ROUND 13 RESULTS Saturday 18th July saw Wests at home at Rosalie with 1sts and 2nds playing UWA and 3rds and 4ths playing Curtin Uni., whilst U20’s had a bye. 1st Grade: 1sts played Uni and after last weeks close loss were looking for a win, especially after video showed Wests had scored two legitimate tries that were disallowed by Ref John Hill, so the players were fired up for this game. Mike Marshall came in for an injured Graham Cooper at halfback and the Wests players started well competing at the breakdown and making first up tackles. Uni scored first after 20 or so minutes, with a penalty and then Wests equalised however Uni scored a try and lead 8-3. Close to half time Ollie Coles scored close to the posts for Wests from a good forward drive, however Peter Powderly missed an easy conversion so it was 8-8 at the break. The 2nd half started like the first with it being an arm wrestle however 20 minutes in Uni kicked a penalty to lead 11-8. 5 minutes later Peter Powderly kicked a penalty and the scores were level at 11-11 with around 10 minutes to play. Wests should have had a penalty that was very kickable with 5 minutes to go for offside, however whilst everyone at the ground saw it, the 3 officials didn’t. In the final play of the match Wests broke out from around Uni’s 10 metre line and Anthony Tait unloaded to Nathan Wooten who outpaced the defence to score in the corner and the Wests supporters went crazy. Peter Powderly couldn’t convert from the touchline and Ref Warren Lynch blew full time with Wests taking their first win of the season 16-11. Peter Powderly kicked 2 penalties and Player of the Day was Nathan Wooten. It was good to hear the 1sts players belt out the Wests song in the changerooms after the game, it clearly being heard down on the ground where the Club Officials were cleaning up, as one Club member said to me “Man, it’s good to hear that”. Congratulations to Gibbo, Stephen Montgomery and all the players who have played 1sts this season, it was only a matter of time until your first win came. Let’s see if we can maintain it against Perth next Saturday. 2nd Grade: 2nds played University on Field 1and at halftime were down 7-21. However in the 2nd half Wests came back but went down 17-24, with tries to Anthony Tait and Jason Frost who came off and went to hospital with a broken hand, whilst Craig Barrett kicked 2 conversions and a penalty. Player of the day was Anthony Tait. A close game and Wests had Uni under pressure late in the 2nd half, however they couldn’t get over the line. 3rd Grade: 3rds started off the day playing Curtin on Field 2 and went out to a 3-0 lead from a Darren McVitty penalty. They were then under the hammer on defence for the rest of the 1st half, but led at halftime. The 2nd half was more of the same, under constant pressure in their own 22 but they held Curtin out until the 69th minute when Curtin scored and converted to win the game 7-3. Wests belied their position on the ladder and put in a mammoth effort in defence with Ref Kim Short saying it was the best defence he’s seen in any game this season. If 3rds play like this next weekend they should be able to record a win against Perth who are one place below them on the ladder. Player of the Day was Ben Stoddart. A great effort 3rds and you were unlucky not to win. 4th Grade: 4ths followed on playing Curtin also, with Wests in 2nd spot on the ladder and Curtin in 3rd, 3pts behind. Wests went out to a 12-3 lead and held that score until the 69th minute also when they let Curtin in for a try beside the posts which they converted, the final whistle went and Wests got up 12-10 to take the 4pts and stretch their lead over Curtin on the table. Try scorers were Kurt Belsham and Scott Blakemore who also kicked a conversion. Player of the Day was ‘Woody’. 4ths have another tough one next week playing Perth Bayswater who are in 4th spot on the ladder. Kevin Hays (President)