Wests Rosellas stave off spirited Northern Hawks challenge to post 36-22 victory

THE NORTHERN Hawks are licking their wounds after a disappointing 36-22 loss to Western Suburbs Rosellas in the Newcastle Rugby League Denton Engineering Cup.

Back on home turf at the Tomaree Sports Ground last weekend, the Hawks produced a spirited second half revival but paid the price for an error-riddled first stanza that ultimately proved their undoing.

A revved up Wests team produced three early tries by second rowers Ashton Frost and Will Mehan and dashing fullback Stephen Widders to jump to a 14-0 lead, before the Hawks hit back when centre Kiah Cooper read the play to score an intercept try after 24 minutes.

The Rosellas stretched their lead to 24-6 with a second four pointer by Widders and winger Dyllan Parlane but Northern finished the first half on a positive note when winger Honeti Tuha regathered a grubber kick by five eighth Fletcher Myers to pick up and score on the siren.

Wests struck first after the interval with lock Lachlan O’Brien crossing for the Rosellas’ sixth try to set up a 30-8 lead.

The Hawks found their mojo and staged a gritty comeback with three unanswered tries.

Tuha nabbed his second from a clever Myers pass  before the talented pivot scored himself after an intercept.

Cooper set up Northern’s fifth try when he broke the line and kicked infield for replacement hooker Iobe Taukeisalili to finish and bring the Hawks back into the game at 30-22.

But with momentum firmly in their favour the Hawks gave it back.

A six-again, a late tackle on the Wests kicker and being taken into touch handed the Rosellas the field position they needed, and they were clinical enough to convert the opportunity with a try by centre Tyrone Nean to seal the win.

Northern Hawks club president Andrew Chapman told News Of The Area that the team showed “genuine character in patches”.

“The boys showed plenty of grit in the second half but a lapse in discipline proved costly in the end,” he reflected.

By Chris KARAS