Last Saturday at Lawson Oval Grenfell, Woodbridge hosted the Panorama Platypi (Bathurst & Surrounds) in round 3 of the Western Womens Rugby League competition.
The players and a healthy number of spectators were greeted by perfect conditions for footy.
Woodbridge had their only victory in the under 12s match winning 24-16 in a feisty affair that included three Sin Bins.
The under 12s are coached by Justin Gunn and one of the trainers is Steve Taylor who are both ex Grenfell Goannas First Grade captain/coaches. In the under 14s game Panorama led by 12 nil after just 10 minutes of play but to the credit of the Woodbridge girls they fought back and with 20 minutes left on the clock they were only down by 18-10.
The Platypi finished the stronger of the two teams and scored three tries in the final 20 minutes to register a 34-10 victory.
The Panorama under 18s scored three tries in the opening 8 minutes and it looked like the Woodbridge girls were in for a tough day.
This match changed complexion when Woodbridge used their bench and just after half-time it was anyone’s game with Panorama leading 20-16.
The closeness of the scores resulted in an increased intensity in this clash but it was the Platypi who prevailed 30-16 in a spirited finish after scoring tries in the 45th and 55th minutes of play.
Woodbridge came up against an in-form Platypi under 18s outfit who came into this match after big wins in the first two rounds of the competition.
Panorama led this match 24 nil at half-time and they went on with the job in the second half to win 50-6 but all the Woodbridge girls tried hard for the full 60 minutes.
After a tight opening in the first stanza of the opens match the Platypi led 10 nil at half-time, a scoreline that may have flattered the visitors a fraction.
After the break the Platypi went up a gear and virtually put the game out of reach of the Woodies with tries in the 36th, 38th, and 43rd minutes of play resulting in a 26-nil lead with 17 left on the clock.
The final score read Panorama 30 Woodbridge 4 but the game ended on a disappointing note for the visitors when their gun hooker Xanthe Booth suffered a serious leg injury in the dying stages of the clash.
The Woodbridge club would like to wish Xanthe a good and speedy recovery.
Next weekend there will be a general bye for all clubs due to the holiday long weekend and the following weekend (October 12 and 13) Woodbridge will be having another bye.
This means that Woodbridge won’t be back in action until Sunday, October 20 when they travel over to the Red Bend College to take on Lachlan (Forbes/Parkes). There will be no under 18s game as Lachlan are not fielding a team in this age group this year.
On Saturday, October 26 Woodbridge will be back at Lawson Oval when the are hosting the Orange Vipers in all 5 age groups.
On a final note the Goannas would like to thank all those committee people, players, and supporters who helped make last Saturday a success including the ground set up, canteen and a playing surface that was presented in tip top condition.