TTM Canberra Raiders Cup: Round 12 Wrap Up

Queanbeyan Kangaroos (2) 17 defeated Queanbeyan Blues (1) 4 at Freebody Oval

The Kangaroos have overcome the top of the table Blues 17-4 in the traditionally fiercely competed local derby to storm into second position on the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup ladder.

The Roos are undoubtedly the competition’s form team with Aaron Gorrell’s men currently enjoying a seven match winning streak. The win over their cross-town rivals sees the Roos draw level with the Blues on competition points however the defending premier’s superior for-and-against record entitles them to first place on the ladder.

In front of a parochial supporter base at home, the Roos were outstanding defensively with their line speed and aggression the overriding highlights.

Leading the way in defence, along with inspirational carries in the middle, were starting front-rowers Maxime Herold and Steve Dunn.

“Our two starting front-rowers (Herold and Dunn) are going great, they'd have to be close to the two best in the competition,” Gorrell said.

After a nine match winning streak, the Blues have now succumbed to three straight losses. The Blues made a host of uncharacteristic errors early on and the Roos made them pay by shooting out to a 16-0 lead with three tries in the first 19 minutes. 

"To not catch the ball from the (first half) kick-off and give them possession, that's under-8s stuff," Blues Coach Simon Woolford said.

A try to hooker James Woolford from dummy half with nine minutes left gave the Blues a glimmer of hope, but a field goal from Roos halfback Jack Miller sealed the two points for the home side. 

Woolford admitted his side was in a "rut", but was pleased with the improved effort he felt was lacking in the previous two defeats after losing fullback Adam Misios and forward Jason Farnhill to first-half injuries.  

“We've been poor the last couple of weeks in terms of our effort, but certainly the effort was there today,” he said.

“It's hard when you're in a rut to get out of it. It was more about actions today, although we were poor with the footy.”

A major positive for the Blues was the return of Ben Nicoll in what was the premiership halfback’s first game of the year. 

Queanbeyan Kangaroos 17 (B Cronan, S Meke, A Taholo tries; J Miller 2 goals & field goal) defeated Queanbeyan Blues 4 (J Woolford try)

Woden Valley Rams (5) 40 defeated Belconnen United Scholars (8) 34 at O’Connor

Woden has secured back-to-back victories for the first time since Rounds 5-6, but they didn’t do it easily against a spirited Belconnen United outfit.

The Scholars went into the match with a fresh injection of morale and confidence after they registered their first win of the year last week over the Tuggeranong Bushrangers.

In what has been a highly disappointing season for Belconnen United, the Round 12 score line shows the improvement the side has made since their previous clash back in Round 5 when the Rams defeated the Scholars 40-22.

The victory sees the Rams climb to fifth place on the ladder and just two points outside the top four, paving the way for a highly crucial contest with the fourth placed West Belconnen Warriors this weekend.

Rams Coach Ash Barnes was pleased to get the win over the Scholars, but knows that his troops need a much improved effort against a formidable Warriors outfit.

Woden Valley Rams 40 (E Howe, K Harawira, B Martin ,T Pratt, S Taka ,G Crapp D Roberts tries;

K Harawira 6 goals) defeated Belconnen United Scholars 34 (M Mapiou, K Marion, R Allan Jnr, J Lafaele, C Purcell, J Brown tries; A Pelasio 3, R Allan Jnr, M Mapiou goals)

Tuggeranong Bushrangers (7) 30 defeated Gungahlin Bulls (6) 24 at Greenway

Tuggeranong registered the upset of the round by delivering one of their best efforts of the season to defeat Gungahlin at home.

In has been an unhappy year for the Bushrangers who had won just the one game in 2015 prior to this match. That sole win this year came in Round 4 over the Scholars and the Bushrangers have since endured a seven match losing streak, including a 22-6 loss to the Bulls in Round 5.

Tuggeranong’s latest defeat was an embarrassing loss to cellar dwelling Belconnen United, in what was the Scholars’ first triumph of the year. No doubt this defeat gave the Bushrangers plenty of motivation to bounce back against the Bulls.

Unfortunately for Gungahlin, the loss continues their demise down the TTM Canberra Raiders Cup ladder after a season which promised so much early on.

The Bulls enjoyed a five match winning streak from Rounds 2 to 6 however they have since lost five out of their last six appearances. They will need to rectify their form in immediate fashion if they are to snare a spot in the top four.

Tuggeranong Bushrangers 30 (J Pollard 2, J Cooper, M Byrne, P Janssen, B Laurent tries; L Hurst 3 goals) defeated Gungahlin Bulls 24 (C Thorley 2, A Greenwood, J Elliot, P Glover tries; A Greenwood 2 goals)

West Belconnen Warriors (4) 36 defeated Goulburn Workers Bulldogs (3) 26 at Raiders Belconnen

After an up and down start to the year, West Belconnen has strung together two of their best performances of the year to defeat both of last year’s Grand Finalists in successive weeks.

The Warriors shocked many local league pundits when they triumphed over the reigning premiers the Queanbeyan Blues last week however they backed that up with a 10 point win over the previously second placed Goulburn Workers Bulldogs this week.

The win enabled West Belconnen to skip two points clear of Woden and Gungahlin in fourth spot whilst the loss saw Goulburn drop to third place.

Outside back Ryan McQueen and Raiders Under 20’s squad member Tevita Aroha starred for the Warriors with both players registering doubles.

The defeat was Goulburn’s second in a row and the Bulldogs will need to arrest their current form slump when they face the in-form Queanbeyan Roos this weekend.

West Belconnen Warriors 36 (R McQueen 2, T Aroha 2, J Faletagoai, H Brown, T Sloman tries; H Brown 3, T Aroha goals) defeated Goulburn Workers Bulldogs 26 (T Turner, M Picker, J Gray, M Warboys, C Medway tries; C Hart 3 goals)