ONLY one Illawarra Steelers side walked away from Cessnock Sports Ground victorious on Saturday and that was Glenn Buffolin's SG Ball side.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The visitors ran in five tries to two in the 28-12 win, with Syddarys Cassidy (seventh minute), Cooper Roberts (13th), Trey Barlow (29th), Junior Amone (55th) and Cooper Roberts (59th) crossing for four-pointers.
Alexander Lobb also landed four conversions for the Steelers, who move up into seventh on the ladder with a 3-1-2 record through the opening eight rounds.
During the win, the Steelers side was spearheaded by Albion Park-Oak Flats' Benjamin Lavender and Josh Coric, Stingrays' Jack Bostock, Milton-Ulladulla's Riley Wooden, Kiama's Travis Barrett-Hancock, Warilla-Lake South's Tyrone Roberts and Shellharbour's Clive Brett.
Earlier that day, the undefeated start to the season by Alicia-Kate Hawke's Tarsha Gale side come to a crashing halt, as they were smashed 30-nil by the Knights.
Group Seven's Teagan Berry, Riley Scott, Mackenzie Lear, Alex Wallace and Jordyn Preston (all Stingrays) as well as Keele Browne and Alivia Brown (both Bulldogs) were all part of Saturday's losing squad.
If there's any consolation for the Steelers, they also lost to Newcastle away from home, during their 2019 premiership season.
The other Steelers side to taste defeat on Saturday was Aaron McDonald's Harold Matthews outfit, who went down 26-20 to Newcastle.
In the loss, which featured Gerringong's Dylan Egan, Ashton Ward and Jack Quine and Stingrays' James Walsh, Sean Trindall (two), Ward and Egan scored tries - with Kynan Clough adding two kicks.
Next round, all three sides will return to the Collegians Sporting Complex.
At 10am, Hawke's Tarsha Gale side, who are now 5-1, play Wests Tigers, before the Matts side, 1-5 this season, takes on Western Suburbs at 11.30am.
The three-game slate will conclude at 1pm when the SG Ball side plays the Magpies.