Mojo Homes Cup Round 12
Dapto 20 def. Collegians 14
The Canaries made it four wins on the trot in stunning fashion with a try to Jack Piccirilli inside the final minute, snatching a late win over the reigning premiers and keeping their finals hopes afloat.
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In a game in which both sides displayed dogged on-line defence, playmakers had to resort to the air with Piccirilli and Collies winger Jay Watling both producing stunning grabs of cross-field kicks for the only tries of the opening stanza.
Watling and Blake Wellington got across from short-side plays while Zeik Foster benefitted from the only genuine defensive lapse of the game that allowed barnstorming Josh Dowel to waltz through the Canaries in mid-field.
Ever-cool Canaries captain Troy Pieper showed impeccable poise to nail a penalty goal from 40 metres out, with the big three of Pita Godinet, Brad Taikarangi and Aaron Gray combining to put Piccirilli away for the match-winner with 1.10 on the clock.
"The mind's are a crazy thing and what these boys have been showing over the last month, the way they've just turned it, the belief that they've got, to do what they've just done there in that last 10 minutes... I'm almost lost for words," Dapto coach Blake Wallace said.
"I backed Peips' goal kicking and I thought 'there's still three minutes left, we're going to get the footy back, let's just level it up'. If we got into field goal position, we could look at that, but it took some pretty special skill to do what was done.
"Picco's a kid that probably second guesses himself at times and the last month, that kid is just backing himself to finish tries and he's improving every game.
"As a coach that's the most pleasing thing because he wants to get better and to see it then happen on the park for him, there's nothing more pleasing. He can finish tries and today was no exception.
"That's what Dapto is, that's what we're about as a club and to show that resilience, to show that pride in the jersey and to come away and find a way to win when it mattered, I can't fault them. I'm so proud of them."
Mitch Jennings says:
"It wasn't that long ago Dapto looked the biggest flops of 2023.
"With a first grade competition against dropping to six teams this season, how the new-look Canaries featuring the likes of Brad Taikarangi, Aaron Gray and Pita Godinet would challenge the perennial top-four contenders Collegians, Wests, De La Salle and Thirroul brought some much needed intrigue before a ball was kicked.
"It made a 1-7 start particularly underwhelming, largely because it didn't even take a close look to realise the Canaries were a far better team than the record reflected. In the end, the pure relentless optimism of Wallace looks to have put his side within reach of a remarkable finals run.
"They've now beaten three of the top four teams in their last four outings and are eyeing number four when they host De La Salle this weekend. A win there would really throw down the gauntlet.
"With a differential still prohibitively poor in comparison to top-four rivals, the Canaries will need to get there on the back of wins. With the confidence and belief they're now playing with, that's far from beyond the realms of possibility."
De La Salle 34 def. Wests 18
De La ran out as stacked a side as they've had all season and it showed as they ran in four tries for a 24-0 lead after just 18 minutes against the Devils, who've now dropped four games on the bounce.
It was a more even contest following that early blitz, the Devils scoring four of the final five tries of the game but the fight back came too late to have any bearing on the result.
Having now leapfrogged Wests into second spot, it puts De La in the box-seat for a top two finish, though they face a stern road test against a resurgent Dapto at the Showground this weekend.
Mitch Jennings says:
"Unbeaten through the opening eight rounds, Wests seemed to have nothing but time in setting the early competition without needing to find top gear. Now it appears time is running out, certainly as far as a top-two finish goes.
"Four losses in a row is not something the club has experienced under Pete McLeod but the Devils will need to get their act together quickly with just three games remaining.
"Saturday did see the welcome return of some key personnel in Joey Dickson, Zac Blay and Dylan Lauri, but the Devils will need to find some momentum to be any chance of getting back to the big dance this season.
"De La's side looked unrecognisable given the ins on Saturday, but it's become apparent there's no bigger in or out than halfback Jack Williams. When he plays, as he did for the first time in a month on Saturday, De La can beat anyone."
Thirroul 30 def. Corrimal 18
On a day in which the club mourned the passing of club icon Kevin Anderson, the Butchers overcame a sluggish start to run in six tries to three and halt a two-game losing slide.
The final scoreline saw Riley Graham and Jye Patterson both finish with doubles at Gibson Park with a win that gives the Butchers an all-important one-win cushion from surging Dapto.
Jarrod Costello has been without some key men for much of the season but welcomed back some key personnel in skipper Hayden Crosland and prop Sione Afemui.
More are set to follow, and Costello will need all hands on deck against a Collegians side smarting from Saturday's defeat to Dapto at the death next week.
Mitch Jennings says:
"Still very hard to get a solid read on the Butchers this season.
"Signature wins over Wests and De La Salle have been among the most impressive performances of the season for any side, while other lapses have proven costly. Personnel has been an issue, but second stanzas are becoming an issue, with the Cougars refusing to go away on the weekend.
"The Butchers have the toughest run home of any side, taking on Collegians and Wests on the road over the next fortnight ahead of a mouth-watering final-round clash with Dapto at Gibson Park.
"The Butchers jostle with the Canaries for fourth spot is the fascinating subplot to the final month of footy."
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Mitch Jennings
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
Sports writer. Sport is my passion, rugby league my first love.
