Kings 20 Joeys 21
That was one of of the top GPS games of recent years and one of the biggest upsets. The Kings team was gravid with Oz Schools players freshly selected, and Joeys full of battlers. No Oz Schools reps there and, come to think of it, only one in the GPS Ones and another in the Twos.
Kings thrashed Joeys 42-5 in the trial game at Hunters Hill in May and were good value for it, even leaving a few tries unclaimed on the park. They started in the same vein in this one and began with a strolling, too easy try to fullback Curtin. The Joeys lads looked like they were in for a long afternoon.
But then the smaller Joeys forwards scrambled around and stopped the powerful Kings pick and drives; so they dished the ball out but the Kings backs kept dropping the pill; sometimes their fault, sometimes not, or the ball went behind them. Then when they weren't looking, Joeys winger Matt Hulme, the only Joeys GPS Ones player, ran through a few Kings guys right in front of the silent Kings crowd. Try.
A couple of Joeys penalties to flyhalf Walford in Kings real estate along the way and it was 11-5 at oranges to Joeys, who looked the better team.
A pity they had the break because the real Kings team showed up in the 2nd half. A penalty and then a series of breaks down the Kings side of the park and several four on twos (all the play seemed to be on the Kings side) and they went in for a try having passed the ball forward in the move. Boo-hoo – shit happens, but Joeys needed every little decision to go their way.
15-11 Kings and it looked like the Group One runners were going beat the Country scrubbers, who were up in class.
But then Joeys went up the other end of the park and had two chances to score and missed them. After one which ended in a Kings 22 the Kings player rushed up to tap the ball with no Joeys players back yet and just grass in front of him. Off he went – but in wasn't a drop kick said the ref; do it again. What a ref; still 15-11.
Then Joeys charged up the field with a long break from winger Buchanan. Penalty Joeys but 3 points no good; so kick to the corner lads. Sideways and sideways and then try, Joeys,near the corner; yes, on the Kings side. Conversion – over. 18-15 Joeys; could they hang on?
Iconic Joeys flyhalf, Dillon Walford on one leg hobbles off the park. Kings charge up, (bloody Ingate), on the Kings side, of course. Penalty Kings near the Joeys line but not a gimme, and they don't want a draw. Good lads. Scrum, maul and a nicely constructed try in the corner. Conversion? We can't see from the Joeys hill but the Kings groan says it missed. 20-18 Kings – a penalty would do it for Joeys. How long to go? Someone said 5 minutes shaking his head in resignation. But - you never know.
A break up the field; Kings forwards like Goody Two Shoes but eventually someone infringes. What a ref. Not a hard kick in normal circumstances but Walford is off the park and fullback Angus Le Lievre in Yr. 11 and in the Twos this year before Tegart's back injury, steps up. Gus' mother is by the car, hands to her face, holds her breath; tense. Not Gus: as cool as Bernie Larkham running through the gap he strokes it over. 21-20 Joeys. Game over.
Bedlam. The guy I was talking to all afternoon in frant of me, jumps up; punches the air. In his 40s, hugs his dad, also an exJoeys boy and with a grandson who played in an earlier game. Mum gets a hug too – and I get three hugs. Never seen them before today. Only in schoolboy rugby.
Bedlam. The Joeys players rush over to the hill and the Joeys boys rush down it to pay grateful homage.
Great game and the boys from both sides should be proud of their efforts. Joeys a bit lucky in that the Kings goal kicker left a few points on the park.
Been to Kings dozens of times but got lost going home thinking of the game.
And how was your afternoon folks?
[PS – I think that was more or less the sequence. I can't remember the exact facts and went for the vibe of it all. I love the vibe.]
Other results: Threes - Forget exactly, but may have been 22-8 Joeys. Twos: 19-12 Joeys.
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