A four-try haul to Billy Sing led the Dubbo Kangaroos to a 52-8 win against the Cowra Eagles in their Blowes Clothing Cup match at No. 1 Oval on Saturday.
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The visitors applied the pressure early and were the first to get on the scoreboard, but it wasn’t long before the Roos took over.
“It was really good out there,” Ned Williams said following his debut as captain.
“They really put the pressure on us and I think we really came through there in the end … really good things have come out of today.
“Mainly, working out of our 22, retaining possession, staying out of our own half. We’re really starting to focus and nail down on that and it’s really help us get where we want to be on the field.”
Eighteen-year-old Josh Jassprizza excelled on debut for the Roos first grade, while fellow young guns Luke Ryan, Hamish Gordon and Charlie Lawry continued their strong form.
“They really stepped up to the plate and it shows we’ve got a really good depth in the club,” Williams said.
“It’ll be really exciting for what comes in the future.”
John Grant opened the scoring early for Cowra after the Roos conceded a number of penalties in their own half.
But the Roos bounced back through Sing, who blew apart the Eagles’ line with ease to score his first try.
It was quickly followed by a spectacular team try: Jock Brownhill burst through Cowra’s line and drew defenders before flicking the ball to Sing, who passed it on to send Ryan over.
Not to be outdone, Viliame Turuva proved why he is regarded as one of the most influential players in this year’s competition by snagging two consecutive tries of his own. Twice Turuva turned the Eagles’ defence inside-out, running 40 metres to extend the Roos’ lead.
Grant battled his way over to make the score 28-8 at half time, and the second half began more positively for Cowra as they denied the Roos’ advances for almost 20 minutes.
But then Sing struck again, triggering something of a landslide for the Roos to claim the bonus point win.
Eagles skipper Tom Dewhurst said their defence was shocking in the first half, and it showed on the scoreline.
“For most of the game it was pretty tight but when we lapsed, we let them score, when they lapsed, we made a break and then they tackled us again,” he said.
“A lot of [the problem] is communication – they went through us when we stopped talking.”
Williams was unable to convert the final try, but it did nothing to dampen his spirits.
“It was a really phenomenal feeling,” he said of his debut as captain.
“You’ve got the likes of Tim Berry … Shaun McHugh … to step in their shoes, even just for a day, it really is humbling. It’s quite an experience and one that I won’t forget shortly.”
DUBBO KANGAROOS (Billy Sing 4, Viliame Turuva 2, Luke Ryan 2; Hamish Gordon 6 goals) def COWRA EAGLES (John Grant try; John Grant penalty)