Trinity scored three tries to two, so I suppose you could say they won. But as there were no kicks for goal and Shore fielded a different team in each half, there was no meaningful result.
The first half was very even, one try each. Junior Satiu rumbled over from close range. Shore hit back when Trinity collapsed a rolling maul and referee James Leckie awarded a penalty try.
The Shore team that took the field for the second half looked bigger and stronger than the starting side and dominated possession for over ten minutes, scoring out wide after relentless pressure. They looked likely to control the rest of the game. But Trinity won enough possession to fight back and scored two spectacular long range tries. First, a quick tap went to Clark, who put Clunies-Ross into space for a 65 meter try. Then Whicker darted down an unguarded blind side, grubbered, regathered and ran 60 meters.
Observations. Trinity is developing some potent attacking moves, the best being when Clark drifts across field and picks up Clunies-Ross on the angle (passing to Finn is a useful variation). The work moves most of the time because Clunies-Ross is such a brilliant runner. He must be somewhere in the NSW sides this year. Clark played well - some of his kicking in general play was ordinary, but some was brilliant, especially a touch-finder from inside his own half that rolled out inches from the Shore line. All the Trinity front row played well although Morsello's discipline in defense is a worry - he was twice cautioned for dangerous tackles and would have been carded had this been a competitive game. He showed in one fair but brutal covering tackle what a great defender he can be when he plays within the rules. Trinity's line out was a mess - in the first half, the lock (was it Harb?) won several clean takes but he was off in the second half and Trinity scarcely won another line out. Whicker played very well but still passes erratically under pressure. In both halves, Trinity turned over a lot of ball at the breakdown, which is something the back row must address (though Corias played well). Malaki, Ola and Satiu all ran across field too much and need to straighten their lines. One of the wingers went down with what looked like a bad knee injury.
Trinity will be happy with most of this. Orr is still to return and so is Roberts, whose speed will make a difference. Clunies-Ross beats the first tackle every time - a winger who can keep up with him in support will score a lot of tries.
Finally, a word for Shore's massive winger who complained throughout the second half that he wasn't getting the ball, then complained when he did and Ola crashed him into touch. He had a point - if I had a winger that size, I'd get him the ball and see what damage he could do.
