After starting the season as somewhat of a bit-part player for Dubbo CYMS, Wade Kavanagh has become a vital cog in Tim Ryan’s side and on Sunday his hat-trick was the highlight of the Fishies’ twelfth straight Group 11 win.
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After a physical and even opening 20 minutes against Westside at Caltex Park, CYMS dominated and ran out convincing 62-6 derby winners.
The versatile Kavanagh has filled a number of positions for Ryan this season and he was in the thick of the action on Sunday, with his hat-trick just rewards for a strong all-round effort.
“I just got lucky, I reckon,” he laughed when talking about his hat-trick, before speaking about his recent run in first grade.
“It’s good with the boys, there’s a good environment and everyone’s mates and it’s good to play with them.”
Alex Bonham was also a standout for the Fishies and finished with 22 points of his own in the 56-point win.
Playing in the second-row, Kavanagh opened the scoring in what was CYMS’ Indigenous round match, with special jerseys representing the Chapman family tree worn to commemorate the day.
But Westside wouldn’t lie down and grabbed a slick try through centre Carl Ralph six minutes later before really sticking it to the two-time defending premiers for the next 10 minutes.
But four tries in the space of nine minutes to Kieran Cubby-Shipp, Bonham, Jyie Chapman and John Grey stretched the lead out to 26-6 and from there the Fishies never looked back.
Cubby-Shipp’s try came off a neat offload from Kavanagh, while Chapman and Grey’s tries both came from sets which began near their own tryline.
The Fishies then piled on five tries in the second half to seal the win.
Kavanagh scored two of those while Cubby-Shipp scored his second and Lincoln Kavanagh ensured his brother wouldn’t hog all the limelight as he powered across to score his side’s final try of the afternoon.
After his side started so well, Westside forward Colt Tairua was disappointed not to go on with the match but with a number of injuries he said it’s been a tough run for his side.
“We’ve struggled all through the season and we’re having to back five or six players up,” he said, after being one of his side’s best.
“We’ve just got to really stick with it for the rest of the year and then try and build towards next year. We tested them for about 15-20 minutes but CYMS being CYMS, they just went away with it.”
Worryingly for CYMS, Chapman, Grey, Colby Pellow and Alex Ronayne all exited the match with injuries but the side remains on course for an unbeaten regular season.
“It would be good to go all the way through undefeated,” Kavanagh said.
“But we get off to a bit of a slow start so if we can really get starting right from the get-go we’ll be right.”
DUBBO CYMS 62 (Wade Kavanagh 3, Kieran Cubby-Shipp 2, Alex Bonham, Jyie Chapman, John Grey, Ben Marlin, Billy Sing, Lincoln Kavanagh tries; Bonham 9 goals) defeated DUBBO WESTSIDE 6 (Carl Ralph try, Paul Jones Jnr goal).
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
