A brave Wyndham City survived a late attack from its bogey side Kiwi Hawthorn for a winning start to the season in the Victorian Rugby Union second division.
For eight months, the Rhinos have repeatedly been second best in meetings with Hawthorn, going down in last year’s finals series and losing twice in the pre-season warm-up matches.
But the Rhinos put a full stop to Hawthorn’s dominance, holding on for a thrilling 18-15 win at Mossfiel Reserve on Saturday in a gutsy round one performance that even drew praise from the opposition sheds.
“We had comments from the other team about how much the boys have improved since the last time they played us,” Rhinos coach Karl Brown told Star Weekly.
“We worked hard over the off-season on what we were lacking. We concentrated on all the little things.”
The Rhinos mettle was tested to the maximum late on. They led by three points with five minutes to go but were on the receiving end of a Hawthorn onslaught.
The visitors attacked, the Rhinos repelled and so it continued until the mercy of the full-time whistle.
The Rhinos were like a brick wall, refusing to yield and claiming a memorable victory.
“It went down to the wire,” Brown said. “The boys hung in there really well.
“They attacked that line but the boys defence was rock solid and they couldn’t get across.”
Pazlayer Ae was the Rhinos’ three-star performer for the game. Ae, a former junior at the club, made a triumphant return as an outside flanker.
“He was great on the side of the scrum,” Brown said.
“He was all over the place – defence, attack – he just didn’t let up for the whole game. His fitness level is right up there for someone who hasn’t played for the last two years.
“He worked hard over the off-season, came to every training and he’s been a good pick-up for us.”
New recruit Greg Forster had a day out at hooker. The former Melton player was thrust into the unfamiliar role and shone.
Shane Peterson is another former junior who impressed in his first game back. He used his lightning pace on the wing to set up play in attack and was steady defensively.
The Rhinos’ win has set up a blockbuster second round away meeting with Geelong, which toppled last year’s premiers, Eltham, by a point.
“The two finalists from last year both got beaten and the sides who beat them will be facing each other,” Brown said. “We know we’re in for a battle.”
