Eastern Suburbs star Michael Breen offloads as his Westgate opponent watches on hopelessly in the Pillar Cup grand final at Olympic Park on Saturday.By Marc McGowan
EASTERN Suburbs failed to become the inaugural Rugby Union Victoria Pillar Cup champion on Saturday, succumbing 34-19 to Westgate Power at Olympic Park.
The Power leapt out of the blocks to post the game’s opening two tries through Taofiga Sa and Tom Gilbert.
Eastern hit back when outside centre Isaac Haimona managed to cross in the corner, but the local squad’s excitement was short-lived.
Westgate strongman Josateki Saumaisue produced a brilliant solo run to put the ball underneath the posts, and Thomas Butler converted to give his side a 17-5 lead.
But a yellow card to Power prop Douglas Cushing was exactly what Eastern needed to wake from its slumber, and the team began to pile on the pressure.
Winger Michael Thompson and scrum-half Gideon Tauelangi racked up consecutive scores for Eastern to have the team in front 19-17 at half-time.
In a boost to Eastern’s chances, captain Moses Haukinima started on the field in the second half after being unavailable in the opening 40 minutes.
Haukinima’s entry into the clash was one of three changes head coach Stephen Tia made during the break.
The match became a dash to the finish when Sa’s second try handed Westgate the ascendancy once more, and Butler also slotted through a penalty as the Power edged out to a 27-19 advantage.
Cushing then made up for his earlier indiscretion to score the sealing try for Westgate. Butler kicked the ball through the uprights for the fourth time in the contest to give the Power an unassailable 34-19 advantage.
Sa was awarded the Archie Kennedy Medal as the best player in the grand final.
Kennedy is Eastern’s assistant coach, and the medal was named in his honour to recognise the outstanding work he has done for Victorian rugby.
Tia believes the result had much to do with the inexperience of his players and the weight placed upon them by Westgate.
“We lacked intensity after having pressure put on us for so long,” he said.
“If we had have scored (early in the second half) things might have been different.
“I don’t think we’ve been at our peak for the last two weeks … like I said to the boys, we had a go, but we just weren’t good enough.”
Tia also defended his club’s attacking strategy and fired a shot at the Power’s tactics.
“It was like 1960s rugby versus 2007-style rugby,” he said.
“We were trying to run the ball and they were trying to hold it.
“I’d rather lose a game playing open rugby than playing some boring, piece of crap style.”
The Pillar Cup has been warmly received by all involved, but Tia envisions plenty of improvement for the new competition.
“One of my aims is to improve the players I come across, and, I think, not being big-headed, that we’ve done that,” he said.
“Obviously, we have to look after the local clubs.
“Endeavour Hills was struck down badly, but that’s more in-house than just us because you can’t take three players out and say we ruined the club.
“There has to be some different timing for the (Pillar Cup and Premier One) seasons because a lot of the guys have been training and playing since last October.”
