The Endeavour Hills and Box Hill scrums battle it out during their Victorian Rugby Union Premier One clash at Frog Hollow Reserve on Saturday. Picture: Meagan Rogers.By Marc McGowan
ENDEAVOUR Hills began the Victorian Rugby Union Premier One season the same way it ended it, but showed that it could threaten some sides in 2008.
Box Hill ultimately ran away with Saturday’s match in the final 25 minutes to register a 34-7 triumph over the Hills at Frog Hollow Reserve.
The teams were only separated by a converted try at half-time, with the Broncos holding sway 14-7.
Endeavour Hills’ sole try came from open-side flanker Junior Salesulu, which Tim Finau subsequently converted.
But the Hills could not maintain its performance as Box Hill powered on.
Former Endeavour Hills star Lewis Leaumoana turned in a typically strong performance, but disappointingly for the home side it came for his new club.
Leaumoana, who had played for the Hills since his junior days, scored once and will add plenty to the Broncos’ arsenal.
For Endeavour Hills, Salesulu was a standout and it also received good service from Moorabbin recruit Oge Toala and Presley Naea.
Despite the loss, new Hills coach Jeff Lemalu was satisfied with his troops’ display.
“It was very good and I’m very happy with the way they played,” he said.
“They did more than I thought for the first game. It looks like they still have a lot of work to do, but it’s good to get that first game out of the way.”
Lemalu was under no illusions as to why his squad lost the game.
“We were in the game for 50 to 60 minutes and then our fitness let us down and we just ran out of gas,” he said.
“I think we’ll be a threat to a lot of teams who think that Endeavour Hills is gone.
“I reckon we’ll call ourselves the dark horse and we’ll definitely surprise a lot of teams.”
The Hills faces Northern at C.T. Barling Reserve in Reservoir on Saturday at 3.15pm.
