KANGAROOS BOUNCED BY ATHERTON
HE knew they were a hardedged bunch, but Atherton coach Graham Clark Snr learned just how tough — physically and mentally — his players really are after yesterday’s 26-20 win over Kangaroos at Vico Oval.
Following the win, which capped off a perfect away trip for the Roosters, claiming four wins from four grades on the day, Clark Snr lauded his side’s character and never-say-die attitude.
“We were pretty short (yesterday),” he said.
“I pulled two guys up from reserve grade to run on, and then had another three on the bench. But we had a choice today – we could’ve turned it up when Roos got the lead, but we kept digging and we came home over the top of them.”
With Roos leading 10-4 at the break, Clark Snr kept it simple at the halftime address.
“I thought it was a grinding sort of a game and if we held the ball, completed and kept turning up, we’d win,” he said.
“It took a bit longer than I expected to get on top of them.
“They won probably the first 10 minutes of the second half, then it was a battle for 10, then we got the ascendancy in the last 20.”
It was still up for grabs in the final stages with scores at 20all, until a last-ditch effort saw the Roosters snatch victory.
“The play to win it, we actually charged down a field-goal attempt by them,” said Clark Snr.
“Jermaine Pedro’s picked up the ball and run away and scored, but there were four Atherton blokes going for that charge down – it was a real effort play.”
Unfortunately, the win wasn’t without casualty, with Roosters’ Caleb Foster reinjuring his knee in the victory.