The Tasmanian Devils took their winning streak on the road as they travelled to Tamworth to face the Titans. Both teams had winning runs to protect, the Devils 4 and Titans 3 as both sides made a target of the top spot in Division 2. Going into the game both sides were down on personnel as Kurt Gidley was absent for the home team and Michael Ennis, who is a target for the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, and Gene Fairbanks were out for the Devils.
Tasmania kicked off and within 35 seconds wre 2 - 0 down as referee Marlon Jennings, who it was later revealed is a cousin of country singer Waylon Jennings, gave the Titans a penalty for offside. Eron Bates kicked the first of his 8 goals and the pattern for the game was set. The Devils shrugged off this setback as winger Olivier Sarramea broke down the right and found fellow winger Wes Davies in support and he outstripped the defence to dcore under the bar. Matt Burke converted and the crowd went quiet. They soon found their voice, however, as fullback Roy Bell joined the line and squeezed in at the corner. Bates missed the goal and the sides were level. The next ten minutes was a real arm wrestle but on the quarter of the hour the Devils had a try disallowed by video ref, Harland Jennings, when most of the crowd thought Burke had touched down before he hit the corner flag. From the restart sloppy play by Tamworth gave the Devils a penalty and from good field position Matt Burke took an inside pass from Jerrie Muller and scored near the flag. He missed the goal but Tasmania had hit the front again. 2 minutes later Harland was called into action again as he disallowed a second try for the Devils. It was all Tasmania at the moment but the ref eased it as he gave the Titans a penalty for a play the ball infringement. Just afterwards Burke put the Devils 4 points ahead with a penalty. Two quick penalties by Bates levelled the scores and just as it looked as if it would stay that way Stephen Kearney, in his last season before retiring, crashed through some weak defence and scored near the sticks. Bates kicked the goal annd Tamworth were 6 ahead at the break.
The second half started off like the first and there was a score on the board after only 70 seconds. Bates knocked on near his own line and from the resulting scrum Richard Gerling gave Burke a peach of a pass and he cruised in for his 12th try of the season. The kick brought up the 200 points for the season for the Devils, but that was to be their last score in the game. As they have done all season the Devils eased off when on top and Tamworth punished them with a flowing move through the backs and culminating with Joseph Goldstein touching down in the corner. Referee Marlon took over now and the crowd were getting fed up with his whistle but cheered up as he gave Titans another penalty. Bates kicked the two and on the hour Matt Gidley made a decisive break to score wide out. Bates kicked his 8th goal and the lead was 14. The Devils never gave up but the penalties kept coming and it was apt that the last pay was a penalty to Tamworth for holding down.
After the match Coach Paddock was seething and said "I dont want to say too much but when you have an obvious homer refereeing the biggest game of the season so far you are on a hiding from the start. The boys gave their all but with a penalty count of 18 to 5 and two tries disallowed from another relative, what can you do?? I'm thinking of giving Paul Hess a ring about taking action against somebody but like him I don't think it will do any good. The referee was a major factor in the game as it was only 4 tries to 3 but Tamworth took advantage. We'll just have to chalk it down to experience and take out our frustrations on Redfern next week".
Dom was rapt with that referee, haha. ;)
$30,000
