Tumut topples Albury Thunder 28-12 in Group Nine rugby league

The Thunder has signed a host of players over summer and it showed with a mistake-riddled, clunky display.

"Too many errors, it came down to that, we didn't respect the ball and they wanted the ball more and we weren't on," Thunder coach Robbie Byatt said.

The Thunder went into the match without former Newcastle competition first grade forward Sam Collins through Covid, which took away the firepower needed to handle the strong Blues' pack.

"We were always confident coming in here, obviously a lot of people have focused on the players we lost, but we still have that core group of players who know how to get the job done and some exciting youngsters, who bring that energy," impressive Tumut coach Lachlan Bristow remarked.

The Thunder had looked impressive in its three trials games, including a win over ACT outfit Belconnen.

And the team certainly stood out in its specially designed jumpers, as part of an effort to raise money for the Albury Wodonga Regional Cancer Centre and Albury Thunder Junior Rugby League club stalwart Sammy Williams, who's battling cancer.

But the Blues scored first in the seventh minute after a neat backline movement, but the home team replied six minutes later when assistant coach Jon Huggett strolled through a yawning gap near the line.

It's unusual to see such a large hole so close to the line, but it was one of the few errors the visitors made in defence.

Boom five-eighth Paul Karaitiana dropped the ball from the kick off, but he wasn't alone during the match as constant handling errors derailed any hopes of victory.

Tumut scored twice to push the margin to 12, but when the Blues spilt a bomb on half-time, converted back-rower Mason Fuller scored in the corner.

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But the Thunder never scored again with outside backs Jade Duroux and Ty Fletcher the pick.

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