The Cumberland Throw

Canterbury Cup Round 4 – The French Perfection: Magpies Hammer Jets

Extremely warm conditions were the order of the day at Ringrose Park as Wenty were taking on the winless Jets. Late withdrawals from the Sharks NRL team resulted in a few changes to the Newtown line up, whereas Wenty were bolstered by the inclusion of Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Ray Stone and Matt McIlwrick and the resulting shift of French to the halves.

Last week Wenty suffered a one point loss with Norths kicking a field goal in the final seconds. The Magpies had been tipped by some pundits to finish near the bottom of the table, and were sitting at a win and two losses coming into this clash.

Ray Stone

The first twenty-five minutes of this encounter were dominated by the referee’s whistle. The teams traded penalties, along with heavy collisions, during this period. Stone, Fainga’a and Davey featured with big contact moments in close with Parry doing his bit out wide.

Though the play went end to end, neither team looked likely to trouble the scoreboard until Bevan French’s first moment of individual wizardry with twelve minutes left in the first half.

A chip and chase from inside the Jets half saw the ball drawn like a magnet to the mercurial speedster who regathered on the fly to cross close to the posts.

Just six minutes later, French proved that his kicking game was on song with a short cross field kick that was akin to a pinpoint forward pass. Ray Stone timed his chase to perfection, reeling the kick in to place it down between the posts. The two conversions from Davies saw the Magpies hit the sheds at 12 nil up.

The second half began in spectacular fashion with a powerful George Jennings tackle going horribly wrong, resulting in the Jets player going headfirst into the turf.

The penalty would result in a report, a HIA and a sin bin, as George equalled the feat of his older brother.

The Jets immediately made the Magpies pay with barge over try to Vasquez after he’d been held up for what seemed an eternity. The conversion narrowed the gap to 6, with eight minutes of sin bin time and 35 minutes game time remaining.

Unfortunately for Newtown, they turned the ball over from the kick off as a powerful tackle from Wenty forced a much needed error. A few tackles later, a determined charge from Stone delivered his second try and an 18 to 6 lead.

With Jennings back in the action, the Magpies turned the pressure on. It was that man French again firstly regathering his kick, this time off a rebound, then firing a cut out pass for Goolagong to stroll over. The score had blown out to 24 to 6 with 24 minutes left.

Bevan French

But French was far from finished. Not long after Davey had snuffed out a near certain Jets try with an impressive tackle on the line jolting the ball free, French again produced an individual chip and chase try to extend the lead to 30 to 6.

The Magpies then allowed one of their own attacking kicks to bounce, with the Jets gathering the ball and working play downfield. They made Wenty pay with a try to Talakai but the conversion from close in was missed, leaving the score at 30 to 10 with around 11 minutes left on the clock.

The last ten minutes would belong to the Wenty boys, as firstly Miller scored between the posts, then Hoffman regathered a kick from that stand out player of the day – French. Hoff’s converted try would conclude the scoring in this convincing victory to the Magpies.

In a match where all Wenty players produced good performances, best on the field were French and Stone.

Wenty 42 : Tries – French 2, Stone 2, Hoffman, Goolagong, Miller. Goals- Davies 3, Keighran 4 defeated Newtown 10: Tries – Talakai, Vasquez. Goal – Trindall

 

Eels forever!

Sixties

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30 thoughts on “Canterbury Cup Round 4 – The French Perfection: Magpies Hammer Jets

  1. John Eel

    Good to see Bevan regain some mojo. He has a lot of skill and is a better footballer than he has displayed in his most recent NRL games.

    is it just me or does Ray Stone resemble Brad Mackay the former Dragons, Western Reds and Storm player.

    1. sixties

      Bev had probably the best game I’ve seen from him in a couple of years. I’m happy for him. Stone – it might be that mullet he’s cultivating again!

    1. sixties

      His hits were first class. He made a double tackle on the line saving a try today. How he stopped Segayaro right on the line was amazing.

  2. The rev aka Snedden

    With French playing 5\8 do U see Brad using him there in future or is he on the outta. ATM sixties I just can’t see french cracking our 1st grade side. His small n Brad Arthur is going with 100 plus kilo’s in the backline. How did George Jennings go. I know he has good hands were as sivo is like a wing version of peni. Do you see George Jennings making the 1st grade side

    1. sixties

      French has one job right now – to keep his form up if he’s called on. He should use someone like Gowie as inspiration – Gowie never seems to be in discussions for an NRL spot, but inevitably he gets called upon and he always delivers.
      George played well at centre today but he could be in trouble with that tackle.

  3. Colin Hussey

    I am sure I read where French played in the halves last week as well, and also had a good game. I am really pleased to see him recapture some of his mojo and he should make a VG fist of a halves spot, speed to burn and setting up those around him with kicks is the Bev of old.

    Seems that now having a good orf season in training, and having confidence that he has fully recovered from his last injury. This has meant a lift in his confidence and able to recapture his old exciting form.

    For his size I believe the halves are his ideal spot now. For the eels it will mean a battle royal to claim one of the spots.

    1. sixties

      I don’t think he’ll push someone out of a halves spot now Colin, but I’m happy for him to have days like today. For his future career, finding his mojo again is essential. Whether that means footy at Parra or elsewhere, he is an instinct player. He needs to keep finding that.

    1. sixties

      But that ball has to be in his court Clive. His last 12 months have not been good. He has to keep proving that he’s ready if needed. Just like Gowie always does.

  4. Feelings

    Been saying forever that French is a 5/8 and that his worst attributes are what wingers and fullbacks have to do. It just made sense forever with his uncle Preston being his size and a great 5/8

    1. sixties

      For now, it looks like that will be his role at Wenty. I hope we see more of today’s play every week. Maybe not a day out like this, but regularly strong performances.

      1. Colin Hussey

        There was a bit in a media article regarding Wenty was looking at getting Ben Roberts back owing to their halves problem, Bev seems to have answered that problem and certainly a better idea than having Ben Roberts on their roster.

        Bev certainly needs to continue this form, and get it back on a consistent basis to get a hope of a top spot, I believe he could do it but he needs to really work on it. I would hate to see him lost to the eels but would be a good signing for some other clubs, if his form continues to improve then he wont or shouldn’t be lost to the NRL.

          1. sixties

            Heard the same but it was something Wenty were rumoured to be looking into, not Parra.

          2. Colin Hussey

            That was my impression as well and put in the post, I could not see any aspect of having Ben Roberts playing in the game today, unless back of Burke or somewhere.

          3. sixties

            He might decide to give back to the game out bush or in Massey or Shield. I think that would be a good call.

          4. Colin Hussey

            Its a sad aspect with him as a player, I had watched him at times kill the opposition with his plays, when he was signed by the eels, he produced a game against us not long after his signing for the dogs, that was incredible, don’t recollect him reproducing anything close that for the eels, he was let go and he usually had a game or two that showed what he had,, but that was it.

          5. sixties

            I respect anyone who’s played NRL. The talent and commitment required is enormous. But the ultra-elite at that level is probably determined by a dedication to professionalism in every aspect of preparation and execution that very few possess. Those players are the first and last to leave training. They seek every way to be better outside of scheduled training. Without knowing him, I suspect Ben is someone who loves playing the game, who’s talented, but never pushed himself to achieve his full potential.

          6. Colin Hussey

            Have to agree in every aspect sixties. The game is in many ways riddled with players who have a lot of talent, and others who are never to play other than park football, more as a result of too many others who have more to offer.

            One only needs to go back to the old 3 team situation and jnrs, the eels advertised for those aspiring to play to go through a series of trial early in the season, mostly for 3rd grade as the other two were covered, each year I went to watch those tentative trials would see over a hundred turn up on the first day, by the end there was less than 50.

            Following weeks and being involved in training it was further reduced, and the numbers finally released to media was usually around 35-40 depending on ability, by first couple of weeks of the comp was further reduced.
            Similar aspects happened with the old rep comp trials and matches, where some from the Presidents cup would be elevated to the 3rds and overall 3rd grade numbers were down to mid 20’s. A mix of those from the beginning of the training, Presidents cup and returning injured players.

            Ben Roberts without doubt had talent and showed it too infrequently, which was a shame.

        1. BDon

          Ben Roberts had a great running game, good kicking game(as back up for your primary kicker), OK defence. His decision making and passing seemed to create errors for himself and support players.Maybe time has smoothed this out.

          1. Colin Hussey

            The key word there is HAD, problem though he didn’t show it enough as he went missing that often it wasn’t funny. He did nothing here at the eels and maybe one or two games you would notice him on the field.

            The dogs didn’t stand in his way when he left.

  5. Milo

    Great read Sixties and co and thanks for the report.
    I just hope the entire squad can continue and play well, in order to keep the pressure on the nrl team. Bevan seems to have found a spot to play and I guess consistency is important and ensuring he turns up each game.
    Good to hear about R Stone. I hope he continues as he definitely has the right attitude to play nrl.

  6. rowdy roddy

    Great report Sixties, it encouraged me to watch the highlights reel. Apart from the performances of Ray Stone and the rest of the forwards going forward, I thought Bev’s short kicking game and enthusiasm to chase and complete confirmed the difference a good coach can make to a teams overall attitude and performance. While perception of an individuals skill-set adaptability can also be put to better use than what might have been previously. If Bevan can be mentored in the halves he adds another string to his bow and gives the NRL side another option in an area where we a clearly skinny.

    1. sixties

      He’s on our books and not being considered as a winger. So his options are fullback or halves. This outing in the halves was easily his best for years. The ball bounced for him all game. Now to keep performing.

      1. rowdy roddy

        Funny you mentioned the ball bounced for him all game. Bit of Deja Vu there re 2017. When he came into the NRL team on the wing with everyone firing “The ball seemed to bounce for him all game every game” that’s what Uncle Preston would invariably bring to most games also. It seems to be an ever present characteristic of blokes with skills and gifts like that, rather than a fortuitous occasional interloper.

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