The Casino RSM Bulls travelled to Lyle Park at Wollongbar on the weekend looking to keep their semi final hopes afloat. The Bulls forward pack was back at full strength with powerhouse second rower Mark McCormack making his long-awaited return from injury. The first half was a tightly contested arm-wrestle, with both teams putting on tries, however, Casino had the upper hand 10-7 at half time following a Brenton Fuller penalty goal. Carl Tahatu, making his debut in the backline this season, pounced on a loose ball to score the try that was the result of some tenacious defence by casino.
Coming out after half time, Wollongbar shifted up another gear, and to their peril, Casino failed to keep up. Wollongbar put on 26 unanswered second half points after some porous defence by The Bulls, who were out-enthused at the tackle contest by an in form Wollongbar side. Fatigue and inconsistent structure were once again the team’s biggest enemies, with the poor attendance at training of late leaving its mark on the Bulls’ diligent efforts.
Despite the unflattering scoreline, Casino remained stubborn throughout the match and surrendered no easy points. Justin Zaiko toiled hard all day for 1 point, First grade debutant Lachlan Winkler showed much promise and poise with the 2 points while flanker Jarrad Cameron was workman-like for 3 points and Players Player.
The Under 19 side was on the wrong end of a 36-0 sideline against a well-drilled Wollongbar unit. The Young Bulls were enthusiastic in defence and worked hard all day, but their flamboyance in attack was their main enemy on the day as most of the points scored by the Pioneers came against the run of play after the Bulls had overextended themselves. Much like their senior counterparts, the under 19 side were hamstrung by a lack of structure in attack. Tyler Horsley played well at Five-Eighth for 1 point, with Alex Roffey working hard for 2 and Glen Pollard claiming the 3 with a staunch effort.
The Casino Bulls return to Albert Park this weekend to face the Lismore City Green Men in what is a must-win game in order to keep their semi-final hopes alive.
