THE Gerringong Lions have finished the 2018 Group Seven regular season with a 32-12 win over the Jamberoo Superoos at Kevin Walsh Oval on Saturday.
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With the game all but a dead rubber, the match was somewhat of a flat affair and both sides will now turn their sights to next weekend’s elimination final, when they’ll clash for the second week in a row.
Both sides fielded somewhat of makeshift lineups, with a number of regular names missing from each team, but it was the Lions who brushed that off the best and ran in six tries to two in the win.
It was the Lions who opened the scoring after just eight minutes when halfback Rixon Russell cut the Superoos’ defence open.
The Gerringong speedster linked up with Joel Roberts who then found Alec Brookes and the fill-in fullback crossed next to the posts.
Jake Taylor converted and the visitors lead 6-nil.
That lead was soon out to double digits when the Lions caught Jamberoo short on the left edge.
Winger Harry Phillips raced away and dived over in the corner for a 10-nil lead.
As it looked like the game was getting away from the home side, they managed to hit back.
Captain/coach Jono Dallas found some space around the ruck and sent Ben Wade on his way to the line with a ball back on the inside.
Dean Watling converted and Lions’ lead was trimmed to 10-6.
That score would stand for some time before the Lions extended their lead five minutes before half-time.
Matt Winchester, playing in the centres, had Jamberoo back-pedalling and managed to work his way over the line out wide.
Taylor knocked over the tough conversion and Gerringong took a 16-6 lead into the sheds.
Gerringong wasted little time in extending that lead in the second half, as they added their fourth try inside two minutes after play resumed.
Debutant prop Alexander Weir spun through the Jamberoo defence and reached out to score to the right of the posts.
Minutes later the Lions jumped out even further ahead when Brookes grabbed his second.
Roberts broke through the Jamberoo defence and sent the fullback over under the posts.
Roberts converted and Gerringong were up 26-6 after 47 minutes.
Following Brookes’ try Jamberoo came to dominate filed position thanks to a combination of eager defence and poor execution from Gerringong.
Eventually the home side was rewarded when Corey Grigg crashed through a yawning gap to score.
Watling converted to bring the score to 26-12 with just less than 15 to go.
Any idea of a Jamberoo comeback was soon extinguished though when Roberts grabbed a well-deserved try of his own.
The Gerringong lock scooped up a bouncing ball and strolled over to score under the posts.
Taylor added the conversion for a 32-12 shoreline that would stand until full-time.
The Lions were best served by Roberts, Brookes and Rein, while Dallas, Matt Webster and Jayde Tooth did all they could for Jamberoo.