The Tasmanian Devils this week entertained a Liverpool Rockets side that has been misfiring so far and a full house of 19,000 turned up at the Hobart Oval expecting a cricket score as the in form Devils returned after their record away win at Port Macquarie last week. Tasmania were missing standoff Richard Gerling and moved Matt Burke to the number 6 position in an experiment which worked out well.
Liverpool kicked off and it took only 42 seconds before the Devils registered a score. Latecomers missed the first try as Man of the Match Nick Fozzard made a great break on the last tackle and sent in Tiri Toa for his first try of the season. Matt Burke hit the upright with his conversion attempt but it did not matter as 5 minutes later Fozzard was back with another break, this time he didnt pass and scored under the bar. Burke kicked the goal and it was 10 - 0 after only 6 minutes. Desperate defence kept out the rampant Devils until the 16th minute when 19 year old Verity Gunnarsson helped himself to a four pointer as the away teams defence stood and watched him race through. Burke kicked the two and it was one way traffic. The Rockets had no answer and Burke had a try disallowed as he lost the ball over the line. Minutes later Olivier Sarramea had a try ruled out for the same but the Devils would not be denied as Burke dummied to Toa and walked in under the sticks. He converted and the Rockets trooped off at halftime with a 22 point deficit.
The second half started the same as the first but it took one and a half minutes before Tristan Law ran on to a Gunnarsson reverse pass and scored in the corner. Burke missed the goal but it was all over and just a matter of how many points the Devils could score. The Rockets hit back, however, and in a rare attack veteran Paul Atcheson squeezed in at the corner. The goal was missed but at least Liverpool were on the board. Back to business 5 minutes later and Fozzard, who was having a field day, strode through a static defence and laid on a try for Jerrie Muller. Burke converted and it was 32 - 4. Like a cat with a dead mouse, the Devils got bored and the only notable actions in the last half hour were a disallowed try to both sides, a bad injury to Gene Fairbanks, who was stretchered off, and a second try to Matt Burke who also kicked the goal.
After the game Coach Paddock said "These are games you cant win. The fans expect you to get 50 points and to be fair, we had 3 disallowed tries so we werent far off. We won easily and thats all you can do. Liverpool are one of the worst teams we have played up to now, and we have only really played one good side to date, Christchurch. Nick Fozzard was brilliant today and gave Brian Noble a big nudge about his GB selection. Matt was his usual self, even though playing at standoff and Verity Gunnarsson showed why we paid Newcastle big bucks for him in the close season. We have won 4 out of 5 at the start and are second but we have only played one team in the top 8 so read what you like into that. Next week will be a big test when we go to Campbelltown, but the Invasion have only played two good sides and lost both. I am happy with our progress so far, but its a major blow to lose Gene, who could be out for a month. How we cope with his injury will show us where we are in our plan for the season and how we are progressing."
