A rampaging Bill Meakes takes on the Two Blues’ defence – Photo: seiserphotography.com.au

by Brendan Bradford –

Northern Suburbs have snapped a five game losing streak with a dominant 32-17 win over Parramatta at Allianz Stadium in the curtain raiser to the Waratahs-Lions match.

The return from injury of captain Andrew Cox and center Iese Leota wasn’t enough to save the Two Blues as the Shoremen ran in five tries to two to return to their winning ways.

“There’s been some exceptional circumstances for some of the losses, but at the end of the day it’s all about the team trying to come together and producing the performance,” said Norths’ coach Scott Fava.

“We put a lot of emphasis on the team and made sure we did it for the right reasons, not thinking about anything else but us as a group. You saw with the performance that we can score points and to only concede two tries against Parramatta, who have been so dominant with ball in hand, it’s a very good effort.”

Sam Yakopo was dangerous for Parramatta from flyhalf but couldn’t propel the side to a win
Photo: seiserphotography.com

Norths dominated the opening half, kicking a penalty after just 90-seconds and dominating possession and territory with a workmanlike performance from the pack. Parramatta’s defence remained steady for the next 10 minutes but the Two Blues were repeatedly forced to kick out of their own half.

Norths flyhalf Scott Daruda missed an easy penalty after 17 minutes, but the Shoremen won a five metre scrum and a rampaging Chris Tuatara-Morrison latched onto a short ball and crashed over from close range for an 8-0 lead.

Finally finding a bit of room out wide, Parramatta got down the right end of the field and posted their first points from the boot of Sam Yakopo after 19 minutes.

Norths caught Parra short out wide after a scrum free-kick five minutes later though, and some quick forward play allowed No. 8 Hugh Sinclair to barge over and take a 13-3 lead.

In the shadows of halftime, the Two Blues opted for touch from a kickable penalty but turned over after winning the lineout and the dangerous Norths back three ran the length of the field for Corey Brown to dive on a grubber and go up 20-3 at halftime.

A rare Ben Matwijow grubber got Norths on the front foot after the break and only desperate goal-line defence kept the rampant Shoremen forwards from crossing again before lethal Parramatta centre Damien Fakafanua broke the line on a 50-metre run and Andrew Cox burrowed over from the base of a ruck to narrow the score to 20-10.

Matwijow must have been trialling for a backline position, because he found space on the left flank shortly after and finished a try in the corner like a winger after 60-minutes to halt the Parra comeback and restore the lead to 27-10. Brown converted before crossing for his second try and a 32-10 scoreline before Parramatta scored a consolation try just before fulltime.

“I’m going to cop a heap for being a seagull,”
said Ben Matwijow after scoring out wide
Photo: seiserphotography.com

“I’m gonna cop a heap for being a seagull,” said Matwijow after the match.

“It was just being at the right place at the right time and it just worked out that I was there, but that game was really just about getting the confidence back in our play and backing our ability, because we’ve got the talent to do it and I think we showed that today.”

Matwijow was one of three players – Brown and Tuatara-Morrison were the other two – who played for the Force against the Lions at the start of the month and Fava believes their experience has boosted the team over the last week.

“It’s hard sometimes with some of the guys coming in and out of the squad and being a bit inconsistent, but those three guys who played against the Lions last week have set a standard and we’ve got to step up to that,” he said.

“They’ve lifted us up a level and there’s a real vibrancy in the squad.”

Fava says he will be looking to take that momentum into next weekend’s match against Eastwood at North Sydney Oval. Parramatta are away to Southern Districts next Saturday.

Northern Suburbs 32 (Corey Brown 2, Chris Tuatara-Morrison, Ben Matwijow tries; Scott Daruda 2 cons, pen) d Parramatta 17 (Andrew Cox, TBC tries; Sam Yakopo 2 cons, pen)