by Paul Cook –

A positive start to the season was a minimum requirement for a Randwick side with designs on going all the way in 2016. But while victory was achieved last week over Parramatta in the season opener, the manner of performance certainly didn’t match the standards required to please the coaching think tank at Coogee Oval. So victory of a more comprehensive nature was the aim going into their first home match of the season against a Gordon side who had also claimed the spoils in round one against Penrith.

The Wicks were given a leg-up early on when a late hit with no arms from Gordon flanker Jordan Goddard on Andrew Deegan drew the ire of – and a yellow card from – referee Dominic McCarthy. Deegan dusted himself off to put the hosts in front a couple of minutes later when the Highlanders strayed offside, the first points of what would be a boon afternoon for the tyro flyhalf, who had only turned 21-years-old a couple of days earlier.

A high shot from Brogan Roods just inside Gordon’s half offered the visitors a chance to get some field position as the clock neared the 10 minute mark. But Pat Curtin had other ideas, the scrumhalf taking a quick tap and going himself, only to lose the ball in a tackle and cough up possession. That may have been reason enough for a word in the ear from his coaches, but the fact that Randwick subsequently went 60 metres upfield, and through 10 pairs of hands, before Tristan Goodbody burrowed over for the first five-pointer, certainly accentuated the negatives of his decision.

Despite returning to a full complement, the Highlanders mustered only one visit to Randwick’s 22 in the opening quarter, and with the home side’s scrum getting some early pay, it was hard for the visitors to gain any kind of foothold in the match. And it was the scrum that paved the way for Randwick’s second try on 22 minutes, two penalties in a row leaving Gordon vulnerable five metres from their line, and from the next dominant shove from the myrtle green pack, no.8 Sam Croke scooped up to drive his way over the chalk.

With their tails up, Randwick continued to shift the ball at pace and stretch the opposition line, and a penalty count of something like eight-to-one against the Highlanders in only 25 minutes, was beginning to take its toll. Two more penalties in quick succession, for taking a man in the air and then an offside, had them on the back foot once again on 26 minutes. But with ref McCarthy playing advantage, some neat hands from Nick Kellaway put Ned Hanigan away for a third and Deegan added the extras.

When Gordon were then turned over at the ruck a couple of minutes later, and the Galloping Greens punished them with another 60 metre effort through the hands for Peter Nau to put Jack Pennington around to the posts, the wheels had truly come off for the visitors.

A four-try bonus point within the half hour left an ominous outlook for the remainder of the game, but Gordon rallied in the closing 10 minutes of the half, largely off the back of skipper Harry Rorke’s efforts. A yellow card shown to Randwick lock Jock Armstrong for a sneaky right cross in the 34th minute looked like it might open the door for their opponents to get something on the scoreboard before oranges. But neither team could muster a further clear-cut chance, and 31-0 was how it stayed as they went to the sheds.

The first 10 minutes after the break were fairly even but it was Gordon who finally struck a blow off the back of another Randwick indiscretion. Centre Lucas Simkin bounced off a tackle from Andrew Kellaway to make inroads down the left flank and when the ball was slowed down a metre short of their first score, hooker Peter Nau saw yellow for not rolling away. Gordon kicked to touch and from the ensuing lineout, lock Jack Maguire was driven over to give the Highlanders some small cheer at last.

Jolted into action, Randwick set up camp in the opposition 22 and milked another couple of penalties before a quick tap from Hanigan helped put his second row partner Armstrong over from five metres, Gordon’s defence left looking at each other for answers. But lapses in concentration were proving contagious and Gordon caught the Wicks napping themselves a couple of minutes later, a neat play off a scrum seeing Simkin break the line and two passes later, flyhalf Henry Carmichael was under the posts.

But every time Gordon threatened a potential fightback, the Wicks went up a gear to keep them at bay, and just after the hour they went in for try number six. The Kellaway brothers played a heavy role in getting their side on the front foot and into the red zone and when the ball came infield for Deegan, the flyhalf dummied to snipe under the posts for his own five-point contribution.

The last 15 minutes was played out largely in the middle third but Randwick put the icing on the cake with three to go when they worked an overlap and executed superbly from their own half. Nick Kellaway had two involvements in the play, including the final pass; powerful winger Jack Pennington made the crucial line break; and replacement Tom Coupland was on hand to race away and give Deegan the opportunity to rack up the half century for his side, and a 20pt haul for himself.

For Gordon, I guess there is always next week.

Randwick 50 (Tristan Goodbody, Sam Croke, Ned Hannigan, Jack Pennington, Jock Armstrong, Andrew Deegan, Tom Coupland tries; Andrew Deegan 6 cons, pen) defeated Gordon 14 (Jack Maguire, Henry Carmichael tries; Tom Carruthers 2 cons)