Port 30 def. Thirroul 18

The Blacks went into the main game minus a few of their strike weapons. Mark Simon remains sidelined with a broken arm, while Jeff Hardy was a late withdrawal due to an injury sustained in the latter part of the week. Nick Nikitaras also lost his battle with injury and withdrew late in the week. In their places, Glenn McPhee started at centre with Craig Simon moving to five-eighth. Daniel Jiminez made his first grade starting debut for Port replacing Nikitaras. Thirroul were also without their main strike weapon in Aaron Beath.

The importance of the match was not lost on The Blacks as they tried to gain a psychological edge heading into the end of season deciders. It took just three minutes for Port to open their account when Lulia Lulia received an inside pass from Jason Sullivan. Sullivan ran and then kicked for Juita Suka on his outside, the burly winger diving on the ball in the corner to score. Johno Johnson converted from the sideline for Port’s early 6-0 lead.

Port’s front row of Clint Hill, Grant Bobbin and Johnson started the game in blistering fashion, the two bookends hitting their opposition with all of their might. Hill set the scene with a corker of a tackle on a Thirroul opponent, then chased down fullback Brad Smith to stop what seemed to be a certain four pointer. Thirroul had the last laugh though when Jade Air ran strongly onto a bal popped up perfectly for him, crossing Port’s line in good position for Trent Bryan to convert and level the scores.

Craig Simon bought cheers from the parochial crowd when he rode Butchers forward Phil Todd into touch in the 11^th minute before Johno Johnson went on a jinking run, ripping through the Butchers defence. The run set up Glenn McPhee on the next set to score an easy try for Port and put a four point gap between the two teams.

Port continued to pressure Thirroul and forced an error in the play the ball 16 minutes into the half. Port could not turn possession into points though, turning it over on the fourth tackle through a pass straight to a Butchers defender. The ferocious defence from Port continued though with Grant Bobbin, Hill and Grant Roberts menacing the Thirroul runners. Jason Sullivan meanwhile showed great positional play to diffuse numerous Thirroul kicks.

Johnson kicked on the fifth tackle, 22 minutes into the game for Grant Roberts to dive on the ball under the sticks. Somehow, referee Mick Dupille standing right in front of the play took the advice of touch judge Craig Jones – fifty metres from the play – to rule that Roberts had knocked on over the line.

Port made sure of the points just two minutes later when replacement forward Luke Roberts scored for Johnson to convert, Port’s lead extending to ten. Port continued to repel the Thirroul advances perilously close to their try line. In the 30^th minute, Craig Simon kicked early in the tackle count for a flying Paul Lokys to chase. Lokys reached the ball and toed it through, only to have the ball eventually run dead. The play was pulled back though when Brad Smith was given ten in the bin for allegedly holding Lokys back from the chase. Simon almost pulled off an intercept in the 33^rd minute, but the ball found Thirroul on a deflect. Five before half time, Grant Roberts went agonisingly close to scoring, finishing just inches from the try line.

While Port were polished in attack, their defence was swarming with often four players effecting a tackle before running back to their mark, aiming up for their next shot.

Thirroul broke the defence four minutes out from the break, but a great tackle from behind by Glenn McPhee thwarted their efforts. Just before the half time siren sounded, Johnson held up a pass perfectly for Jason Sullivan. Sullivan ran 25 metres before being caught, but his momentum was enough to get him across the line. Port went into the half time break with a solid 20-6 lead over the reigning premiers.

The second half started off just as the first did, a bruising affair between two teams not willing to give an inch. It wasn’t until the 15^th minute of the game when Greg Hooper initiated a second phase play which found Grant Roberts wrapping around to collect the ball and cross for a try adjacent to the Thirroul uprights. Johnson converted and Port led Thirroul 26-6 with 25 minutes left in the game.

Thirroul scored next just three minutes later when Nigel Daniels crossed. The Bryan conversion had Port’s lead cut to fourteen. Thirroul went close to going over again at the midway point of the second half, but the play was pulled up as a forward pass was found by the referee.

Clint Hill hit Thirroul with another bone cruncher fifteen out from full time, prompting touch judge Brian Bonnie to enter the field of play, accusing Port of rough-house tactics, a penalty being awarded to The Butchers.

A minute later, Port rattled the Thirroul defence, so much so that captain and former Port player Fuad Suljkanovic laid on the Port attacker too long according to the referee. Suljkanovic was given ten in the bin for his efforts and Port crossed just two minutes later when Grant Roberts collected his second for the day. Johnson’s conversion attempt went wide, but Port led 30-12.

The Butchers completed the scoring on the bell with a try to Trent Bryan, converted for a final 30-18 scoreline in favour of The Blacks.

Port had a myriad of good players o the day, but none were better and more involved than Grant Roberts. Roberts collected the Player’s Player award and was ably supported by Hill, Johnson, Grant Bobbin and Jason Sullivan. Keith Lulia impressed in his first appearance in the top grade and did enough to show that he is a player of the future.

Port now face front runners Collegians in their final match of the regular season before having a well earned week’s rest in which they can prepare for the top Dogs again in the Major Semi Final.

The Reserve Grade fixture saw Port Kembla come out with all guns blazing. After the Saturday results, Port knew that a loss to Thirroul would spell the end of their 2004 campaign. Their intensity level and commitment were high, resulting in some important plays for the team.

From the kick-off, Thirroul fumbled the ball in goal, giving Port Kembla an early opportunity to raid the Butcher’s line. Three minutes into the game The Blacks looked to have scored the opening try, only to be deemed to be held up over the line by referee Craig Jones. The Blacks were again held up over the line in the seventh minute when five-eighth Clinton Schrader elected to run the ball on the final tackle, finding George Webb who crossed without success.

It wasn’t until the 13^th minute of the game when some George Webb “dancing” saw Port go on an unlikely attack. Thirroul received a penalty ten metres into the Port half but failed to find touch, George Webb tip-toeing along the sideline to catch the Thirroul line kick. Webb proceeded in-field where, on the next tackle, Victor Daly made a telling break and out-ran the Butcher’s chasers for an 80 metre individual effort. Port led 4-0.

The Blacks received a penalty 35 metres out from Thirroul’s line. Wayne Harvey’s decision to take the kick paid off when Joel Murton piloted the ball between the sticks to extend Port’s lead to six points.

Thoughts of retirement posted on mightyblacks.com.au during the week must have sparked Victor Daly into action, the veteran exploding in the 28^th minute of the game to again burst through the Thirroul defenders, this time outrunning them over fifty metres to score. Murton converted to give the half time score 12-0 in favour of Port.

Port came out in the second half intent on building on their lead and extending their season. Two minutes into the half Joel Murton scored in the corner off a Wayne Harvey pass. Port’s lead had extended to 16 points before Shane McCartney crossed for Thirroul in the 16^th minute for Stuart Boyle to convert.

Joel Ciepulcha replied for The Blacks in the 25^th minute with an unconverted try, Port’s lead now fourteen. Wayne Harvey looked to put the issue beyond doubt six out from full time when he threw a long cut out ball to Troy Fleming on the wing. Fleming was unable to control the ball, but Port had done enough to close the game with a 20-6 victory.

Best for The Blacks were Victor Daly, Paul Denniss and Wayne Harvey. The win draws Port Kembla level with Thirroul on 22 points and equal fourth place on the competition ladder. Wests hold a secure top position on 28 points, with Collegians ahead of Dapto on for and against (23 points). University’s loss to Dapto has them in sixth position on 20 points.

A win against Collegians next week will see Port make the semi’s in as high as second position, depending on other results. A loss to The Dogs will have Port relying on University to down Thirroul for a shot at fourth place in a mid-week playoff with The Butchers.

The Wollongong Asphalt Under 18 Blacks returned to the winners circle with a hard fought 40-12 win over Thirroul. The scoreline was not indicative of the tough work out given to Port by The Butchers, with The Blacks running in two tries inside the final six minutes of the game to blow out the scoreline.

Thirroul opened the scoring after five minutes with a converted try to Matt Prior. Port responded in the ninth minute when Keiran Jack scored for Keith Lulia to convert. The Blacks were in again seven minutes later when Joel Court scored from dummy half. Lulia’s sideline conversion attempt hit the crossbar and bounced back into the laying field, Port leading 10-6 after sixteen minutes of play.

Port looked to have scored again two minutes later but were ruled to be held up over the line. Keiran Jack made no mistake in the 25^th minute of the half when he scored from close range. Keith Lulia converted to give Port a handy 16-6 lead at the break.

Keith Lulia busted the defensive line six minutes into the second half, off-loading to Joel Court who scored his second try of the game. John Koot then crossed in the 13^th minute after some good lead up work by Aaron Troiano and Jared Stewart. Lulia’s conversions of both tries saw Port holding a 28-6 lead.

Thirroul hit back four minutes later when Mitchell Roberts scored for Paul Clarke to land his second conversion of the day.

The Blacks then cemented the win with tries in the 28^th and 30^th minutes of the half to Keith Lulia and Keiran Jack – his third for the afternoon. Keith Lulia’s conversions saw the centre end the day with a personal tally of 16 points.

Port kept their hopes of a top two finish alive with the win, but will need to improve if they are to match the top teams in the semis. For the Blacks, Keith Lulia was a standout, Jon Koot played strong, and Burim Saliji was busy all game.