WEST HARBOUR V NORTHERN SUBURBS at Drummoyne Oval

A winning dressing room is always a nice place to visit after a game but there was a certain edge to the Northern Suburbs rooms after their 32-3 win over West Harbour on Saturday.

You see it’s been more than a year since the Norths’ victory song has been sung and to take a line from that ditty “they were making a lot noise”

Norths scored four tries to nil against Wests and secured a very handy early season bonus point to lie in second spot on the competition table after the weekend, but all concerned knew that the scoreline didn’t reflect what had gone on in the preceding 80 minutes.

Wests selected a huge pack of forwards and much of the first half was dotted with good carries from the home side and resolve in defence from the visitors.

But the red card to Wests backrower Francis Ieremia tipped the game very much in Norths favour, but it took some time for the visitors reasonably inexperienced lineup to wear them down.

Norths led 11-3 with 10 minutes left on the clock and Rod Davies appeared to have scored a try but it was ruled to be held up which would have meant “game on”.

From there Norths scored three tries in the final eight minutes to give the final scoreline.

Norths coach Earl Va’a said: “We achieved what we wanted to achieve and that was to get the win but the for sure the scoreline didn’t reflect what West Harbour brought to the table.

“They put us under pressure at different times but at this time of the season that’s how a lot of games pan out.

“Our last eight minutes showed the character and fight in the boys. The challenge now is to make that sort of thing happen from the first minute.

“It was a great improvement from our trial against Eastwood and the boys have taken on the learnings from that game.”

Wests coach Mark Gudmunson said: “Unfortunately people will just look at the score and make their own decisions on the game, but for the people that were there, they would tell a totally different story.

“The result was very tough to take when I look at how hard out guys worked to stay in the game with 14 players until pure fatigue kicked in.

“I thought our two centres Justin Tavae at 12 and Connor Chittenden at 13 were really good. Kaliova Nacina our No.7 worked really hard all day.”

NORTHERN SUBURBS 32 (Jayden Lynch, Brad Hemopo, George Murrin, Connor Winchester tries; Angus Sinclair 2 pen goals, Winchester 3 conversions) d WEST HARBOUR 3 (Kodie Drury-Hawkins pen goal)