WESTERN completed its final southern pool game of the AAMI Under-18 Country Championship in style, running out 44-10 victors over Greater Southern Stingrays at Batemans Bay on Saturday.
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But coach Cameron Greenhalgh said his Rams didn’t have it all their own way.
After an intense opening half in which Western lost gun backrower Darby Medlyn to a serious leg injury - the Parkes product to miss next week’s semi-final in Dubbo as a result - the Rams accelerated in the final 35 minutes of the last pool game to complete the 34-point rout of the Stingrays in enemy territory.
It’s the third comprehensive win of the Rams’ campaign to date, after the green and whites defeated Bidgee and Greater Southern Redbacks 44-26 and 54-4 respectively, and Greenhalgh is confident his side’s final win was the perfect tune-up ahead of their blockbuster semi-final against the Greater Northern Tigers this Saturday at Caltex Park.
“It’s going to be a completely new level for these guys,” Greenhalgh said.
“It’s going to be a tough game. I’ve seen bits of their games on video but mainly have worried about us. I think we’ve got another 10 per cent in us. We’re dropping off that intensity in the middle part of the game and if we can improve there I think we’ll be fine.”
Bathurst Panther Kade Barrow made the most of his chances after the early loss of Medlyn in the opening exchanges, scoring a double in the win, while Mudgee Dragons prop Jack Beasley and starting big men Izaac Scott and Brad Gaut were instrumental in the win.
“Jack’s really helped lift the side when he comes on,” Greenhalgh said.
“And Lachie Farr at the back has been great as well.”
The Forbes-based mentor believes next weekend’s home semi-final in Dubbo will be a huge benefit for Western.
“Absolutely. It’ll be a great playing surface. Batemans Bay wasn’t the best so it was a real grind but in Dubbo, a flat surface on a good day will really suit us,” he added.
WESTERN RAMS 44 (K Burrow 2, L Gale, C Clyburn, J Ciappara, R Nobes, J Dwyer, J Beasley tries; W Baxter 6 goals) def GREATER SOUTHERN STINGRAYS 10 (Z Cuzner 2 tries; T Simpson goal)