By CHRIS GORDON

Despite the fact Goulburn lost both matches at Phiilip against Royals on Saturday, it was a performance that left first grade captain Boyd Newby and first grade coach Ben Pearson reaching for superlatives.

“That’s the gutsiest performance I’ve seen in my history with the Club,” was what Newby told his team mates at full time after they’d played themselves to a standstill in back to back games.

“Such a privilege to have a run out there today! So much character in that group,” are the words 25 year club veteran Pearson used to describe the effort.

And it deserved both accolades.

To tell the story, let’s ignore the usual format where we start with the senior grade before telling the back story of the lower grades and tell this yarn chronologically.

The day started with a bare 15 players on deck to play two full games. Which wasn’t a surprise.Having taken stock of injuries and unavailabilities at Thursday night training, it was apparent there’d be no more than around 18 or so players available.

Coach Pearson offered the squad the opportunity to forfeit (at least one game) due to the load it would put on the players bodies and the chance of an even greater injury toll, but to a man they voted to double up.

With minutes before kick off, it was clear there’d be only 15 players for the whole game, with Josh Kleining motoring towards the ground to swell the numbers to 16 for first grade.

Aidan Greaves, returning to the playing field after a few years off, quickly dusted off the rust and had Goulburn ahead after thirteen minutes with a comeback try. Royals equalised ten minutes later but Goulburn went back in front right on the break to hold a 12-5 half time lead.

Fifteen minutes into the second half Goulburn added a converted try for what appeared a commanding 17-5 lead, but Goulburn’s lack of reserves a slate of penalties brought Royals back into the game with tries in the 59th and 62nd minute for a slender 19-17 win

ROYALS 19 bt GOULBURN 17 (Aidan Greaves, Mick Webber and George Boardman tries, Webber conversion).

Best and fairest points to Brad Clements (3), Tim Moule (2), Tom Wykes (1) and Aidan Greaves (1). Players player was Brad Clements.

With one game behind them and another head of them, the Reds were looking forward to having one reserve for first grade with the arrival of Kleining, but an injury to Justin Benn meant there’d once again be no reserves.

Royals put together an imposing first grade side that included an Australian sevens player at full back, but the Reds were far from outclassed to be trailing but just 7 points at the break.

But Goulburn’s already stretched player numbers were about to worsen. Ben Pearson had to leave the field with a leg injury at the break leaving the Reds a player down.

Royals took just 10 minutes to increase their lead to 14 nil. More bad news was to come for the Reds with Tom Wykes sustaining a broken nose and suspected light concussion, and with twenty minutes remaining the Reds were down to just 13 players.

So here’s the gutsy bit. This is the bit where a side that was playing it’s second game and was two men down against a fresh side with reserves to spare could be expected to hang their heads a little. God knows their bodies were screaming out to stop.

Instead, the Reds dug even deeper and, where actual reserves weren’t available, drew on their inner reserves to run in three second half tries. Ben Todkill, BANG. Boyd Newby, BANG. Brad Clements, BANG.

With eight minutes remaining, Goulburn was trailing 19-17 and had scored as many tries as their numerically superior opponents. An impossible win seemed possible, but the fairy tale finish wasn’t to be. In the end Royals proved just too strong and added two more quick tries to win by 33-17.

ROYALS 33 bt GOULBURN 17 (Todkill, Newby, Clements tries, Webber conversion).

Best and fairest points to Brad Clements (3), Boyd Newby (2), Josh Kleining (1) and Mik Webber (1). Players player was Brad Clements.

As Pearson and Newby said, it really was a gutsy show of character despite the losses.

Hidden inside the game were a few significant milestones. Mik Webber played his 200th (and 201st) games for the club. Jackson Reardon notched up his 100th and 101st club games and Aiden Greaves played his 100th first grade game.

Next week, Goulburn is on the road again to play Queanbeyan at Campese Field, hoping to finally get on the board with a win, hoping to break the score of 17 that they’ve scored in three out of four matches so far this year, and hoping a few more blokes might decide this rugby caper sounds like a lot of fun.

ALL new or interested players invited to join in!!!

Location

Phillip Enclosed Oval, Woden