RUGBY LEAGUE
By David Burke
LAST Saturday afternoon (27 June) the Peninsula Dolphins third grade men’s side played against the Hume Eagles at the home of the Eastern Raptors rugby league club in Boronia.
Situated at the foot of Mt Dandenong the fog rolled in early making for a cold afternoon with a slightly eerie setting.
The game was a tight contest that really opened up for the Hume Eagles late in the second half.
The final score was 26-16.
The game saw the Dolphins men’s side slip to second place on the ladder behind the Waverley Panthers heading into the bye next week.
The bye has come at a good time, with new players in the squad it will give the team a chance to work on combinations and defensive structure as well as giving the team a well earned break.
Despite the loss the commitment the team has displayed week after week will leave them feeling positive heading into the week off.
The senior team has also shown commitment to the Dolphins under 12s team, showing up in numbers to help train them for at least one training session a week.
The positive energy they bring to the kids has been great with the junior side growing in strength, confidence and ability every week.
The coaching staff and trainers are extremely grateful to the senior team for the positive energy and “can do” attitude they display.
The kids love to show their appreciation by turning up to watch their senior mates play making the club a unique family environment.
In other Dolphins news the women’s over 16 tag side played the Waverley Panthers on Sunday afternoon (June 28) at Fregon Reserve in Clayton.
With conditions that were in stark contrast to the men’s game a day earlier the sun was shining with very little cloud and no breeze making it an ideal day to play rugby league.
The women’s senior team faced what has become their biggest rival in the Waverley Panthers women’s team who have now beaten the Dolphins for the second time this season.
It was another close contest with the Dolphins pushing the Panthers all the way, however the Panthers started etching away late in the game to seal the win 20 points to 10.
The Dolphins women’s team are benefiting a lot from playing the top teams of the competition working out as a new team in the league what it takes to be up there consistently.
The game finished and both teams gathered in a circle to show mutual respect and friendship for each other.
The day ended with smiles because you can see these two teams really enjoy playing against each other.
There was also a friendly vow from the Dolphins girls to get them next time.
