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RUGBY LEAGUE
Eden kicks the Saints out of business
SYDNEY: Five-eighth Mike
Eden turned in the best goal-kicking
performance of his career to help
Eastern Suburbs blitz St George,
47-12, in their Sydney rugby-league
premiership match at Kogarah
Oval yesterday.
Eden scored a try and kickcd 11 goals
from 12 attempts for 26 points as the
Roosters outgunned a St George side
that defended poorly.
The victory almost certainly
cemented a semi-final place for Easts
and the Saints have now lost their slim
chance of making the five.
St George led 12-8 at one stage but
some fine creative play from Easts and
Eden's accuracy quickly turned the
tables.
Eden said, "The lads were a bit low
before the game but they really turned
it on.
"Terry Regan and John Mackay kept
bringing the ball up and St George
didn't want to know."
Easts' coach Laurie Freier said Eden
had "deceptive style and willingness to
learn" but named fullback Graeme
Atkins and second-rower Mackay as the
Roosters' key players yesterday.
"Most of the credit must go to Atkins
and Mackay, but 1 was also pleased with
the variety we showed," he said. "There
are lots of players creating things and
it was another good win, but a couple
of guys still weren't on the job."
St George's tackling was pitiful at
times and coach Roy Masters was an
gcrcd by his team's inability to put
down the man with the ball.
□ WIllEY HOPEFUL: South Sydney
coach Ron Willey was enthusiastic
about the Rabbitohs semi-final chances
after their hard-fought 20-12 win over
Western Suburbs at Redfern Oval.
Souths are five points behind fifth
placed Balmain but Willey said, "1
firmly believe that if we win all our
remaining games we can make the
five."
Down 4-12 in the second half, South
Sydney turned in a courageous per
formance to score three great tries
between the 50th and 60th minutes to
snatch a match-winning lead.
The Rabbitohs showed great spirit in
the final 10 minutes to withstand
enormous pressure from Wests.
The Rabbitohs were starved of
possession by experienced Western
Suburbs hooker Arthur Mountier who
gave his side a 4-0 second-half scrum
advantage.
Promising South Sydney hooker
Mario Fenech made amends in open
play, finishing with 39 tackles — in
cluding 26 in the second half.
Wests appeared to have a strong grip
on the match when they led 12-4 after
tries by prop Bruce Clark and a sizzler
by replacement winger Trevor Cogger.
□ REPORT CONSIDERED: Cronulla
Sutherland coach Terry Fearnley is
considering filing a report to the NSW
Rugby League on Chris Ward's han
dling of the Cronulla-North Sydney
match at North Sydney Oval yesterday.
North Sydney won, 14-12.
"Everything went against us includ
ing the refcreeing," Fearnley said. "I'll
be checking the video of the game
tonight before finding out if there's
something I can do.
"We were the better team — I don't
have any doubts about that.
"A win had no bearing on our final
five chances but it would have given us
confidence for the forthcoming KB Cup
semi-final against Eastern Suburbs."
Two decisions by Ward, both featur
ing Sharks' winger Dean Carney, were
disputed by Fearnley.
Ward ruled a pass from fullback
Andrew Ettingshauscn to Carney for
ward as the flanker stormed up North
Sydney's right wing to cross the line.
Minutes later, Ward penalised
Carney for a double movement after the
Sharks again penetrated the North Syd
ney line.
A try by centre and captain John
Adam for North Sydney seven minutes
later put the Bears back in the match.
North's halfback Laurie Spina
scored the easiest of tries from the
scrum base in the 62nd minute to give
the home side a lead it did not sur
render.
□ TIGERS STAY IN FIVE: Balmain's
slogging 20-6 victory over Penrith at
Leichhardt Oval to consolidate fifth
spot could cause selection problems.
The Tigers' have zoomed into semi
final contention with a side largely
brought together through necessity and
coach Frank Stanton will soon face the
awkward task of deciding who to omit,
if any, to make way for the return of
injured established first-graders Wayne
Pcarce, Simon Booth, Steve Roach and
Olsen Filipaina.
Stanton is pleased with the per
formance of his back-up brigade, which
has rekindled the Tigers' final-five
hopes after a crushing injury toll had
earlier threatened to kill off any semi
final appearances.
□ FULTON CONCERNED: Manly-War
ringah coach Bob Fulton expressed con
cern yesterday about his team's form
after the Sea Eagles edged to a tentative
11-8 win over Newtown at Henson Park.
Manly was soundly beaten by pos
sible wooden-spooners Western Sub
urbs last weekend.
Fulton said the rigorous program of
club and representative fixtures had
caused Manly's slump.
"The players arc mentally and physi
cally tired," he said. "We were for
tunate to get away with the two points.
"I am concerned at our form but not
really worried. "
Veteran Newtown halfback Ken
Wilson notchcd his 2,000th point in
grade football by kicking his second
goal to give Newtown an 8-4 lead short
ly after halftime.
Manly full-back Graham Eadie be
came last weekend the first Sydney
footballer to score 2,000 points.
Plctursgrim North Sydney's Laurie Spina rises to take the ball as a Cronulla opponent begins his tackle at North Sydney Oval. North Sydney won. Help
Plctursgrim
North Sydney's Laurie Spina rises to take the
ball as a Cronulla opponent begins his tackle
at North Sydney Oval. North Sydney won.
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