The exciting thing is we played 60 to 65 minutes of really good footy so we have more improvement left in us
- Adrian Purtell
CLASSY halfback Shannon Rupapere made a spectacular return to first grade by steering Albury Thunder to a 38-16 victory over Young at Greenfield Park on Sunday.
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Rupapere, who looked set to walk away from the game last month, dominated the first-half with coach Adrian Purtell as Thunder stayed in touch with the top four.
“Shannon was unreal,” Purtell said.
“He’s a quality player and offers a lot.
“He took a lot of pressure off me today as he can kick on one side of the field and break the line.
“I really enjoy playing with him.”
Thunder put their stamp on the match in the first-half through tries to Keanu Wighton, Joel Monaghan, Jon Huggett and Damien Scott to lead 20-6 at half-time.
But alarm bells started to ring soon after the break when Young’s Saul Lealaitafea scored his second try to cut the deficit to eight points.
Purtell took it upon himself to settle the ship by scoring and when, Monaghan crossed for a second time at the 68-minute-mark, the match was effectively over.
Rupapere then made a sensational run to score in the corner and the improved Etu Uaisele charged over in the final minute of play to stitch up their second win of the season.
“It was a massive improvement,” Purtell said.
“The exciting thing is we played 60 to 65 minutes of really good footy so we have more improvement left in us.
“It was about getting confidence back after a couple of narrow defeats.”
Albury Thunder had lost three matches by a total of 10 points before Sunday’s clash and Purtell admitted the victory was huge for their self-belief.
Besides Rupapere and Purtell, Huggett got through a power of work and Monaghan worked himself into the game in the final 30 minutes.
Wighton injured his ankle early and looks in doubt for Sunday’s clash against Temora at Greenfield Park.
“Today was the first step and hopefully we can build on this,” he said.
“We want to make Albury a fortress.
“It’s a matter of working hard, keeping everyone on the field and taking the momentum from today into next week.
“If we can put it all together I think we’ll be a dangerous side.”
Kangaroos coach and former Albury Thunder premiership star Ben Jeffery was an interested onlooker at the game after his side upset Southcity 22-18 on Saturday.
Junee accounted for a struggling Gundagai, Brothers defeated Cootamundra and Tumut edged out Temora.
