Gropers young guns shine in big win over Muswellbrook

THE Nelson Bay Gropers sent out a youthful first grade side when they hosted the Muswellbrook Heelers last weekend in the Hunter Suburban Men’s Presidents Cup A Grade series.

Dashing fullback Liam Pietrasek and gun centre Harry Andersen put in stand-out performances in the Gropers’ emphatic 56-14 victory over the Heelers at Bill Strong Oval.

Fresh out of the junior ranks, the talented 18-year-old colts have proved a revelation this season in the top grade with sharp displays for the second ranked Nelson Bay side.

Both demonstrated their power and pace with the classy Andersen notching a hat-trick of tries in a dominant triumph and quicksilver custodian Pietrasek finishing with a personal points tally of 26 from two tries and eight goals.

Along with industrious flanker Hayden Wilson, the trio created havoc as the Gropers ran in eight tries to post a resounding win.

The mobile and smaller Gropers forwards laid a platform with busy games to help consolidate their top two ranking in the early rounds of the 2026 premiership.

With half back Kade Redmond calling the shots, the Gropers quickly found their groove and opened the scoring with a superb try.

A well rehearsed backline move saw Pietrasek loop around fly half Will Clark to send Andersen on a downhill run. Cutting back inside, winger Ryan Marshall scored under the posts.

Hungry flankers Wilson and captain Sam Rocher were vigorously contesting the Heelers ruck and maul and a turnover led to Pietrasek running onto a Clark short pass to cross out wide for the  first of his try double.

With locks John Lundie and Ronan O’Connell using plenty of grunt the Groper scrum allowed Clark to place a clever kick through for Andersen to scoop up the ball and score before centre Scott Trestan broke through and linked with Pietrasek who outpaced the opposition to score out wide for a 28-0 lead.

Nelson Bay coach Michael Squires injected prop Zion Takarua  – celebrating his 100th match – to a stirring roar from the crowd and with number eight Mitch Workman and hooker Ross Buchan winning the lineouts the Gropers added another Andersen try for a 35-7 lead at the break.

Workman was rewarded for his tireless efforts with a try under the posts after a barnstorming run.

Tough centre Marcel Ikinofo and halfback Tom Akbal entered the game with immediate effect with Ikinofo’s darting runs through traffic and Akbal’s slick service a feature.

Hooker Liam Keating, Riley Byfield, Ollie Edwards and Shane Jarvis took the field before Clark placed a deft kick for a flying Anderson to nab his third try.

Flying winger Brayden McMaster made several bursts before Clark sliced through to score a trademark try to a standing ovation from the Gropers “Old Boys” on the Presidential Deck.

Gropers legend and 244-game player Adam Edwards later presented a proud Zakarua with his 100th game jacket and gave a speech on Zion’s rugby journey –  transitioning from Newcastle to Nelson Bay.

This was followed by a rousing haka rendition led by Zion’s son Raumanuka Takarua, his family and club legends Edwards and Michael Wiringi.

The celebrations went well into the night.

In the curtain-raiser fixtures the Nelson Bay Under 11s – coached by club legends Edwards and Matthew Affleck – were full of spirit and running in a 57-10 loss to Hamilton Hawks.

The Gropers’ talented Under 16s trounced the Hawks 56-5 to please co-coach Casey Dunning with tries by flanker Harrison Stone (2), centre Wade Rolston (2), prop Cooper Shoemark, Will Enright, flyhalf Matthew Green, Patrick Buehler, half back Oska Sutter and lock Ashton Elliott.

Fullback Jack Costello (2) and fly half Matthew Green booted conversions.

Merewether Carlton Greens defeated Nelson Bay 58-10 in the Under 18s fixture with flanker Oscar Nettle and fullback Raumanuka Takarua scoring tries for the young Gropers.

Raumanuka proudly wore Nan on his wristband to honour his grandmother who had flown out from New Zealand to watch both her son Zion and grandson play who didn’t disappoint with a five pointer.

Nelson Bay will don their Blue Groper Indigenous jerseys for this Saturday’s Indigenous Round against Cooks Hill Brown Snakes at Bill Strong Oval from 3pm.

By Chris KARAS