Cooma came down from the mountains last weekend looking at extending their unbeaten run, but the Moruya Sharks, winners of the past two premierships, were determined to show they are still a premiership threat this year.
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The Round 10 match was a bruising, high class game of rugby league that saw Cooma edge out the Sharks 32-28 in one of the games of the year.
Moruya were the first to score after 10 minutes where both sides ripped in with strong aggressive defence. Gavin Olive’s speed saw him score out wide, with Dennis Green converting.
Cooma hit back through David Sommerville soon after to see the scored 6-4. The play flowed up and down the field as brilliant attacking football was met by desperate defence on numerous occasions.
As the half was fading, first Caine Brierley then Aaron Brierley found holes in the Stallions’ rugged defence to score tries, both converted by Green. The Sharks up 18-4 at half time.
The second half started disastrously for the home team. Cheap penalties and poor ball security gave the Stallions field position, this coupled with some poor reads in defence saw three quick tries to Millikin, Filiga and Waters. Twenty minutes into the half and Cooma were up 20-18.
The Sharks, however were not finished. Tim Weyman crashed over next to the post in the 21st minute for a converted try to snatch back the lead. From the re-start they played a great set downfield and nearly scored. They then put in a great defensive set that had Cooma struggling to make ground.
The Sharks were looking the likely winners, but then, as they have done too often this year, they allowed the opposition to sneak through a gap close to the ruck on the fifth tackle, this time allowing speedy fullback Salvestro a too easy passage to the line. Cooma 26-24.
Again, just as the Sharks looked like they were gaining the ascendancy, they repeated the same error to allow big centre Tim Knight a gift of a try. Cooma 32-24 with eight minutes remaining.
With many in the home crowd edging towards the exit, Caine Brierley scored in the corner to bring the home side back within four. The final minutes were desperate, with the Sharks attacking and the Stallions throwing up a resolute defence. However, Cooma held their line intact for a well-deserved victory.
Group 16 President Alan Wilton said the match was one of the best he has seen this year and praised both sides as genuine premiership threats.
Moruya were quite disappointed in the sheds after the game, knowing they had blown a lead they should not have. However, coach Cottington was upbeat. He knows he has many troops coming back from injury in the next few weeks to bolster his squad.
Luc Hill and Vinnie Marino came through their reserve grade comeback games unscathed and with Jake Hill, Dean Belcher and Jacob Zutt all to return soon, his squad depth increases.
He is excited by the continued improvement of Gavin Olive at halfback and his combination with Aaron Brierley. He was full of praise for his entire forward pack who manned up against the much bigger opponents and did not take a backward step.
The Sharks are not finished yet in this competition. Next week, the road trip to Bombala.
