As temperatures soared past the mid-30s in Sydney’s west, Mounties continued their perfect start to the 2018 Intrust Super Premiership NSW season with a 42-points-to-6 win over the Wyong Roos in the sides’ Round 2 clash at Aubrey Keech Reserve.
Wyong welcomed back 2017 regular Mitch Cornish to their line-up after the half’s NRL appearance in Round 1, shifting Paul Momirovski back to his preferred centre position.
But it was a first-half onslaught that set the Mounties on their way to the 36-point win, newcomer Brad Abbey a two-try hero on the afternoon.
Not sighted in the side’s Round 1 clash with the Dragons, Abbey made his first appearance in the Mounties colours against Roos, with only nine minutes having passed before he etched his name onto the try-scorers’ sheet.
A dinking kick in behind the Roos defensive line was put to boot for a second time on the play to see Abbey over for a try, winger Sitiveni Moceidreke making no mistake from the kicking tee in taking Mounties’ lead to six.
Abbey had his second try just four minutes later, the fleet-footed fullback trailing through the middle third of the field in support from half Ata Hingano to touchdown under the posts.
Moceidreke’s conversion sent the hosts out to a comfortable 12-0 lead as Mounties kept pace with the clock.
The defensive strain put on the Roos proved all too much in the 22nd minute of play as Mounties back-rower Jack Murchie scooted over from close range for the side’s third four-pointer.
Roos captain Mitch Williams protested with a hint of an obstruction on the play, though his plea fell on deaf ears as the referee pointed to the spot. Moceidreke converted to extend the buffer to 18.
A penalty awarded to the Mounties 30 metres from the Roos goal-line was enough to see the lead beyond three converted tries, though to Wyong’s credit, their efforts did not waver in search of the half-time siren.
Down by 20 points, Wyong raced to feed a scrum 10 metres out from their own line with only two minutes to play before the break.
Working down field with the aid of a penalty. The Roos found their first points of the afternoon when centre Matt Ikavalu scored his second try in as many weeks. Cornish converted from close to the touch line, reducing Mounties’ lead to 14 after 40 minutes.
Though the visitors’ momentum was stopped dead in its tracks at the change of ends – Mounties winger Mikaele Ravalawa finishing a well-worked backline shift to score the side’s fourth. Again, Moceidreke turned four points into six, and sent the score to 26-6.
In a tale of the afternoon, Wyong compounded their defensive lapse at the restart of play when they kicked out on the full. The Roos’ heads dropped, and in the pressing heat of the afternoon Mounties scored their fifth try courtesy of Kalani Going.
Moceidreke slotted the ensuing conversion, Mounties taking a 32-6 lead with 25 minutes to play.
On an afternoon of little joy for the 2017 minor premiers, again they were made to gather behind their line when Tyler Cornish went in for Mounties’ sixth try. Moceidreke’s couldn’t maintain his unblemished record with the boot, the conversion sailed wide, the score remained 36-6.
Murchie capped a near-perfect afternoon for the hosts with his late try, supporting Hingano who broke through the exhausted Roos defence to register the side’s seventh.
Moceidreke made amends for his previous shot on goal, splitting the posts and raising the touch judges’ flags, rounding out the afternoon’s scoring.
Mounties 42 (B Abbey 2, J Kennedy 2, M Ravalawa, K Going, T Cornish tries; S Moceidreke 7 goals) def Wyong Roos 6 (M Ikuvalu try; M Cornish goal)
