Milton was playing for a chance to get into fourth spot and the mighty Redbacks were only playing for pride and a chance to play well in front of our crowd in our last home game for the competition. Officially our season was over the week before with the loss at the hands of the Bay.
That being the case the day was a chance for the blokes who wouldn't usually get a run, well, it was the case in the backs anyway which meant a couple of the boys and yours truly took a seat on the pine pony.
It had been a while since I had seen a game from the sidelines and I've got to say I was enjoying it. To see the way our forwards were running and backing each other up was great to watch.
For the first ten minutes of the game we were attacking in Milton's half and you could see that the effort we had put on against the Bay the week before had done wonders for our confidence as we kept plugging away with Timmy Morrison and Kris Anderson. When those boys had done the hard yards, Garry Haigh and Pete Sturgiss were always first to the ruck and keen to keep things moving with the pick and drive.
Nick Black was flying round like a madman and when he wasn't taking charge of the breakdown he was joining the big boys and taking some runs from the back of the ruck and making plenty of sneaky metres. The good work was interrupted when after making a rare visit to our half, Milton put first points on the board by scoring out wide.
The Redbacks hit back straight away though after some good lead up work by Toby, Mick and Kainy. The backs were running at will at Milton's defence and with Timmy Moffitt slicing in from fullback we were only a couple of passes away from sending Mini Bourke and Toby Allen down the sidelines. Unfortunately the passes didn't stick but in the end it didn't matter because Blacky took matters into his own hands and scored a strong try, taking three blokes over the line with him.
Not long after we were at it again, this time new boy to the flanks Matty Pearson used his tree trunk legs to bust towards the line before he passed off to his flank partner and all round hard man Pete Sturgiss to score the first of his two tries.
The half time whistle blew after a near miss by Kainy and the Redbacks went into it 10-5 up.
The half time break brought some changes and the boys knew they had a good chance for a win if we just kept on plugging away.
It was a perfect start to the second half as it started like the first finished, with a try to us. There wasn't much lead up to it but what did happen was spectacular. The kick off was high enough for a hit to be put on and that is exactly what happened with Pete Sturgiss coming through like a steam train to cut some poor Milton bloke in half. A line out was given after we took a Platypi across the sidelines and from it, a long throw was sent to Kris Anderson at the back then Kris put his head down and charged at the line to score.
The plan was to stay in Milton's half. We knew that if we did then points would come, which they did. This time the set up was a great run from Jacob Kain and another great scrum from our forwards. Ask anyone on the coast, the Redbacks scrum is a weapon and it was again on Saturday. Milton had the scrum five metres out from their line but from some pressure from us, Blacky pounced on the ball and set up Pete Sturgiss for his double.
They were to be the last points for the Redbacks in the game as from then on we were on the back foot and defending. The line was holding, but a yellow card saw one of our blokes have a rest and not long after Milton scored out wide. They scored in nearly the same position ten minutes later and the game was on.
The defence was desperate and the boys kept on picking themselves off the grass as they tackled again and again. Nick Roberts, Dave Taylor and Man of the Match Pete Sturgiss were like warriors as they felled anything that came their way.
With the final minutes counting down and the pressure building the whistle blew for full time and the boys could finally breathe again.
Final score Braidwood 24 - Milton 15.
A deserving finish both for us as players and I'm sure for you as supporters, thanks for seeing us out.
We only have one more game to finish off the season and it is one I know all the boys are looking forward to as we will travel to Bombala to hopefully finish off the regular competition with a win.
Points this week: Timmy Moffitt 3 - Playing for the first time this season at fullback Timmy chose the perfect time to attack and was always a solid wall of last line defence, played with a busted shoulder to boot. Pete Sturgiss 2 - With an attitude like his Pete is the bloke every player wants to have next to him on the field. Matt Pearson 1 - Switching from the backs seemed to have been the right move for Matty and he is relishing his time in the pack.
Players Player - Pete Sturgiss. I won't give Pete another wrap, even though I should, well done Pete.
Thanks to all, especially these few: The Royal Mail, Braidwood Earth Moving, Schmidt Quarries, Braidwood Rural And Building Supplies and IGA Supermarket. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Thanks also to those who bought Wood Raffle tickets, the lucky winner was Judy Robins.
Finally I would like to congratulate local product Jake Holland. Jake has been selected for the Australian Schoolboys Rugby side. This is a great honour and one hell of an achievement, so well done Jake, we are all proud of you. Hope to see you carving up the All Blacks one day, unlike some other Wallabies that shall remain nameless.
Brendan Maher reporting.
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