tally of tries with another one under the posts. The conversion made the final score HARDEN HAWKS 22 CROOKWELL GREEN DEVILS 6.
