WARNING: don’t score first against Albury Thunder.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cootamundra put the opening points on the board against Albury last weekend and was belted 54-4 and Tumut crossed the line early at Twickenham yesterday and coped a 58-12 drubbing.
It was the third successive match Thunder has scored 50-plus points in a far-from-perfect preparation to take on their biggest challenger for the premiership in Southcity this weekend.
Coach Josh Cale described yesterday’s win as a mixed bag.
“We were pretty ordinary in the first half,” Cale said.
“Tumut had a real dip and is a lot better than its 96-12 loss last weekend.
“They slowed it down around the ruck and played well.
“I think we just expected to turn up and rack up a big score but it doesn’t work like that.
“Thankfully we played a lot better after half-time and got something out of it.”
Although Albury had few 80-minute contributors, Chris Seaton, Lachie Hampton and Rex Sargeant worked hard and Joe Silafu and Lou Goodwin provided plenty of grunt.
Ben Jeffery was also damaging in the second half with two late tries.
Albury is the only undefeated team in the competition after five rounds with second-placed Southcity one of six teams to have dropped two matches.
Cale said his team would need to lift to defeat the Bulls.
“We are a bit patchy at the moment,” he said.
“I just think the pressure got to us early as we wanted to score points quickly and couldn’t so hopefully we learn from that.
“It’s just good to come up here and get a win with no injuries.”
In other matches, Brothers edged out Young 36-28 and Cootamundra powered clear of Tumbarumba after half-time to take the honours 8-22.
Junee had the bye.