BEN Jeffery made a triumphant return to Greenfield Park as Wagga Kangaroos stunned Albury Thunder 32-18 on Sunday.
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With the match in the balance at 20-18 with 21 minutes left, Kangaroos fullback Tristan Dickson stepped up with two brilliant tries to cause the upset of the season.
Jeffery, who was solid rather than spectacular in his first appearance at the ground since coaching the side last season, was delighted with the result.
“We played two halves for a change,” Jeffery said.
“The boys have been starting well in the majority of games and fading off but today we stuck at it for 80 minutes.
“It’s our best effort of the year for sure.”
While Kangaroos were up for the fight, Thunder failed to fire a shot with the exception of Levi Freeman, Jon Huggett and Joe Silafau.
They sorely missed David Cowhan (knee) and Shannon Rupapere (shoulder) and will have to regroup in a hurry with Southcity waiting for them.
Kangaroos opened the scoring through centre Lachlan Cuell and had the home team on the back foot for the next 15 minutes.
But Silafau scored against the run of play in the 24th minute and followed up minutes later to give Thunder an unlikely 12-6 lead.
Kangaroos hit back again through Cuell just before half-time and Jeffery gave his team a 14-12 advantage when he scored a penalty goal on the siren which resulted in Joe Veramu being sinbinned.
Jeremy Hampton opened the scoring soon after the resumption of play and, leading 20-12, an upset was on the cards.
Thunder’s chances weren’t helped by Etu Uaisele being sinbinned at a crucial stage of the match.
Fullback Lachie Hampton cut the deficit to two points with 21 minutes remaining but that marked the beginning of the end for Albury Thunder.
Dickson then sliced through some feeble defence twice to hand the Wagga club its first win at the ground for several years.
Jeffery praised his side’s defence under pressure.
“They are a class team and their big men had us on the ropes, but our small pack turned up for each other,” he said.
“They would be disappointed with the way they played but we’ll take the win.
"It was good getting back here.
“It was a good crowd and good to play against the boys.
“I enjoyed it.”
Besides Dickson, Cuell and Jeremy Hampton played well for the victors.
“He’s unreal (Dickson),” Jeffery said.
“He just breaks a game open.
“He’s the quickest player I’ve played with off both feet.”
