James Murphy
THE Blue Lake Knights have claimed their first victory of the 2022 Limestone Coast Rugby League season.
Played on home soils at Malseed Park, the Knights matched up against the Gunditjmara Bulls for Round 8 and emerged four-point victors after a tough battle.
It was a positive outcome after the Knights were forced to forfeit their previous meeting with the Bulls back in Round 5.
On Saturday both teams finished the day with five tries and it was the superior conversion rate of Blue Lake’s Brent Dries which proved the difference.
He converted five from five to lead his side to a 30-26 triumph.
The Knights were first out of the gates and Karl Schaefer opened the ledger with a try in the opening five minutes of play.
Dries then converted to give his side a handy lead early in the piece.
From there an arm wrestle ensued, with both sides fighting for control.
At half time the score was 18-16 in the Knights’ favour, following tries from Jone Vereti Bilitaki and Setoki Balelevuka for the home team.
“Our forwards were winning the ruck and just bearing through the middle and defending well,” Knights coach Lloyd Pearce-Raisin said.
“In the second half (the Bulls) really ramped up their middle so we had to shift the ball a bit more to get around them.”
However, the Knights held firm and Vereti Bilitaki scored again, before a kick off dummy-half from Dries rewarded Pearce-Raisin with a try which ultimately sealed the game.
When Dries converted, it handed Blue Lake a 10-point lead, which was enough to hold back the Bulls.
To their credit, the guests tried and converted to bring it back within four points and the final play of the game saw them 10 metres out and pushing for the win.
However, the Knights defended well and denied the comeback to claim the win.
Pearce-Raisin was pleased to see his team on the winner’s list, after seven rounds of struggling to field a full-strength team.
“To get our first win of the year was really good,” he said.
“With injuries and unavailability it has been the first time we have played as a full squad.
“It was pleasing to see what we can do, knocking off the Bulls who had only lost two games bar that one for the year.”
Played in warm conditions, Pearce-Raisin credited a solid team performance to push over the line.
“Everyone shared the workload with it being a bit hot and I think (the Bulls) probably just run out of legs towards the end,” he said.
“I thought we defended well and attacked well, it was very pleasing.
“Obviously still a few errors and stuff to tidy up, but it was really good to get that first win on the board.”
Dries impressed with his accuracy and game management in the business end of the match, while Pearce-Raisin gave credit to the entire team.
“I think having Karl Schaefer back made a difference – he scored the first try for us for the day,” Pearce-Raisin said.
“I thought he was really good.
“Our backs were really good as well – Jake Witty and Cooper Hodge were really good and Ben Goodman had some good runs too.”
The Knights now look forward to another challenge in Warrnambool against the Raiders.
