THE Warilla-Lake South Gorillas proved there will be no grand final hangover in 2021, by defeating the Shellharbour Sharks 32-22 in round one of the Group Seven Rugby League season.
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At Ron Costello Oval, the hosts jumped out of the blocks by scoring the match's first two tries.
The first came in the 11th minute, following a sharp, darting run by new five-eighth Criss Browne, when Matt Forsyth amazing grounded a Matt Carroll grubber with his right hand.
The latter converted and it was 6-nil.
Their second came five minutes later when Brock Skelly put back-rower into Declan Morrissy into space before the latter slammed it down with his right hand despite pressure from Gorillas fullback Blair Grant.
Skipper Carroll, whose club were sporting their special black and white jerseys honouring the club's maiden first grade premiership in 1939, failed to convert and it was 10-nil.
That 10-point advantage was short-lived, as the Gorillas scored their first try for 2021 in the 23rd.
High profile recruit Cam Vazzoler bombed the ball up, only for Sharks' Jacob Seabrook to let the ball bounce - which led to centre Kye Deane scoring following a mad scramble in the in-goal.
Blair Grant added the extras and it was 10-6.
In the 29th minute, two of the key Warilla cogs combined when Vazzoler grubbered through for Grant to score.
The latter converted, giving the Gorillas their first lead of the afternoon 12-10.
The visitors well and truly had their tails up now and Vazzoler grabbed a four-pointer of his own in the 34th minute, following strong play by hooker Oscar Fitzpatrick.
Grant's conversion extended the lead to eight.
Just before the break, the Sharks halted the Gorillas' ascendancy as former Nowra-Bomaderry Jet Zac Kershaw powered over under the sticks.
Browne, who took over the kicking duties for the injured Carroll (who suffered a leg injury in the 17th minute and was taken from the field), converted and the Sharks trialled 18-16 at half-time.
The hosts started the second half just the like first when recruit Ryan James borrowed his way over in the 56th minute.
Browne's kick gave the Sharks a four-point lead.
But staying true to form, the Gorillas responded when Blair Grant, sweeping around the back, hit centre Tyler Atkins, who stepped his way over.
Fullback Grant's kick missed and the score was level at 22-all heading into the final quarter.
The visitors regained the lead with 14 to go when Lleyton Hughes pounced on an Aaron Henry offload and sprinted 30 metres to score.
Grant's conversion gave the visitors a six-point lead.
The round one game was put to bed in the final minutes when an interchange between Vazzoler, Blair Grant and Deane sent first grade debutant Dane Nelson over.
Grant failed to convert from the sideline, as the Gorillas won 32-22.
In round two, the Gorillas host Gerringong in a grand final replay, while the Sharks travel across town to face the Stingrays in the first Shellharbour Showdown in 2021.
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