Diesels Debutant Cooper Vanzanten with his parents
The chill of a Wagga winter afternoon hung heavy over Harris Park, but for the Junee Diesels, the air was electric.
After a tough loss last week to Southcity, the first-grade side was hungry, and today, they devoured the Wagga Brothers, handing them a stunning 68-0 defeat. It was more than just a win; it was a statement.
The scoreboard told a story of sheer dominance. Jaydyn Hoeta kicked off the try-scoring spree, setting the tone for the afternoon.
Daniel Foley crossed the line twice, showcasing his leadership and skill, while Dredin Sorensen not only bagged two tries himself but also proved to be a kicking maestro, converting 10 of 12 attempts to tally an impressive 28 individual points.
But the star of the show was undoubtedly Chase Bernard, who danced and powered his way through the Brothers’ defence for a remarkable hat-trick. Not to be outdone, Ben Shea, Tommy Carroll, Cooper Vanzanten (debutant) and Ratu Saurara each added their names to the try-scorers list, completing the rout.
Coach’s Corner: A Mix of Relief and Resolve
After the final whistle, a satisfied but focused Ben Shea, the Junee Diesels coach, reflected on the resounding victory.
“It was good for the boys to get back in the winners column,” Shea stated, a clear sense of relief in his voice. “The training we’ve been putting in recently was deserving of one, I felt.”
The performance wasn’t just about the points on the board, but the growing synergy within the team. “I think we saw more of the boys continuing to build on our combinations,” he explained. “There’s still work to be done, but I think we’re starting to see the potential develop into reality.”
While the win was sweet, Shea acknowledged the challenging path ahead for a finals berth, especially after last week’s “misstep.”
“The misstep against South City last week means we need a fair bit to go our way if we want to make finals, but I think it also takes a lot of pressure off of the boys,” Shea mused. “Now, when we go out there, we’re only worried about what we’re doing and focusing exclusively on our game.”
Diesel’s President, David Holt was pleased with how the day went for the entire Club.
“The two men’s teams both got outstanding victories and then the under 18’s won a scrappy affair to keep in touch with those finals spots.
“The two losses we had as a Club we can take a lot from as well, the women’s tackle were going up against one of the best teams in the comp, carrying a lot of injuries and were very competitive and the same can be said about the league taggers. If we carry all the performances from this week into next, I think we can be very confident of picking up a few results.”
Looking ahead, the Diesels face a challenging but potentially rewarding draw. “The one advantage of having a tough draw now to end the season is we’re finding ourselves in a lot of four-point swing opportunities. We will have the chance to take points off of teams who are above us and climb the ladder that way. I think we’re certainly heading in the right direction.”
With the upcoming byes, the focus remains on internal growth. “We’re going to use three byes to continue to work on our cohesiveness as a team. We know there’s still a lot more growing we can do as a group and we’re committed to reaching our potential,” Shea concluded, his words a testament to the Diesels’ unwavering ambition.’
The 68-0 demolition of the Wagga Brothers was more than just a game; it was a powerful declaration from a team finding its stride, ready to fight tooth and nail for their finals dream.
Tully Potts SWST Sports Editor
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