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WAKE UP CALL Last weekend's round was the first Saturday of 2009 in which Hillies went down in more games than we got up in. Certainly Petersham are a strong club and it would be easy to pass this result off as an away round against some good sides. This in part is true. It also must be noted however that attendance at training has really slackened and the club as a whole needs to address this immediately. Simply put, we as players can only do the club and ourselves justice if we are willing to put in the work. Yes we have won some games this year and yes we have the potential to win more but this will count for nothing if we let complacency affect our desire to do as well as we can. We need more player contact with coaches, if you can't make training, if you are going to be late, just give them a call. As a club we have put in an amazing amount of work to get to the position we are in, a position that will allow us to make a serious challenge of being there at the end of the season. Given that we have put ourselves in the position of opportunity, let us do everything in our power to grasp it. Please make a huge effort to make two trainings a week for the next few weeks. I can assure you that it will have a huge effect on our Saturdays. And isn't winning way more fun? Congratulations to everyone on a great start to the season. Lets refocus and recommit to an even bigger second half of 2009. HILLIES V PETERSHAM @ CAMPERDOWN: ROUND NINE REVIEW
5th grade began the day as they invariably do, aiming up against a strong side. A 15-14 one point loss continues a trend of unlucky breaks for this team and their effort on Saturday was particularly impressive. Tim Shanley was always a danger and Max Marraffa continues his strong form. At 12 pm the rematch began. At 1pm the streak was over. Hunters Hill Fourth grade, reigning premiers and undefeated in 24 matches were defeated by their Petersham rivals 16-5 (one try a piece). In a match where Petersham's discipline was excellent, the Shammies would climb the mountain despite another superb performance by Hillies number 10 Scotty Keenan. Fourths retain first place on the ladder and perhaps the loss will be exactly what the Doctor ordered for another supercharged run to the finals. The Thirds achieved a great result completing a full set of victories against the nine other teams in the Campbell Cup with a tough 10-7 win. Shannon Thomas marked his farewell fixture with a number of devastating runs including a try with back-line foot soldier Chris Collins celebrated his 100th club match with a typically solid performance. TimV's3s now have an outright lead on the ladder. The Seconds seem to love a cliff-hanger and usually pull the game from the fire. Not this time. A 17-18 defeat to last year's premiers means that the two sides will now share a lead at the top of the table. Alex Vertoudakis turned in a wonderful attacking performance while Will Carew produced a wonderful try. In First Grade, the Hunters continued to press their claims as a serious finals threat with a scintillating 54-12 demolition of traditional rivals and last year's grand finalists. Freshened by the bye and eager to address their less than glittering away record, Hillies found the going tough in the first stanza with Petersham employing a disciplined game centred around field position and tactical kicking. An enforcer's performance by Hillies openside Colman Taylor in the first twenty minutes ensured that kicking was perhaps the prudent option for the Shammies, lest they be tackled by the furious number 7. Hillies would produce two flashes of brilliance within the first 40 however, super-slick fly-half Dave Marshall scheming through some confused defence to open the black and white account before a pin-point cross-field kick from inside centre Sam Henry found gargantuan winger Ben Bates on the chest to give Hillies a 14-7 lead at the break. Hillies cut loose in the second stanza, crossing 6 times to record a lopsided victory. Prolific try-scorer Dan Casa took his season tally into the twenties almost immediately after the resumption before the Hunters Hill pack began to show their attacking wares. Locks Dean Thomson and Jordan Butler continued their try scoring rivalry, Butler's effort being particularly memorable. His David Campese-like fifty metre zigzagging effort to beat the Petersham fullback was preposterous for a second rower and had the tight-five union bosses shaking their heads. Skipper and man of the match Englishman Dave Weston also got into the act, supplementing his always solid scrummaging and ruck work with a number of damaging charges and some very deft passing skills to set up dynamite winger Burzin Mehta for one of his two second half tries. Dave Marshall would cross again and Henry would finish with 7 from 8 with the boot to put the finishing touches on an impressive win, breaking the sequence of 4 consecutive losses against the men from Camperdown. Both teams look forward to the return fixture at Boronia Park on the 22nd August when Hunters Hill will seek to win the Tony Brunsdon Cup for the first time. Hunters Hill 5th Grade 14 (Nathan James, Joseph Elturk tries, Chase Mason 2 goals) lost to Petersham 15 Hunters Hill 4th Grade 5 (Chase Mason try) lost to Petersham 16 Hunters Hill 3rd Grade 10 (Shannon Thomas, Robbie Carter tries) beat Petersham 7. Hunters Hill 2nd Grade 17 (Alex Vertoudakis, Will Carew, Chase Mason tries, Mason goal) lost to Petersham 18. Hunters Hill 1st Grade 54 (Burzin Mehta 2, Dave Marshall 2, Dean Thomson, Jordan Butler, Ben Bates Dan Casa tries, Sam Henry 7 goals) beat Petersham 12. HOW ARE WE TRAVELLING? HILLIES V EPPING @ SOMERVILLE PARK: ROUND TEN PREVIEW
The Rams stand to present a far tougher challenge this time than when we first sighted them at Boronia. Our successful sweep to open the season is a long time ago for both clubs and Epping has, particularly in 1st and 3rd grade, primed as serious dark horses in this competition. Away fixtures are always tough so as we begin this second (and more difficult) half of the season make sure we come to play and defend the lead we have worked so hard to build. Where Epping Stands P.S. Keep a look out for two Hillies men this weekend. Thirds No.8 Jono Gelling has not only been in stupendous form but he will also bring up a century of appearances this Saturday. Killer Cuniowski will bring up his 50 on saturday as well. Congrats boys! HUNTERS HILL LITE REPORT Hunters Hill Lite 5 lost to Lloyd McDermott 32.
With Robbie Carter, Taylor Spratt and WIll Wright shining in the darkness, the Hunters held firm for the first half before the superior fitness and skills of a very impressive opposition won out. The loss leaves the Lites hanging on to a top four spot, but only just. HUNTERS HILL TRIVIA NIGHT!!! Ticket price per person is $15.00 and this includes a We would appreciate everyone pre purchasing their tickets so that we can organise the night properly. Please pay your money to Bones or Renny at training or to Bec French at the games. We will be doing tables of 8, so it would be a good idea to start arranging your tables - Cats and
Juniors included Alcohol and soft drinks will be available for purchase on the night as we will It's always a great night full of surprises whether they be an impromptu Vertoudakis duet of white boy rap or a windmill of crazy proportions. If you have any further enquiries, please call Mark French on 0418 401 138 Please click here for the details FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL THANKS!!! A big thank you to all those who gave up part (or all) of a Sunday to put in their time for the Hunters Hill Food and Wine Festival a few weeks back. The Festival raised $20 000. It is fantastic to support the community that supports us and to put a smiling face on the community Rugby club. The following should be very very happy with the work they put in: Dave Weston (as always he led from the front and had a huge game) CLUB CAPTAIN COLUMN
FIFTH GRADE "The Sparrows"
Their last round defeat means that the great streak of 24 games without loss is over. The boys involved can be justifiably proud of such a long sequence without a loss, indeed a sequence that included a premiership. But that streak is now in the past. It's up to this year's Fours to create their own history and chase again the Nicholson Cup.
CLUB CHAMPIONSHIP Thirty Wins: One Draw: 5 Losses The Club Championship campaign is on track. At the start of the year I outlined that to win the club Championship we need to a) get bonus points b) win First Grade c) Win the other grades too. The hunt continues. BALLY BAR REPORT Thursday 25th June is Snow Season theme night with the usual dodgy Bally Bar discount applied to all those that kit up. Of note was Petersham's bar lack of chocolates and lollies. Amateurs! REGO FEES- WE ARE NO LONGER PLAYING GAMES, NOR WILL YOU BE. BYRON TOUR: OLD BOYS AND CATS VERY WELCOME!!! Are you a Hillies Old Boy, a super-keen Hillies fan or a grand master Cat? HHRUFC @ THE CITY TO SURF Contact Timmy V at verto_3000@hotmail.com if you are interested in being part of the HHRUFC City to Surf Team. Current plan is to register in the Yellow group and meet up on the day. Signed back to Index |
This week's game Social
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The trip to Camperdown on Saturday marked the final match of the first round of fixtures for 2009. Two from five was perhaps disappointing but it was a credit to the depth and strength of a club even older than ours. 
We can take confidence in the fact we have now taken on every club in our competition and retain our club championship lead. We will now begin the return alternative fixtures, beginning this week against Epping away.
The final Boronia fixture of the Lites season was played on Tuesday night on a sodden Boronia No. 2. Coming up against a side like Lloyd McDermott and with rugby Royalty on the sidelines, the Hunters were keen to put on a good performance. 
WHEN: 4th July 
With the completion of the first round of fixtures, the five grade teams of Hunters Hill can take a quick breath and assess their progress so far this season before diving in toward in towards the return fixture against Epping this week. Here's the CCC view of the season so far.
The Halligan Cup is a tough competition to play in. By definition, only clubs with strong depth can field a fifth grade side (including sides far above Div 3) and with early starts and the occasional away fixture form the rest of the club, Morrissey's tyros have been dealt some tough hands this season. 
As last year's premiers, the Fours carry the weight of expectation every time they play. For the most part this season, they have answered and exceeded such expectations. In the place of past masters Polly and Shaw, now stand current inspirations Cooper and Colley. Their boys have managed a number of tight wins, a draw against a very well-credentialled Brothers side and finished off the first half of 2009 with a loss to Petersham. In the CCC's opinion, the Fourths have a huge amount of improvement to come and given they have the experience of last year will be a force come finals time. Virtuoso fly-half Scott Keenan has been in outstanding form of late while Colley, Cooper and Fiji Tim have also been superb.
Not a lot more can be asked of the Thirds who have sung nine saturdays out of nine this season. Timmy Verto's elevation to Captaincy has been a masterstroke by the player coaches Dean Vandine and Andy Harvey and the side has been cooking all year, particularly in D where they have conceded just three tries. Shannon Thomas has been frightening, Tim Dodds inspirational and Chris "Submarine" Collins as solid as ever. The Thirds must be aware however that their cards have now been marked as the ones to beat and the departure of Shannon to Queensland means that their upwards ascent may be hard to maintain. Whatever happens they should be there at the end. Go Boys!
Second Grade has done exceptionally well to be in the position that they are. Their grit in toughing out single digit victories against Merrylands, HValley and Blacktown is to be applauded. Their only losses have been likewise by tiny margins. It is a young side with halves pairing Luke Bird and Zane Thomas ensuring that the likes of Nathan Michael, James Hammond and especially Matt Graham aren't wasted in the outside backs. The possible return of Andre Thomas, Nick "Gak" Giacomini and big bad Brucey Purcell means that the current squad can only get stronger. Watch these boys go in the second half of 2009.
After a number of years without any weaponry in first grade, Hunters Hill have joined the arms race in a big way. With 7 wins including 8 consecutive "4 try" bonus points, this side has found its attacking mojo in the form of an English halves combo and electricity outside them. Sam Henry, Burzin Mehta and Dan Casa have all ensured that crowds are not disappointed after 3.15 on the Hill while in the forwards; skipper Weston and particularly Dean Thomson have allowed their backs to shine. New found success means however that this side can no longer "ambush" other sides with a good performance. A disastrous and disinterested loss to Brothers at Roseville was proof enough that a lot of hard work is still required if the Hunters can make a serious challenge in first grade. Without first grade results the club championship goes down the tube. Keep going Ones, you are doing great! 
This past two weeks saw Lucy's washing machine drum come rolling out. Look for it's re-emergence in coming weeks.
