Round 12 vs Easts Match Report

by Ben Mitchell

Round 12 – GPS vs Easts. Allsports Physiotherapy Hospital Challenge Cup. Saturday 26th June, Ashgrove Sports Ground, Yoku Road, Ashgrove

GPS are back at Yoku Road to take on the Easts Tigers, aiming to sweep the season series after winning 25-19 back in round 3. The Gallopers have played some of their best footy in recent weeks, beating Souths 47-20 in round 10 and dominating Norths 58-17 in round 11.

Points were few and far between in the first half. GPS fly half Mitchell Treleaven kicked a simple penalty in the 11th minute, putting his side up 3-0. The Gallopers didn’t see points again until the end of the half, when Patrick Nicholson broke through the heart of the defence with a darting run. He delivered an offload to centre Maaloga Konelio, who found a wide open Matt Gicquel on the left wing for an easy try. The score stood 8-0 going into half time.

Easts had minimal attacking opportunities in the first half. Fly half Lachlan Kirk hit the upright on a penalty kick in the 27th minute, missing points on the Tigers only scoring opportunity. The GPS scrum also flexed their muscle, winning two key scrum battles late in the first half backed up only 5 metres out from their own line.

GPS were the first to break through in the second half, off the back of quick ball movement from the ruck. Lock Tuaina Tualima dished off a timely offload to Mitch Treleaven, who released the ball to Matt Gicquel, running over three Easts defenders from 10 metres out to score a fantastic try. Reserve half back and Rebels star James Tuttle slotted the conversion, extending the lead to 15-0 with 26 minutes to play.

Mitchell Treleaven was sin binned in the 62nd minute for a deliberate knockdown on a Tigers line break, but the Gallopers held strong and kept the Tigers out despite being down a man.

Easts were finally able to find the try line late, as winger Shane Kennedy went over in the right corner off the back of a timely pass from full back Jack Frampton. The game concluded 15-5, GPS moving to 10-1 on the season.

Several players stood out for GPS, none more than flanker Matt Gicquel, who snagged both tries and won big turnovers at the ruck. Fullback Patrick Nicholson also had his best game of the season.