With a new season and new teams, both sides were eager to kick start the season with a bang. And it was a big bang with Knox Grammar dominating the game with a 0-74 win, at Damien Oval, upsetting the home team Oakhill College.
With Knox scoring 8 tries in the first half, Oakhill was facing an uphill battle to pull away with a win. However they did not give up one bit, preserving through every phase of the game, but Knox was just too good - their backline was very strong in attack and did not disappoint their school.
Oakhill had a few opportunities in the first half from penalties, but they soon found out kicking for touch was a bad idea. The wind was strong and relentless. The restart kicks were all over the field and passes going forward and behind the players due to the high wind. Most times Oakhill went for the tap and go. The defence by Knox was strong leading Oakhill to few opportunities.
Knox had some great plays happening in both halves of the game with most of them stopped by Oakhill’s backline. The times when Oakhill was not able to stop Knox, they scored. Knox centre Matthew Stewart broke through one tackle and offloaded to fullback Oliver Griffiths who sprinted 20 metres before scoring. Oakhill tackled Griffiths 2 metres before the line but his momentum put the ball over the line in the 43 minute.
Penalties kept coming from both teams throughout the game totalling 12 penalties at full time, with Knox making 5 of those penalties.
Knox were guilty of some slack defending and sloppiness late in the game, but they were devastating when they executed well.
At half time it was a 55 lead for Knox as Oakhill struggled to get points on the board.
Knox maintained their momentum, scoring 4 tries in the second half.
Knox’s number 2 Enrique Grobler and winger Oliver Evans both scored a hatrick.
Oliver Evans scored off a very lucky kick that went 10 metres but then the wind blew it back towards the sideline. Evans caught the ball and broke through Oakhill’s line leading him to run 40 meters before scoring.
Knox’s kicker Darcy Fitzgerald excelled in this game, getting 8 out of 12 conversions. 6 of the conversions he got were on the sideline.
With an opening-round loss to Oakhill on Home ground, Knox went away with a high score 0-74.
Final score 0-74 Knox
Knox:
Tries: Oscar Cheal (1 try), Matthew Stewart (1 try), Oliver Hughes (2 tries), Enrique Grobler (3 tries), Oliver Evans (3 tries) & Sam Rechner (1 try)
Conversions: Darcy Fitzgerald (8/12 conversions)
Oakhill
Tries: 0
Conversions: 0
