TheKing
Colin Windon (37)
Injury was to utility forward Tom Rutherford-Taurua, I've had it confirmed from several of his 16A team-mates post game that he has torn a ligament in the back of his neck. The nature of the injury required the ambulance and subsequent neck brace, but no spinal damage.
I can't confirm this, but a few people have mentioned that he couldn't move his legs after the injury. I'll find him during the week and see what's up. Tom was a valuable member of the BGS First's training squad and it's sad to see him in such a bad way.
Seeing as no match report has been published yet (Grammar posters understandably still in shocked silence) I can give a quick run down. Final Score was 28 - 10 in favour of TGS
Team Match Ups as per program, I've highlighted the standout performances in my opinion. I'm not perfect, and I'm sure unhighlighted names probably made huge impacts that I didn't even notice
TGS / BGS
1. Sam Doyle ---------------------------1. Tom Spencer
2. Sam Castor ---------------------------2. Michael Murray
3. James McColl ----------------------- 3. Stuart McReight
4. Slade Martin --------------------------4. Fergus Baker
5. Mitch O'Hara ------------------------5. Dalton Cox (VC)
6. Yoni Meron --------------------------- 6. Jay Nyssen
7. Mace Hartley --------------------------7. Trey Kemp
8. Andrew O'Kane (VC) ----------------8. Paddy Dooley
9. Will Gilbert --------------------------9. Angus Yule
10. Thomas Kidston -----------------10. Fergus Halliday (C)
11. James Mooring ------------------- 11. Dan Forsyth
12. Harry Wathen (C) --------------12. Zac Laud
13. Dean Bender ---------------------13. Lachi Lanskey
14. George McCormick --------------- 14. Matt Marsden
15. Harry Whyte -----------------------15. Tom Sly
I asked some of the TGS students what had happened to Queensland Rep 13 Liam Jurd and was told that he had had a serious shoulder injury. I asked if it was the same shoulder as he hurt last year (that required a reconstruction) and was told it is the other shoulder. I heard that he would be back in 6 weeks, leaving him only to play State High in Round 9. Sad news for both him and the team.
Even now I'm not sure what happened in the game. Grammar's attack didn't posess any sting in it, and Toowoomba defended admirably. By the time Grammar had realised that the plan wasn't working it was halftime and they were down 14-5. Neither scrum was particularly dominant, and Grammar quickly had the measure of the Toowoomba lineout (they threw to 5. Mitch O'Hara on every single lineout bar one). That being said, Toowoomba still managed to retain the majority of their own lineouts and even disrupt some of BGS'. So the set piece was nothing remarkable.
In general play Toowoomba's forward were generally very well disciplined at the breakdown and nullified Grammar's hard working forwards much better than I could have imagined. On the back of that usually quick ball the transfer from 9 to 10 to 12 to outside was fast. Toowoomba so nearly scored in the first 3 minutes after going wide early inside the 22 only to be denied by a forward pass ruling. 12. Harry Wathen was excellent in both passing and running, frequently asking questions of the Grammar defence. Not only that - he's a bloody big bloke! Without a doubt the X-factor of the TGS outfit. The player who really surprised me though was 13. Dean Bender. I discovered the loss of Jurd early in the day, so I wasn't expecting anything from what I assumed to be a poor substitute in a weak side. But he played with a huge amount of heart and talent that belied expectations. He scored a great try after sprinting straight through the Grammar defensive line that impressed quite a number sitting on the BGS side of the fence.
From what I can tell TGS didn't have a particularly complex structure.
In the early phases of attack the forwards attacked around the corner of the ruck looking to beat the folding of the defence, usually only one pass out with not a single tip on in a single direction for 3 or 4 phases. No linkage between the forwards and the backs made this pretty easy to defend for BGS, but the forwards ran hard and got over the advantage line, and did well enough in support play to maintain posession. Once the forwards had battered their way up the pitch, 9. Gilbert would pass long and flat to 10. Kidston, who tore off across the pitch headed for the sideline. In some cases, 12. Wathen would drop inside for a short switch to slow down the sliding defence, and in others would stay wide (the drop option replaced by 13. Bender). When Wathen did stay wide he would stay back a bit deeper and encourage the defence to steal space, occassionally prompting a staggered d line. When scattered, he used his size to draw the wing, creating space for his wing outside. If the line stayed strong, he would take the tackle himself or look inside for 10, 15, or 13. He played a really good game decision making wise, and it was clear they built their attack off his strengths. Any future teams looking to avoid an upset would do well to shut down Harry Wathen.
It was a windy day that called for a lot of kicking, spearheaded by box kicks from 9, and grubber kicks behind the line from 12. Wathen or the outside backs.
Toowoomba played a game that was simple but effective, and won the game through their stoic defense. They look like a team that will certainly upset a few teams this season.
"Wooden Spoon Favourite" tastes a bit sour on the tongue
