THE Jamberoo Superoos got away to the best possible start to the 2021 South Coast Group Seven Rugby League season, after scoring a resounding 42-8 win over Kiama Knights in Sunday's season opener at Kiama Showground.
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Fielding a pretty-much unchanged team from last season, the Superoos took on a Knights team who took on a very different look from their 2020 outfit, after the loss of six of last season's first grade side as the visitors romped to an eight-tries-to-two win.
The Knights started well enough and forced the Roos to defend for most of the first 10 minutes, however, it was Jamberoo who opened the scoring in the 14th minute when hooker Daniel Burke dummied and dived over from close range.
The returning Dean Watling converted for a 6-nil lead.
However, the Knights were quick to respond and a sweeping backline movement saw winger Matt Morris scoot over in the corner and just four minutes later, a great pass from second-rower Cam Cornell gave centre Brad Killmore enough space to dive over.
Killmore was unable to master the tricky kicking conditions and missed both conversions but the Knights had grabbed an 8-6 lead.
The superior size of the Superoos then started to take its toll and the remainder of the half belonged to the visitors, as Mark Asquith scored twice and his brother Luke once - each showing great strength and determination, to see their team go to half-time with an 18-8 lead and the breeze at their backs in the second 40 minutes.
Kiama suffered a serious body blow just a minute into the second half when returning halfback Blake Rickard was helped off for what appeared to be a dislocated elbow.
Five minutes later, Mark Asquith had his hat-trick after he put winger Nathan Gallestegui away down the flank and backed up his twin brother James Asquith to race over for 24-8.
Things continued to get worse for the Knights when another returning player, centre Ethan Ford, was assisted off after some heavy contact.
The classy Asquith had his fourth try in the 69th minute when he did it all himself as he brushed off three defenders and raced away for 30-8.
Asquith was at it again in the 73rd minute when he slipped an inside pass to a rampaging second-rower Kyle Stone, who had terrorised the Knights left side defence all day, crashed over and, from the resulting kick-off gathered the ball and showed amazing space to race 95 metres to score his second try in less than two minutes.
With Watling landing all four second-half conversions, the final score had blown out to 42-8.
In a commanding Superoo performance, Mark Asquith and Stone were the standouts, while Simon Maslanka, Luke Asquith and Jarryd Smith also played strongly, while Daniel Martin, Keiran Poole and Tom Atkins never stopped trying to lift the Knights.
Next up for the Roos is their first home game of the season, when they host the Eagles on Saturday, while the Knights take on fellow round one losers Milton-Ulladulla at the Kiama Showground on Sunday.
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