Brisbane City vs Greater Sydney Rams
First cab off the rank on Saturday were the Rams, who took on Brisbane City at a drizzly Ballymore Stadium.
Greater Sydney found themselves 19 points down before the crucial turning point in the match struck, with Mack Mason cutting the line to put second-rower Adrian Hall over to the left of the uprights just before the halftime hooter.
A try from Albert Tuisue, a double from Jed Holloway and several successful shots at goal put the Rams on-track to run away with the match 31-19.
The Rams will finish their season off next Sunday at their home ground TG Millner Field when they host the second-seeded Canberra Vikings.
Brisbane City 19 (Tries: Riley, Fidow, Kuridrani; Cons: Cooper, Strachan) defeated by Greater Sydney Rams 31 (Tries: Hall, Tuisue, Holloway 2; Cons: Mason 4; Pens: Mason)
Perth Spirit vs Sydney Rays
Later that afternoon, the Rays took to Perth’s McGillivray Oval to face the Spirit.
The home team carried on their imposing 2017 form, leading the Rays 24-6 midway through the first half.
However, two tries before the siren (featuring a fantastic chip and chase from halfback Henry Nucifora put the visitors back into contention as they trailed the Spirit 24-20.
A Buaserau double, Nucifora’s second and a final five-pointer from Irae Simone shut out the Perth side from the game to return from the other side of the Nullarbor 44-31 victors.
The Rays will travel to Fiji for round nine as they gear up to face the Drua at Suva’s ANZ Stadium this Saturday 28 October.
Perth Spirit 31 (Tries: Koteka 2, Verity-Amm 2, Uyen; Cons: Grant 3) defeated by Sydney Rays 44 (Tries: Connor, Nucifora 2, Buaserau 2, Simone; Cons: Hegarty 2, Nucifora, Saifoloi; Pens: Hegarty 2)
Melbourne Rising vs NSW Country Eagles
Sunday’s singular fixture saw the Rising host the Eagles at Harlequin Oval.
It was neck and neck all of the first half, both sides going try for try only separated by two points as the half came to a close – NSW Country leading the Rising 14-12.
The arm wrestle lasted until the 64th minute, only broken by the Eagles’ second try of the second forty as winger Alex Gibbon crossed in the corner.
Tries to Jake Gordon, Adam Freier and Gibbon once again put the game well out of reach to bump the team into fourth on the ladder.
NSW Country will now face the fifth-placed Brisbane City who are hot on their tails in the countdown to the 2017 finals. Equal on 18 competitions, both sides have everything to play for at Orange’s Wade Park in NSW’s Central West.
Melbourne Rising 19 (Tries: Maddocks, Hutchison, Ratu; Conversions: McGregor 2) defeated by NSW Country Eagles 47 (Tries: Paenga-Amosa, Gibbon 2, Wileman, Gordon, Freier; Cons: Adams 6)
