The Macksville Sea Eagles first grade proved too fast, too strong and too tough for the Port Macquarie Sharks last Sunday at Allan Gillett Oval when they took out the preliminary semi-final by 46-16.
With the Sharks having gone down narrowly to Coffs on the previous weekend and the forfeit by the Mustangs giving the Eagles the weekend off, some supporters may have expected Macksville to start the game slowly, but instead the Eagles blew away their opponents in the first half, going in to the break leading 36-0.
The Eagles’ first try came early in the match when a mistake by Port close to the line saw Duane Button swoop on a loose ball and race 70 metres before being brought by some desperate defence.
Three tackles later the ball went to Captain/Coach Nev Donovan who quickly passed to Michael Ronan. Ronan sent a long cut-out pass to Nigel Hookey, who stepped through three defenders to open the scoring. Ronan converted and the Eagles lead 6-0.
The next fifteen minutes saw both teams battle for the advantage, but despite some good attack from the Sharks it soon became clear the Eagles’ superior defence was frustrating their opponents.
A penalty close to the line saw Donovan pass the ball to Chris Martin, who bullocked his way over the line, carrying three defenders with him to score under the posts. Ronan converted and the Eagles led 12-0.
Soon after Grant Coleman burrowed his way over the line from dummy-half and Ronan again converted to put the Eagles ahead by 18-0, and while the Sharks might stage a comeback, the strength of the Eagles’ defence was simply too much for their opponents.
Martin and Coleman combined in some strong lead-up work that saw Steven Kim use his skills to crash through four defenders and score. Ronan again converted and the Eagles led 24-0.
Kim was responsible for the next try when he made a good break that ended with Donovan launching a huge bomb that Jesse McEwen regathered and planted over the line for the Eagles to lead 28-0.
McEwen scored his second try of the day almost on half-time after Martin and Djaan Jarrett combined in a 60 metre break, with Coleman quickly lobbing the ball to McEwen from dummy-half. Ronan converted from the side-line and the Eagles led 34-0 at the break.
Port crossed for a converted try early in the second half to give them some hope of a comeback, but soon after the Eagles were in again when an attacking raid from Donovan and Ronan combined to put McEwen in for his third try of the afternoon. Again Ronan converted from the side-line to give the Eagles an unassailable 40-6 lead.
Hookey was the first and last Eagles player to score a try, backing up some great work by Jimmy Collison to score out wide and again Ronan converted for the Eagles to lead 46-6.
Two late tries by the Sharks, one of which was converted, put some respectability in the final score-line of Macksville 46, Port Macquarie 16, but the Eagles’ victory showed that they are back in form and still have a second chance in the final series.
As a result of their win the Eagles will now travel to Rex Hardaker Oval this Sunday to take on the Sawtell Panthers with the winner of this game to host the Group 2 grand final. The game will start around 2pm, with the Under 18s kicking off at 11.30am.
The Sea Eagles’ Under-18s were defeated, but not disgraced, in Saturday’s elimination preliminary semi-final, going down to the Macleay Valley Mustangs by 34-20 at Bellingen Oval.
This effort showed the real ability of this team, who have bewildered supporters with their up and down form over the year.
Despite this they have all been great representatives of the Macksville Club over the season, and the club wishes those moving on next year all the best and a sincere thank you for their efforts as represent-atives of the Macksville club.
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