Both of our Jersey Flegg and SG Ball sides were in action at Comely Banks Reserve on the weekend, hosting the Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers for their respective Round 8 and Round 4 clashes.
SG Ball
Storm’s SG Ball side have won its first game of the 2023 season, holding on for a memorable 22-18 victory at home against the Balmain Tigers.
Storm had to overcome all sorts of adversity throughout the contest, including two sin bins that threatened to derail them in key moments of the game.
Storm showed some incredible defensive grit to repel wave after wave of Tigers attack, scrambling on its own goal line to ensure it held on for the victory.
Storm dominated the early exchanges, jumping out of the blocks and landing the first blow through Clayton Tapelu in the 3rd minute.
It would then follow up with a four pointer through Suilagi Pio in the 10th minute, who with still plenty of orange and black jerseys in front of him, showed great speed and size to barge over and slam the ball down.
A key moment then came midway through the first half when fullback Ioane Lui was pinged for a professional foul, leaving Storm down a man heading into the final stages of the first half.
Balmain would march downfield and score from the ensuing set as before then crossing again just moments later, cutting the Storm’s lead down to two points heading into the sheds.
Coming out after the break, Storm swung momentum back in its favour through Matthew Logopati in the 49th minute, with the strong centre making the most of some ad lib footy and racing away to score.
While the Tigers would hit back through Elijah Mataale in the 55th minute, it would be Logopati once again that would break the game open for Storm.
Benefiting from a six again call, Storm kept its cool and shifted it out to the right, with Ioane Lui putting Logopati through a gaping hole to put them ahead in the 61st minute.
Storm would make the home fans sweat in the final few minutes, conceding a number of penalties that piggy backed Balmain downfield and into dangerous field position.
Fortunately for Storm, it showed some incredible goal line defence to hold on for the hard fought victory.
Storm will now look to finish its season with a bang, playing its final game of the season against the Parramatta Eels at Kellyville Park on Saturday.
Jersey Flegg
Coming off a bye in Round 3, Storm have been narrowly beaten by the Wests Tigers 16-18 at Comely Bannks Reserve on Saturday.
After the Tigers opened the scoring in the 13th minute, Storm rolled up its sleeves and looked to get physical through the middle of the field to get themselves back in the contest.
Storm eventually hit their straps in attack in the 20th minute, putting on a shift down the left hand side and fullback AJ Gudgeon putting it on a silver platter for Matthew Hill to stroll over untouched in the corner.
Storm would find more joy down the left once again, Gudgeon this time showing he’s no one trick pony, executing a slick catch and pass onto a barnstorming Coby Williamson who popped the ball around the corner for Hill who dove over in the 42nd minute.
The back-and-forth nature of the contest continued, the Tigers scoring through Kienan Power-Tempest in the 53rd minute as both teams exchanged leads in the second half.
Storm hit back through Gabriel Satrick who fooled everyone with a dummy, burrowing over from close range in the 60th minute to give Storm a four-point lead.
Storm looked on track to record back-to-back wins but ultimately came undone when Tigers forward John Tuipuloto pounced on a deflected grubber kick to put the away side ahead with just a minute left on the clock.
Storm went short off the kick off in one last attempt to win the ball back but sadly for the home side, it landed in the hands of the Tigers who held on for the win.
Originally published on nrlvic.com
