Port 88 def. Wollongong 12

Under 18's five eighth Matthew Michalowski started off the bench but played around sixty minutes of the first grade fixture against Wollongong at Herb Clunas Oval today, won by Port Kembla in a cakewalk 88-12. With brother Nathan running water and the kicking tee, and his parents and a small fan club situated on the northern hill of Herb Clunas, the young five-eighth made a memorable first grade debut, earning the respect and admiration of his older peers and the Player's Player award in the process - his second in as many days after rewarded with the same honour for his Under 18's team's win over Helensburgh the day before..

The Bulls had no answer for a Port side missing Mark Simon through injury. If not for some late handling errors, Port may well have racked up the century in a game which highlighted Port's ability to cope without Mark Simon and the promising future of the club with juniors such as Michalowski and Reserve Grade standout Keiran Jack coming through the ranks.

The Blacks threatened to open the scoring two minutes into the game when Johno Johnson took on the line and got his hands free to pop a great ball to Clint Hill. Fortunately for Wollongong, Hill couldn't place the ball down satisfactorily for the referee.

Craig Simon split The Bulls defence in the sixth minute and kicked as he drew close to the fullback, two Port chasers along side him. The ball bounced at right angles over the head of Grant Roberts, but Andrew Bobbin was on hand to happily receive the bouncing ball and stroll over for an easy opener. Johnson kicked from in front and Port led 6-0 early in the game.

Three minutes later and Juita Suka crashed down the right side of the field, passing inside for Lulia Lulia to score and easy try. Johnson's conversion made it 12-0 after just nine minutes of play. The Wollongong side competed with Port forthe next ten minutes before a loose ball from a Wollongong scrum was not cleaned up by the Bulls backs. With the lack of urgency from the red and whites apparent, Craig Simon toed the ball through, got  good bounce and raced over for a try against the run of play. The conversion gave Port 18 unanswered points in almost even time.

Grant Bobbin crossed from close range in the 25th minute before Port put together a great try. Although being smashed in a fierce tackle, Paul Loky's quick play the ball allowed Johnson to find Craig Simon wrapping around. Simon found Lulia Lulia thirty out from the line and the young centre beat the Wollongong fullback to score for Johnson to convert.

Port scored three minutes later when, close to the Wollongong line, Johnson threw a long ball to Matthew Michalowski who in turn threw a long ball cutting out one player, finding Juita Suka lurking out wide. Suka went on a short jinking run to score, Port leading by 34-0 after just 32 minutes of play.

Wollongong hit back two before half time with a soft try from a scrum, centre Chris Cook slicing through poor defence to score a converted try. The half time break stood at 34-6, but the crowd were now waging their bets on how many points Port would rack up in the second period of play.

The Blacks didn't take long to extend their lead when Matt Michalowski threw a perfect cut-out pass to a flying Paul Lokys in the second minute. Lokys try came in his 50th first grade game in the black and white and pleased the many Black's fans in attendance. Johnson added a sideline conversion  for Port to lead by 34 points.

Virtually from the kick off, Lulia exposed feeble defence down the right side of the field linking with Lokys who threw a great bal to Craig Simon. Simon could have scored himself but unselfishly threw the ball inside to Andrew Bobbin who crossed under the sticks, the conversion making the score 46-6 after 45 minutes of play.

It only took another two minutes for Johnson to make a customary line break ten inside his own half. The popular hooker off-loaded to Clint Hill who lumbered fifty metres, just making the try line before being brought down by the defence. Chris Walsh watching from the sidelines envied the front rowers pace and try, and Port had reached their fifty for the loss of just six runs (sorry, points).

Any thoughts of a lucky forward's try were laid to rest when from the kick off the ball was spun wide, ending up with Nick Nikitaras on the fifty. Nikitaras sprinted fifty metres to score another long range forward's try. Johnson's conversion gave Port a 58-6 lead with 31 minutes still left on the clock.

A rare dropped ball from Grant Bobbin at the kick off allowed Wollongong a rare opportunity to press the Port line. They needed only one tackle to split Port's defence and go over from close range. The lead had been trimmed ever so slightly to 46 points.

Luke Roberts had just taken the field in the 14th minute when he received the last pass to score in the fourteenth minute. The Bulls lost the ball five minutes later allowing Lulia to spread the ball wide to Glenn McPhee. McPhee got the ball to the Bulls forty before passing to debutant Matt Michalowski who ran the remaining distance to score a crowd pleasing try. Port had taken the score to 68-12 in their favour and the crowd were starting to mutter thoughts of a century stand by the Black's outfit.

Paul Lokys brought up his double with a seemingly effortless sprint down the right wing, the Port local able to find another gear to outpace the cover defence. Grant Roberts made sure all of the starting forwards got on the scoresheet when he strolled straight through the middle of the Bulls defence. He shrugged off a couple of cover defenders and crossed for a 78-12 lead to Port.

Jason Sullivan ran seemingly all over the park, forty metres as the crow flies, but 100 on the odo, to score Port's 15th try of the match. Four minutes before full time Matthew Michalowski capped off a great game by safely diffusing a Bulls kick into Port's in goal.

On the Bell, Port's 16th and final try was scored by Juita Suka after Port kept the ball alive, entertaining the Black's faithful in the process. Lulia added the easy extras for Port to score a massive 88-12 win over the struggling Bulls.

For Port, Matthew Michalowski was brilliant in his debut in the top grade. Johno Johnson again played solid football, while Grant Bobbin and Clint Hill terrorised the Bulls pack. Lulia Lulia was efficient in the backline and Paul Lokys celebrated his 50th First Grade game for Port with a vintage performance. There were no bad players in the Port side who now face Corrimal at Noel Mulligan Oval in a danger match for the club. The Cougars got pasted by Collegians this week, but on their day, Corrimal can upset any team in the competition.
 

Wayne Harvey started the scoring with a cut-out ball to George Webb who dived over for the try. Luke Roberts scored in the 10th minute after deceiving the defence with a dummy, before consecutive cut out passes from Clinton Schrader and Daniel Jiminez put Brad Handcock on a twenty metre run to the Try line. After sixteen minutes of play, Port led by 12-0, unable to convert any of their three tries.

From a Port scrum win, Wollongong intercepted the ball and scored a runaway thirty metres try to fullback Ben Keene. Dale Canvin converted from in front to trim Port's lead to six after 20 minutes of play.

George Webb scored his second try from another Wayne Harvey cut out pass and Luke Roberts crossed for his second try in the thirtieth minute of play. None of Port's tries were converted at this stage, and Port went to the break with a 20-6 lead.

Don Kane went through everything eight into the second half, Keiran Jack finally adding a conversion with his first kick of the game. Kane went in for his second after some good lead up work from Shane Glasson and Port led by 32-6 on the back of Jack's second conversion.

George Webb received a ball on the end of a backline movement before passing inside to Keiran Jack who fended off two potential Bulls defenders to score his first try. He converted his own try for a 38-6 lead. Troy Fleming received a ball from Don Kane on the opposite side of the field to score a try of his own and a 42-6 lead to Port.

Jack scored his second try of the afternoon in an impressive performance off the bench for The Blacks. Port led 48-6 before a third try to George Webb wide out. Keiran Jack converted from the sideline to take his personal tally for the day to 18 points. This remained the final score, Port taking the game 54-6. If not for some early kicking blues, The Black's may well have added another ten points to the final tally.

Ben Carr was Player's Player, with Keiran Jack having a great game for Port. Matt Campbell continues to improve while George Webb was always in the game, evident by his triple for the match.

Port now face Corrimal in a game which could put them back in the four outright. With Collegians playing Dapto next week, and both teams only a point ahead of Port, a win against Corrimal would put The Blacks back in the top four.