The veteran team in the Mixed Open Touch competition kicked off the new 2024 season by recording the biggest win in the opening round on Thursday night at Ward Oval.
Phat Athletes have a record number of premiership titles under their belts and last week’s match looked like a return to their glory days when they trounced the new team in the competition, Guns N’ Hoses, 25-7.
Grace Burge “hogged the ball” in the match to score a career best six tries and contribute 12 points to their final tally (as female tries are worth double points).
Team mates Georgia Boland and Tim Hillam ran in three tries each, Mitch Shields scored twice and Bianka Jacobson also crossed for a try.
In reply, Haymish McLeod scored twice for Guns N’ Hoses with Kelly Smith, Kiera Mckay and Zac McCombes touching down for one try each.
Burge was a clear choice for the referee’s Best & Fairest points with Boland and McCombes also collecting points.
Last year’s A Grade premiers, the King Roosters, were knocked off their perch by The Blossoms in their match up last week.
The 13-8 score, in The Blossoms favour, was very much a surprise result after King Roosters had dominated the competition all last season while The Blossoms finished third in B Grade.
Jaxon Burke (3), Sosie Barton (2) and Oisin McMullen (2) spearheaded the attack for The Blossoms.
Hayley Walker also ran in a try for The Blossoms along with a spectacular diving try by Jayme Francisco.
In reply, Kai Taylor scored three tries for King Roosters with Ted Smith (2), Molly Carter and Tommy Bryan adding a try each to their tally.
Taylor earned the referees’ B&F points along with Barton and McMullen.
The Blossoms/King Roosters game was the closest of the four matches played in the first round.
Concrete Cowboys don’t seem to have lost any of their good form from last season and easily won their match last week with CATS, 11-4.
The CATS however have a few new faces in their team this season (some of whom are new to the sport), so it might take a few more weeks for them to find their good form from last year.
Ryan Urquhart led the scoring for Concrete Cowboys running in two tries with team mates Bridgette Negfeldt, Chris Crotty, Fraser Talu, Neve Carter, Rori Urquhart and Toby Greenwood all scoring a try each.
CATS’ try scorers were Damon Bruce, Maddie Bruce and Sam Best.
B&F points were shared by Greenwood, Damon Bruce and Molly Broughton (Concrete Cowboys).
The Red Hot Chilli Steppers shared the scoring around in their 13-2 win over Rusty Snails.
Brennah Aumua (3), Anita Atuau, Kayla Hasson, Sione Fakahua and Tia Turner were their try scorers.
Rusty Snails’ two points came from a try to Ben Dormer and also one to Jesse Murphy.
Aumua, Ben McBride (Rusty Snails) and Tom Plater (Red Hot Chilli Steppers) earned the referee’s B&F points.