IT had more ebbs and flows than the Murray River but Collegians opened their 2017 account with a 40-32 victory over a game Helensburgh outfit at Collegians Sports Centre on Saturday.
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The Dogs twice led by 18 points only to let the Tigers fight back into the clash with Simon Maslanka’s second try five minutes from time setting up a grandstand finish after the game looked dead and buried.
Former Roosters and Cowboys half Ben Jones also had a double in his belated debut for the Dogs, after missing the entire 2016 season with a torn pectoral muscle, with the hosts key position men coming up trumps with the game on the line.
With 74 points posted, both sides will look to address some defensive deficiencies in the coming weeks, but Collies coach Nathan Fien was happy to get his side’s season off on a winning note.
“I thought in certain periods of both halves we were definitely on top and in control of the game but you know what the Burgh are like, they never give in,” Fien said.
“We were pretty loose at times around our markers and A defender and they put us under pressure and they just kept coming at us.
“We were out by 18 in both halves and that’s probably the disappointing thing for us, that it got that close, but I’m pleased to get the two points.
“You’ve got to remember we hadn’t played a game in six weeks so I think everyone will be a lot better for the run but we’re under no illusions we’ve got a lot of work to do.”
Collies got off to a flyer with fullback Jordan Harty putting Donte Efaraimo across for the opening try after just three minutes. The Tigers hit back through Maslanka to level the scores before Efaraimo returned the favour with a deft offload to put Harty over for a 10-4 lead.
Jones jinked his way across to extend the margin to 12 and the Dogs had their first 18-point buffer when replacement hooker Paul Roberts finished off a brilliant team try. It saw the hosts look well in command of the clash before Eamon Hillen won the race to a Russell Aitken grubber the cut the deficit to 12 and the Tigers were within striking distance at the break after James Newman crossed in the shadows of halftime.
Jones had his second not long after the resumption and the lead swelled to three converted tries after Brodie Rigg and Reece Jaeger bagged four pointers.
The Tigers refused to go away, with Keelyn Tuuta-Edwards converting his own try and Hillen bagging his second from an Aitken chip kick but the clock ultimately had the last say. It was a performance that showed the Tigers are far from a spent force in 2017 but coach Ryan Powell conceded soft tries were his side’s undoing.
“We let ourselves down in little areas and our one per center’s weren’t great,” Powell said.
“There were just too many points scored.
“If you score 34 points you should be able to win the game so defence let us down but from what we did last week to this week, was a massive improvement and that's what we're looking for.”