1st Grade

What a game, nobody who watched this game left disappointed with Quins getting up in the top of the table clash 37-34. Tackling for either team was not a high priority – but the game was played at a very fast pace, Eugene Mulipola our 2004 Premiership player who now plays 1st Grade in Canberra could not believe the speed of the game and said it was definitely a quicker pace than Canberra.

Souths scored in the first 5 minutes – we were facing a full on blitz as missed tackles and a hyped up Souths team were in full flight. Souths blew a couple of chances, and we slowly worked our way back in the game and a good break from a set piece move saw Alf Mika show some classy work close to the line to score and have the scores locked at 7-7. Souths came back and scored a further 2 tries, primarily from soft defence from ourselves and we kicked 2 penalties before the half to have the score 19-13 with Quins very much on the back foot though hanging in the game.

Some changes at the half saw Aleki Toleafoa come on at 10 and Mace Poloie onto a flank. It was Aleki that started the Quins resurgence with a strong try under the posts. Souths then scored a soft try as their 12 ran straight through our defence and a penalty stretched their lead to 29-18. Souths then scored again under the posts which would of killed off the game, but for once we had a decision go our way with a touch judge report for a tackle on a player in the air nullifying the try for a Quins penalty 30m out – this was the break that put us back on track for the game and possibly the season. The team worked the ball down for Osea Valentini to score in the corner, 29-23 to Souths – with a breeze picking up we failed to use it properly, kicking grubbers from our own half instead of pumping it down field – we were also now a man down with Charlie in the Sin Bin. But we somehow survived and with 10minutes remaining big Fonz scored next to the posts with the conversion successful to lead 30-29, Berger was off injured and with no more reserves allowed we were down to 13 man and Souths used this advantage well to score out wide to take back the lead 34-30. At this point I thought it was game over, but alas the referee said 5 minutes to go. Charlie was back on and Berger somehow managed to get back on the field from his injury. From the kickoff we regathered, Aleki sliced through the opposition on the next phase and the following phase with the ball switched to the short side Charlie gave a great pass to Osea to score in the corner which Ian converted – 37-34 up and surely time up, but the referee said 2 minutes to go still. A frantic last 2 minutes saw Souths nearly pinch the game with an intercept on the last pass of the game but the player failed to gather and Quins winning 37-34 in one of the most entertaining games I have seen in my time in Victoria.

With Melbourne beating Box Hill and neither team gaining a bonus point we move back into outright 2nd place and we are now confirmed finalists for 2010 – 5th place Box Hill can't catch us. We can finish anywhere from 1st to 4th though 1st is very unlikely and there is much work to do to finish 2nd.

2nd Grade lost to their bogey team Souths, but remain in 2nd spot. 3rd Grade are coming home with a wet sail beating Cerberus in their must win game to now make the top 4 on % over Cerberus and Colts continued their good form with a win over Melbourne Green.