25/07/2026
It was knockout footy this week, with a place in the semi-finals on the line. Winter had well and truly arrived as we headed over to Edgar Mac to take on the Marist Albion Beacons.
It was cold, the field was a bog, and this was never going to be a game for flashy rugby. A huge shift from the forwards was going to be needed if we wanted to be playing again next week.
We started brilliantly, keeping Marist pinned inside their own half. After a few good phases, we crossed the line early. Connor was unlucky not to be awarded the try, but Kwaye was on the spot to make sure we weren’t going to be denied, with the referee getting around in time to see the ball grounded. Brownie was unlucky with the conversion, the kick dropping just under the crossbar.
We had good momentum and were winning the territory battle, keeping them inside their own half. With the conditions making it difficult to exit, we were happy to kick the ball back and force them to play out of trouble. It was our discipline around high tackles and offsides that allowed the momentum to swing Marist’s way. The penalties piggy-backed the Beacons into our half and, from a lineout close to our line, they made us pay, levelling the scores at 5-all.
One high tackle too many eventually cost us a man, with Kwaye on the receiving end of the referee’s yellow card, spending 10 minutes on the sideline. Marist were in control, keeping the ball in hand while we spent the majority of the half defending. The weather was a great leveller, though, with both teams struggling to limit handling errors. Right on half-time, Marist crossed to take a 10-5 lead into the break.
We had worked incredibly hard on defence, and it was taking its toll on the bodies, losing four players during the half. It was going to be a real test of our depth, but we felt we could fight our way back into the game if we managed to get some possession.
The second half was a grind. With attacking opportunities hard to come by, it became true 10-man footy. Our goal-line defence repelled multiple waves of attack, and when the Beacons lost a man to the bin there was hope we could start playing inside their half. We just weren’t able to make any real inroads. Dan was the next to have a forced spell after being called for a deliberate knock-on. Marist made the most of the opportunity, slotting a penalty goal to extend their lead to 13-5 with around 15 minutes to play.
We threw everything at them, trying to find a way through. A big scrum won us possession back, but Marist were up to the challenge defensively. As the clock wound down, we couldn’t find the points we needed and eventually ran out of time, going down 13-5.
It was a tough result to end the season, but we were beaten by the better team on the day. It was never going to be a high-scoring game in those conditions, and we weren’t able to create enough opportunities to get the result.
Congratulations to Marist as they move on in the competition, and all the best for next weekend. Thank you also for the hospitality afterwards in the clubrooms. It’s always great to get into another club for a few drinks and a feed, and it’s something we hope to eventually be able to do at the Battlefield over the next few years.
A massive thank you to our supporters, who week in and week out show up and cheer us on. It’s always a pleasure to get out there and play in front of such a fantastic support crew. Second to none. We look forward to catching up again in a few weeks for our Battlers prizegiving before we head away on our end-of-year trip.
Up the Battlers 🍻
📸 Anna Barry Photography
Players of the Day – Sam Robinson, Dan Barry
Dick of the Day – Joey Owen
Try
Kwaye Raumati
