On a grey and grisly afternoon at Taree Rugby Park, the spectacle in keeping with the elements, the Manning River Ratz maintained their unbeaten start to the southern division of the Mid North Coast rugby premiership with a hard-fought 24-20 win over the Forster Tuncurry Dolphins on Saturday.
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Manning overcame a young and unproven Dolphins combination before a splendid Taree crowd, the success greeted appreciatively, if not yet convinced about the long-term prospects of either club.
The Dolphins began without their injured captain-coach, Blake Polson, as well as newly arrived midfielder, Ryan Pike, and veteran tight-head, Ben Manning, while the Ratz were without their own newly recruited midfielder, James Umu.
Led out by forward titan, Chris Simon, Polson promoted 19-year-old Lachlan Price, introducing him to the rigours of a first-grade scrum against the hardened Taree pack, only to see him hobble off after 20 minutes. Bravely, Price returned to complete the game with assurance reinforced.
Benefiting from their first-round win over the Old Bar Clams, the Ratz maintained teamwork throughout to jump to a 17-3 lead only for the Dolphins' deficit to be reduced by a rare penalty try awarded by referee Michael Wooster when a home defender deliberately threw the ball out of play into touch.
Likewise, five-eighth Angus Edwards kept the Dolphins within sight of the Ratz with his goal-kicking after which, to the surprise of many, the Dolphins surged to the front with a spectacular try by their man-of-the-match, newcomer Casey Woodford.
Young, enterprising and talented, flanker Woodford stepped through broken Ratz's ranks from 30 metres out for a glorious try, which briefly gave rise to optimism of a Dolphins' success.
In addition, Woodford tackled and won possession superbly in the manner of an accomplished representative backrower.
With good reason, Ratz' captain-coach David Rees remarked later about the quality of the Dolphins' back row.
But Rees' men held their nerve when it mattered and fought back resolutely, gradually moving the ball upfield for the final onslaught before bold running saw the Ratz break through poor tackles for a deserved try and success, 24-20.
For the Dolphins, one of the more pleasing aspects of the game centred about their scrum in which hooker Sam Laurie proved he was an exceptional engineer beside skipper Simon and young tight-head Price.
Other new Dolphins players to excel were Callum Crawford-Walker and former "Country" lock forward Rohan Garnsey with evergreen utility Kalen Trudgett a reluctant occupant of the halfback role.
One good judge enquired: "Where's Liam?" His answer may soon be forthcoming about the stalwart, Liam Brady.
Likewise, it is expected Max Wyn will return soon, having dropped a keg of beer on his foot and breaking his toe.
Hopefully, problems solved.
Next Saturday, last year's champions, Wauchope Thunder, are at home to the Ratz in what looms as a tremendous game in Wauchope while the Wallamba Bulls host the Dolphins in Nabiac.
The Old Bar Clams have the bye.
As for the future, one eternal Dolphins optimist predicted to David Rees: "We'll see you in the grand final." The old philosopher nodded sagely and observed: "We'll see."
