Match Report - Onkas vs Brighton

Onkas Premiers Go Down in a Tough Fight (11-61)

With 20 senior male players out with injury or illness, this was always going to be a hard week for the Onka men.  They fought hard under lights at Brighton but ultimately went down in a game where the scoreboard did not accurately reflect the performance. Apologies for the lack of specific player callouts, the video quality for this game was quite poor, making it hard to pinpoint specific players and often focussed on the side-line, missing key plays.

After the minute of silence for ANZAC Day, Onkas kicked off heading north. Brighton threw some scrappy ball, and Onkas pinned them on the 10m before Brighton received a penalty for offside. The kick cleared to the 40m and Brighton spun the ball across field. Despite solid Onkas defence and some loose throws, Brighton retained possession and made a break up the middle of the field. Onkas regrouped and drew a penalty, kicking back to their attacking 40m. Several hit ups led to another penalty and a lineout on the attacking 22m. Onkas looked dangerous with some good hit-ups with the ball, but eventually the ball was kicked dead for a goal-line drop out.

Onkas recovered the ball and crashed up drawing another penalty for a hit after play. Dusty took the penalty kick but was unsuccessful, with the ball pulling to the left of the posts.

Brighton kicked the 22m dropout deep and Onkas pushed it wide, losing the ball on the wing. Brighton countered and drew a penalty for diving over the ruck. They kicked to just inside the 40m for a lineout. The Onka defence held strong against multiple hits, almost stealing the ball and forcing a turnover at the ruck.  The ball was kicked deep, but out on the full and brought back to the defensive 22m. Brighton’s throw was not straight, and Onkas kicked the free kick deep, where Brighton recovered. They managed a few breaks before managing to drive over the line for a try. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 0 – Brighton 7

Brighton caught the kick-off and set a ruck, spinning the ball wide and drawing a scrum. From the scrum they pushed the ball into the centres, looking dangerous until Kaedan took the intercept. He chipped over the defenders and the ball bounced out just outside the 22m. Brighton cleared their line-out and hit up in the backs before spinning back to the short side and then out wide. Onkas stole the ball and crashed in the centres but were called back for an Onka’s scrum for a Brighton knock-on. Onka had some big hits from Riley and Jack before a chip kick was marked by the Brighton defence, but the ball came back to an Onka Penalty for obstruction. Dusty’s penalty kick slipped just left of the posts and play came back for a 22 dropout.

Brighton caught Onkas off-guard with a regathered dribble kick that barely left the kickers foot.  Onkas made a big tackle but gave away a penalty for a late hit. Brighton took the kick and lineout and almost found some space on the 22m, before Onkas snatched a penalty and cleared. The kick was caught before crossing the line and Brighton and then Onkas both kicked back and forth before Brighton run up the centre. Onkas intercepted a loose pass, set a scrappy maul and then Riley crashed the ball up. Onkas kicked but knocked on trying to regather.

Brighton won their scrum and found some gaps on the nearside wing before being chased down on the 5m. Onkas defended well, with Isaac managing to kick a loose ball free. Brighton recovered and drew an offside penalty on the wing, kicking out on the far 5m line. They formed a maul from the line-out but were held back by Onkas. After a few phases they managed to find some space out wide to cross the line. The Conversion from almost in front was unsuccessful.

Onkas 0 – Brighton 12

Brighton recovered the kick-off but were swarmed with red and black defenders, giving up a scrum for a lost ball. From the back of the scrum, Kaedan passed to Dusty who chipped deep. Tom won the footrace and soccered the ball forward and into the path of Dusty, who scooped it up and crossed the line for a try. Dusty’s conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 5 – Brighton 12

Onkas made some good hits from the kick-off before kicking it deep into the back pocket, in front of the Onka dugout. Brighton recovered, spinning wide but knocked on under pressure. Onkas looked dangerous off the scrum with Tom Bray and Tom Davies making good breaks, and eventually Onkas drew a penalty on the 22m and took the shot. Troy’s kick was successful.

Onkas 8 – Brighton 12

The Brighton kick-off fell short of the 10m but bounced over and was recovered by a Brighton player who had overrun the kick. They spun the ball wide quickly and shook a few tackles to cross on the nearside wing. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 8 – Brighton 19

Onkas recovered their kick-off and drew a penalty for a high tackle. Dusty took the penalty from just in front of the Onka dugout, slotting the 3 points.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 19

Onkas caught the kick-off, kicking deep. Brighton recovered and spun wide and their prop crashed through, being caught right on the line. The ball was spun wide and Onkas were unable to stop the player from crossing. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 26

Brighton recovered the kick-off and put the ball out for half time.

HALF TIME: Onkas 11 – Brighton 26

The second half started with a Brighton kick that was caught by Riley who crashed it up. Onkas tried to spin the ball out but knocked on. Brighton passed the ball from the scrum, but Onkas dived on the loose ball. An attempt to kick was smothered and Brighton regathered, crashing up the middle. A Brighton scrum resulted and Brighton looked set to score on the wing before two try-saving tackles in a row by Blake resulted in an Onkas penalty.

Another kick from the lineout was smothered, but Kaeden recovered, spinning through a tackle and the ball was kicked out on the 40m. Brighton won their lineout but knocked on while attacking. Onkas played advantage and regathered but knocked on and an Onka scrum was called. The ball was kicked down field, but Brighton recovered making a break on the wing and pushing deep into attack, crashing over on the opposite side for a try and conversion.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 33

From the kick-off Brighton made a few crashes before slipped through after breaking a tackle in the middle and running into a crushing tackle from Tom Davies just inside the 22m. Onkas defended desperately on the line, pushing out an attempt at a diving try on the wing. Play was brought back for an offside penalty and Brighton mauled over the line for a converted try.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 40

Brighton made a big break up the middle from the kick off, but Onkas stole the ball after some solid defence. The ball was kicked and Brighton recovered and again went on the attack. Tom marked an attempted chip to the wing and kicked the ball back. Brighton ran a couple of phases and received a penalty. After some back and forth Brighton made a break and a chip kick through, but Onkas forced a knock on at the 5m defensive line. Onkas took the scrum and made a big break down the wing to the middle. Brighton recovered an Onka’s kick, slipping around the defence. Onkas regrouped but Brighton managed to find some space on the wing. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 47

Some quick ballwork from Brighton at the kickoff resulted in a forward pass and Onka penalty. The kick didn’t go out and was returned. Onkas ran a quick lineout and some centre crashes before a chip kick drew a Brighton knock-on. A solid scrum put Onkas on the attack, but the ball spilt loose from a tackle giving a Brighton runner room to run down the wing to score and the try was converted.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 54.

Brighton returned the kick-off with a kick of their own. Onkas mauled from the lineout then pushed wide and drew a penalty for offside. An Onkas lineout at the 22m gave away a free kick for baulking and Brighton hit up the middle. Onkas stripped the ball and got awarded a scrum for Brighton’s knock-on. The ball was spun to wing but a forward pass gave a Brighton scrum. Onkas drew a penalty and a fight took place with Brighton charging into the Onka’s player box. A yellow card was given to both sides. The game went back and forth for a bit, with Onkas making good ground before giving away a penalty. Brighton managed to run up the wing and score and convert on full time.

Onkas 11 – Brighton 61

Best Player: Louie Mills, Voucher: Blake Bruse-Hall

Onka Women Get Big Win over Brighton (68-0)

The Onka women continued their dominant performance, putting on a great show against the Brighton team.

After a minute of silence for ANZAC Day, Onkas started with the kick-off, heading south.  A loose ball and some good pressure from the Onka forwards forced a knock-on and early scrum. Onkas were solid in the scrum and spun the ball quickly to the backs. A couple of good runs, followed by some forward hit ups in the middle led to Cheyenne evading the opposition for Onka’s first points. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 5 - Brighton 0

 A short Brighton kick-off bounced to Vron, who took the hit and popped to Caity. A maul formed and Onkas pushed Brighton back, before the ball was sent out to Ashley who placed a perfect chip over the top. Ashley recovered her own kick, with the ball falling straight into her arms and powered down the field to the 5m line before she was finally brought down. Brighton received a penalty at the ruck and took the tap. They passed to a runner, who panicked at the oncoming defenders and kicked the ball out making very little ground. Because Brighton has taken the tap first, Onka’s got the lineout and threw quick ball to the backs where Caitlin burst over the line for a try between the posts. Ashley’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 12 – Brighton 0

A deep kick by Brighton was recovered and taken forward by Onkas but eventually Brighton received a penalty on the far wing just outside their attacking 22m. Brighton took the ball forward but hit a solid wall of Onka’s defenders and some big tackles, which drove them backward. Brighton eventually got another penalty in the same spot as the first. Despite multiple penalties, Brighton failed to cross the 22m line, continually being driven back by the Onka defence. Onkas cleared when Grace swooped on an overthrow but Onkas knocked the ball on. After the scrum, the Onka defenders swarmed a flatfooted Brighton attacking line but gave yet another penalty away for offside. Brighton’s kick did not go out and Onkas counter attacked with Ashley clearing with a kick. Onka’s stole the lineout cleanly and passed the ball out wide, before heading back in for some centre crashes. Kayla broke through for a big run and a chip kick was gathered by Brighton.  Grace flattened the return runner and a dominant Onka’s counter ruck regained the ball. A few more hits, and some fancy step work by Vron got her over the line for Onka’s next points. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 17 – Brighton 0

Vron caught the kick-off and Onkas tried to push out wide to Caitlin but were called up for a forward pass. Brighton again struggled to make ground against a solid Onka defence. Despite a penalty against them for not rolling away, Onkas pushed Brighton back forcing them out on the far side 22m. Ashley kicked the ball deep with Caitlin dragging down the returning ball runner. A solid hit by Ashley was called high and Brighton drew yet another penalty on their attacking 22m. A lazy tap and run resulted in the Brighton runner being caught by Grace and Cheyenne who drove her back a couple of meters. Onkas continued to defend eventually stealing the ball but being driven over the sideline near the 22m. Brighton threw several loose passes from the lineout under pressure from the defence. Onkas drove them back to the halfway line before Grace swooped on another loose ball, picking it up and bursting through the line, scoring between the posts. Ashley’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 24 – Brighton 0

The kick-off landed just past the 10m line and bounced back to Brighton. Onka’s defence swarmed the runner, with Ashley stealing the ball. Kayla made a big run but was penalised for holding on. Brighton picked the ball without appearing to tap it and again ran into a solid wall of red and black. Isabelle was dominant at the ruck and forced a turnover to Grace, but the ref awarded a penalty to Brighton. Brighton made a big break and looked set to score before a crushing tackle by fullback Caitlin spilled the ball. Some desperate defence saw Onkas hold off the Brighton attack and draw a penalty, clearing with a big kick downfield. Onkas crashed back to midfield. A big run by Cheyenne pushed past the halfway but next play Onkas were again penalised for not releasing. Brighton tapped but made little ground before being forced out over touch. A scrappy Onkas lineout fell to Chantelle who settled the ruck and the ball was shot out to Caitlin who stepped around most of the Brighton team to score under the posts. Ashley’s conversion was successful.

HALF TIME: Onkas 31 – Brighton 0

Onkas recovered the kickoff and crashed forward drawing a penalty. The kick bounced off a Brighton receiver and went forwards. Onkas recovered and played advantage but lost the ball at a ruck so the game came back for an Onkas scrum. Some good breaks by Caitlin and Grace drew an Onka penalty, leading to a lineout just outside the 22m. Onka spun the ball wide and then crashed up on the far wing, with some good forward work putting Grace over for a try. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 36 – Brighton 0

Ashley received the kick off and passed out to the backs. A few big hits and runs led Onkas back over the halfway and yielded a penalty. Brighton stole the lineout but play was called back for a knock-on scrum. Brighton made some ground with a run out wide, but it was mostly across the field and solid defensive pressure forced a forward pass from the tackle. Onkas cleared the scrum and the backs raced the ball forward through Cheyenne and then the forwards through Kayla. Grace made a bit hit and drew a penalty. Olivia tapped and passed to Grace who crashed through the Brighton line to score. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 41 - Brighton 0

Onkas knocked on from the kickoff and Brighton then knocked on from the scrum. Onkas drew a freekick from the scrum and raced up the farside wing making it to the 22m. Brighton stole the ball but an interception from Vron led to the ball spinning wide and Shakira scoring on the wing. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 46 – Brighton 0

A wonky bounce led to Brighton putting on a big tackle from kick-off, but Onkas settled and crashed up the middle before spinning to the backs. Some solid ruckwork and big runs gave Onkas good ground and a penalty for an illegal tackle. A knock-on in the lineout led to a scrum on the 40m. Onkas drove the scrum back, putting pressure on the halfback and the ball spilled forward. Onkas regathered and made some good breaks up the middle driving deep into the 22m. Grace proved too hard to stop, torpedoing over the line under the posts. Ashley’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 53 – Brighton 0

Ashley recovered the ball from kickoff and made some ground, and Grace and Isobelle made some big hits before the ball spun out to the backs who crashed forward making a break on the wing. Quick ball work got the ball to Grace who crashed up the middle, almost breaking through five defenders. Brighton drew a penalty and tapped quickly, racing up midfield. A good tackle by Ashley and counterruck by Caity drew an Onka penalty. Grace took a quick tap and drew an offside penalty. Ashley kicked the ball out deep inside the 22m. A clean lineout spun the ball to Cheyenne who slipped through the defence and scored under the posts. Ashely’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 60 - Brighton 0

The kickoff fell to Victoria who crashed it up, making some good ground, but Brighton slipped the ball out of the ruck. A big tackle and counterruck by Grace forced a Brighton knock-on. Ashley chipped over the top and Brighton missed the ball with Onkas regathering and running up the outside. Grace finished the scoring with a crash over the line. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 65 – Brighton 0

(Note: my score does not match the official score as I believe a conversion was accidentally recorded as a try).

Best Player:  Grace Fitzsimmons. Voucher: Cheyenne Chilton

Onkas Reserves Put Up a Good Fight (12-71)

Onkas Reserve Grade struggled with numbers and injuries, with many C graders and U18s filling gaps in the team sheet. Despite this, they put up a solid performance and had some moments of brilliance in a fairly unbalanced game.

Tries to Dyson Mostyn (2), and conversion to Damon Whitton.

Best Player: Dyson Mostyn. Voucher: Brodie Groenland

Onka Third Grade Go Down to Brighton (5-88)

A depleted Third Grade struggled against an in-form Brighton Gold. There were some great phases of play, but speed at the rucks and missed tackles ultimately cost the game.

Try to Ben White and conversion to Stuart Suter.

Best Player: Philomon Enalanga. Voucher: Oscar Allen

Results - Onkas vs Brighton

Match Report - Onkas vs Woodville

Onkas Show Great Heart in a Claw Back Win (29-22)

In front of a huge crowd of past players, Onkas kicked off, heading north. They recovered the kick off but knocked on in a big tackle. Woodville won their scrum despite being pushed back and Onkas defence held solid, with Cooper ripping the ball for a turn-over. A big pick and drive drew a penalty, and Dusty put the kick out on the 22m. The Onkas line-out resulted in the ball spinning out to the nearside wing and a Woodville lineout.  After some back and forth kicking, a strong chase forced the Woodville receiver out just outside the 22m. Onkas made a break from the lineout and it looked like a Woodville player dived over the ruck off his feet, but Woodville were given the penalty for Onkas playing the ball on the ground. The kick led to a Woodville line-out at the 40m and James Shearer stripped the ball from the subsequent ball runner. Onkas peppered the Woodville defence, leading to a chip kick and an Onkas line-out on the 22m. A maul made some good ground before the ball was spun back to midfield. A knock-on led to a Woodville scrum on the 5m. Onkas drew a penalty from the scrum and Dusty kicked the three-pointer at the 11-minute mark.

Onkas 3 – Woodville 0.

The kick-off was caught by Tommy who popped the ball inside just before being bumped out of play. Onkas drew a penalty for a high tackle and kicked to just past halfway. The line-out was spun to the backs and a couple of forward hit ups. A wide pass fell loose, Woodville recovered and a fight broke out, leading to a long talk from the ref to both captains and a penalty to Onkas. The kick set a line-out on the 40m. Onkas spun the ball to the far wing and drew another penalty. Dusty kicked the ball out on the 5m line. Onkas took the line-out despite an overthrow but then gave away a penalty for offside. Woodville kicked and Troy caught the ball, running up the wing. Onkas drew another penalty for offside and again put the ball out at the 5m. A knock-on let Woodville clear to just inside the 40m. Onkas formed a maul from the line-out, making good ground and passing out wide, but Woodville drew the penalty and cleared with a kick to the 40m. The line-out was not straight but was not called up and Woodville collected it at the back of the line, pushing into centre field and getting a penalty. They took a quick tap and made a big run before giving away a penalty to the Onkas defence. The ball was kicked out just past half-way. Again, the line-out was not straight and Woodville took a tap from the free kick, crashing up several times. Onkas stole the ball, kicked clear and drew a penalty for Woodville diving over. Onkas spun the ball wide and drew a penalty. Onkas took a tap and James Shearer scored on the wing. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 8 – Woodville 0

The Woodville kick went out on the full and play returned to centre field for an Onka scrum. Onkas hit several times up the middle before a Dusty chip and solid defence pushed the Woodville player out. The line-out wasn’t straight, so Woodville got a free kick and took the hit up before chipping. Their player recovered and spun out to the wing, making some good ground.  Another chip was recovered by Blake who made a big run, but the ball was knocked-on on the wing.

Woodville took the ball forwards from their scrum and drew a penalty for hands in the ruck. The kick was put out on just outside the 5m line. Woodville recovered the loose ball from the line-out and their bigger players made several crashes before the Onka’s defence forced a goal-line dropout. Woodville recovered and crashed forward again, crossing the line for their first points. The conversion was unsuccessful. Tommy received a yellow card for intentional infringement for a tackle before the try.

Onkas 8 – Woodville 5

The kick-off went out on the full and Woodville cleared their midfield scrum. A number 8 break, and a kick put Woodville in attack again and despite solid Onka defence they managed to slip through the middle and scored under the posts. The conversion was successful. Halftime was called.

HALF TIME: Onkas 8 – Woodville 12

Woodville started the half with a kick, and Onkas were penalised for backchat. The lineout was won by Woodville but subsequently knocked-on. Onkas gave away a penalty from the scrum and Woodville took a quick tap and drew another penalty and a yellow card for Louie. Woodville kicked the penalty stretching their lead.

Onkas 8 – Woodville 15

Woodville recovered the deep kick-off and cleared, drawing a penalty for offside. They kicked the ball out on the 40m line. From the line-out they attacked midfield and then picked from the ruck, making more ground and the game was called back for an earlier offside penalty against Onkas. Woodville took the line-out just outside the 22m and made a break up the centre before spinning to the far wing. They then pushed back to centre and across to the nearside wing. Onkas defended well and forced a knock-on from a Woodville player on the tryline. Onkas were driven back in the scrum and the Woodville number 8 crashed over the line for a try. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 8 – Woodville 22

With Onkas down by 14 with 30min to go, the boys needed to lift. Woodville again looked dangerous from the kick-off, making some big runs and drawing a penalty at halfway. The kick didn’t go out and was retuned. Woodville again slipped some tackles but were brought down on the wing and Onkas received the penalty. Woodville were awarded a penalty from the lineout and Onkas were marched another 10m for backchat. Woodville kicked the ball out for a lineout. Onkas defended well, drawing a penalty for not releasing and getting some breathing space with a Dusty kick to the 40m. Woodville knocked on in the line and Onkas cleared their scrum with a Dusty kick. Onkas defence prevented the counterattack and drew a penalty and line-out on their attacking 22. They received another penalty at the lineout and kicked again, to their 5m, but knocked on in the line-out. Onkas scrum drove Woodville back, drawing a penalty and a quick tap spun the ball to the centres. Dusty dummied a pass and crashed through for a try. Dusty’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 15 – Woodville 22.

With just under 20min remaining, Tommy caught the kick-off and Onkas crashed up before Dusty cleared with a deep kick that went out just outside the 22m. Tommy stole the line-out and the ball was pushed to the backs and then crashed by the forwards but knocked-on. Woodville cleared their scrum and pushed the ball up the centre before kicking it out on the full. The line-out led to a Dusty kick. Louie stole the ball from the Woodville ruck and, after some back and forth, Woodville took the ball deep in their defensive line and kicked out on the 22m. Woodville capitalised on some scrappy ball from the line-out and drew an offside penalty, pushing Onkas back to just inside the 40m. Quick Onkas defence forced another out on the full kick and brought the ball back to the attacking 22m. Onkas drew a penalty from the line-out and pushed the ball wide before knocking on. Woodville crashed back in the centres and looked to make a break before some solid tackles slowed them and forced a knock-on and Onka scrum. The ball was spun wide and then back to the forwards with Jayden making a big break and Tommy following up. The ball was again spun wide, and Onkas received a penalty for offside. Tommy crashed the ball up, walking over the top of several players to score the try. Dusty’s conversion evened the score with 3min to go.

Onkas 22 – Woodville 22

Tommy took the ball forward from the kick-off receive and Jack and Jayden made more ground before the ball was spun to the backs and knocked on.

Woodville took the ball to the centres from the scrum and dropped it, with Louie scooping it up. A few more phases scored a penalty for Onkas and Dusty kicked the ball deep to just inside the 40m. Woodville knocked on in the line-out but Onkas played advantage.  Liam broke the line and the ball cleared to Dusty who made a big break and looked dangerous, but the ball trickled over the sideline from a pass. Woodville kicked from the line-out, making little ground. Onkas spun the ball out to the backs who made solid runs and drew a penalty. Onkas took the tap and crashed up with Louie crossing for a try for last play. Dusty’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 29 – Woodville 22

Best Player: Dusty Loffler. Voucher: Rhys Warren.

Onka Women Get Big Win over Woodville (58-12)

Onkas started with the kick-off, heading south. For seven phases, Onkas held Woodville on the halfway line, eventually pushing them back and forcing a kick. Onkas gathered the ball and passed wide and breaking the line, only to be called back for a forward pass. Woodville cleared their scrum, despite a big push by Onkas, but again the defence held solid, keeping Woodville pinned on the halfway until Onkas drew a penalty. A kick led to a solid lineout and Onkas went on the attack with Caitlin bursting through the line for Onka’s first try at 7 minutes. The conversion was unsuccessful, after the ball fell from the tee, leaving only enough time for a quick drop kick.

Onkas 5- Woodville 0

Vron caught the kick-off and hit hard with Victoria following with another big hit. A series of good runs drew a penalty for Onkas after Woodville played it off the ground. A deep kick put the women on the attack just outside the 5m line. A great lineout led to the ball spinning wide and Caitlin scored under the posts at the 10min mark. Ashley’s conversion was good.

Onkas 12 – Woodville 0

A knock-on from the kick-off led to a Woodville scrum on the 40m. Woodville spun it wide, but the Onkas defence held strong, driving them back. An almost-intercept led to a penalty for Woodville on the 22m in front of goal. Some great ruckwork forced a turnover. Onkas fought their way back to halfway but gave away a penalty. Woodville kicked and took a lineout, pushing the ball to centre field. A couple of big runs pushed Onkas back to the 22m and Woodville drew a penalty at the 22m for a ruck infringement, crashing over on the wing. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 12 – Woodville 5

From the kick-off, Woodville passed the ball from wing to wing but didn’t make much ground against a solid Onka’s defence. A ruck infringement gave the visitors a penalty and a lineout just past halfway.  A big hit by Jade Wooton and solid ruckwork by Grace forced a turnover. Onkas attacked for several phases before drawing a penalty and kicking it long. After a good lineout, the ball was hit up in the centres and Caitlin threw a wide pass to Leah who looked to have scored on the wing, but it was called back for an Onkas penalty on the 5m centre field. After a few good crashes, Jade scored on the wing. Conversion unsuccessful.

Onkas 17 – Woodville 5

Jade made a huge break after the kick-off, followed by Grace who crashed up the centre. The ball spilled loose and went back for an Onkas penalty on the 22m. Isabelle took a big crash up and the ball spun out wide to Caitlin who scored on the wing. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 22 – Woodville 5

A knock-on from the kick-off resulted in a Woodville scrum. A big tackle caused a loose ball, which was collected by Isabelle and Olivia. Ashley put in a chip kick and recovered after a great bounce, but a subsequent knock-on brought the game back to a Woodville scrum and then a Woodville penalty, leading to a run up the wing.  Grace made the tackle and Olivia stole the ball resulting in a wrestling match and eventually a penalty for Woodville. The kick didn’t make it out, Onkas recovered and Caitlin, Ashley, and Kayla made some big runs. Ashley spun the ball to Jade who drew the winger and passed to Cheyenne who scored. Ashley made the conversion.

HALF TIME: Onkas 29 – Woodville 5

Woodville kicked off to start the second half, and Onkas made some good ground before stepping out on the wing. Pressure from Grace on the Woodville line out almost turned the ball over but ended in a knock-on and scrum for Woodville. Woodville spun the ball to the middle where Grace ripped it and crashed up. Onkas passed out and Shakira scored on the far wing. Cailtin’s conversion was successful.

Onkas 36 – Woodville 5

Shakira recovered the kick-off and hit to midfield. Onkas passed out the backs and went wide, crashing to the halfway. An Onka’s kick almost looked to put Caitlin in the open, but she just clipped the sideline. Onkas cleaned up Woodville’s loose ball from the lineout and Ashley kicked. The ball bounced back to Caitlin. A big hit by Victoria knocked Woodville back. Onkas ran some quick ball to the wing, but it was stolen by Woodville. Caitlin recovered the Woodville kick and ran almost to the 10m. Onkas looked dangerous but gave away a penalty for offside.

Woodville claimed their lineout before kicking. Onkas then crashed back in offense, with Victoria making a break and passing to Caity who scored on the wing. Conversion unsuccessful.

Onkas 41 – Woodville 5

Off the short kick-off, Woodville recovered the ball but good ruckwork by Onkas drew a scrum for a knock-on. Onkas won the scrum and kicked. Good pressure gave Onkas back the ball and some big runs put Onkas on the attack, resulting in a scrum just inside the 22m. Some missed passes and loose balls marred a good attack, but Onkas kept pushing, drew another scrum just outside the 5m line. Quick ball to the wing, ended with Caitlin scoring in the far corner. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 46 – Woodville 5

Grace took the kick-off, but Woodville drew a penalty in the ruck and chose to run. Onkas stole the ball but turned it back over and Woodville managed to spin it out and slipped a couple of tackles to score on the wing. Conversion was successful.

Onkas 46 – Woodville 12

Onkas defended well from the kick-off, drawing a scrum for knock-on. Onkas won the scrum but knocked-on. Woodville tried to attack wide, but Onkas stole the ball and crashed up, spinning the ball back to Caity who scored on the wing. Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 51 – Woodville 12

Woodville drew a penalty from the kick-off return but Ashley picked the loose ball from the kick. Kayla took the ball forward, making a good break and the ball spun to Grace and then Ashley who ran half the field to score and convert the try.

Onkas 58 – Woodville 12

Woodville kicked a grubber at the kick-off and recovered but knocked on. Ashley kicked and Woodville crashed up but solid defence from Onkas held them up and turned the ball over to end the game.

Best Player:  Caitlin Purton. Voucher: Kayla Davies

Onkas Reserves Hold on for the Win (31-28)

Onkas Reserve Grade got off to a great start, getting off to a healthy lead. Woodville came back strong, but Onkas held out with some desperate defence.

Tries to Ben White (3), Matt Collins, Declan Booby, and conversions to Declan Booby (3).

Best Player: Anthony Espostio. Voucher: Ben White

Onka Third Grade Go Down to North Torrens (19-64)

Onkas Third Grade never managed to pull their structure together in a disappointing game. A early yellow and red card to Noel Taylor, left the team with 14 players, and North Torrens capitalised on the reduced defence.

Tries to Luke Shearer, Brendan Roberts and Jake Grainger and conversions to Stuart Suter (2).

Best Player: Jake Grainger. Voucher: Lewis Waite

Resuls - Onkas vs Woodville

Match Report - Onkas vs Baross

Onkas with Solid Win over Barossa (43-19)

The A grade had a good showing against Barossa this week, putting together a solid defence with some great attacking plays to come away with the win.

The game started with a minute of silence for Onkas Founding Member, Brian Purdell, who passed away this week.

Onkas started with the kick-off heading north in the cloudy and wet conditions. Great pressure on the kick receiver and strong ruckwork drew an early penalty on the 40m mark, which Dusty kicked out on the 22m. The lineout was tapped down at the front and was gathered up by Louie who broke through the line and scored in the corner after just over a minute of play. The conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 5 – Barossa 0

Barossa restarted with a high kick, which was contested and knocked on by the Barossa player. A dominant Onkas scrum drove Barossa back and Dusty cleared the ball back to the 30m. Barossa got their first real possession from the line-out, but the Onka line held strong and the game reverted to a kicking contest until Barossa drew a penalty for Onkas offside. Barossa retained possession from a scrappy line-out but Isaac stripped the ball in a tackle and pulled it backwards, where it was gathered but knocked on by Onkas before they could clear.

Some loose play by Barossa and solid defence from Onkas held the visitors from making much ground before they knocked it on in a tackle. Unfortunately, Onkas then repeated this, with several phases not making much ground before a knock-on turned the ball over. The Onka scrum was dominant again, driving Barossa back almost 5m before Kaeden took the ball from the back and cleared with a kick.

Onkas kept the defensive pressure on, forcing some loose throws from Barossa. The ball appeared to pop loose at the back of a ruck and Troy hit the half-back, which resulted in a bit of pushing and an offside call. The Barossa kick put the line-out on the halfway line, but a ‘not straight’ call turned a free kick over to Onkas.

After a few phases, Dusty put the kick deep into the attacking 22m, but Barossa recovered and shrugged a few tackles to make a big run down the sideline. A few pop balls had them looking dangerous, until a tackle forced them out on the Onka defensive 22m line.

The ball was spilled forward in the lineout and Onkas kicked it. Barossa recovered and returned the kick. Tom Davies recovered and returned the ball back to the 22m, chasing down the receiver, tackling him out of play right in front of the Onkas box.

Despite a messy lineout, Onkas retained possession drawing a penalty on the 22m in the middle of the field. The wind caught the penalty kick attempt, pulling it to the left.

Onkas recovered the 22m drop-out with some big hits, before Kaedan took a box kick and was taken out after play. It looked like it might have been a card, but Barossa received a warning. Dusty kicked the resulting penalty deep, but it went dead and we returned for a scrum just outside the 22m. A huge Onkas scrum crashed through Barossa, resulting in a penalty and a lineout just inside the 22m. Onkas lost the lineout and Barossa took the ball wide but ultimately lost it forward in a tackle on the far side 22m. Onkas broke off the back of the scrum and some solid mauling looked promising until Barossa got the turn over and Marios took a head knock and had to leave the field. The scrum restart was almost stolen by Onkas before Barossa kicked it deep and Tom returned it. There were a few phases back and forth before and an Onkas scrum resulted in the ball being spun out wide, and Tom Davies making a break on the far wing. Onkas push some solid forward hits in the centre field before Kaedan and Dusty spun it wide. Cooper crashed over the line for Onkas 2nd try at the 30min mark. Conversion by Dusty was successful.

Onkas 12 – Barossa 0

With 10min to go in the half, the Barossa kick off was knocked on by Onkas. The Onkas scrum drove Barossa back, but their number 8 picked the ball and made a break. As before, the game went back and forth with Barossa being stopped by solid Onkas defence who drew a penalty and cleared to halfway. Onkas struggled again at the line-out resulting in some big runs by Barossa who drew a penalty inside the 22m. Onkas tackled well, until Barossa made a break down the far side and scored under the posts. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 12 – Barossa 7

With 5min remaining, Onkas chased down the kick-off and drew a penalty at the 22m. They opted for a scrum and then spun the ball wide. Some messy rucks drew another penalty and another scrum. Onkas were solid, giving good ball from the back of the scrum, which was passed out to the wing. After a few centre hits, Dusty chipped deep and Onkas recovered. Isaac was twisted in a tackle but managed to pop the ball to Cooper, who scored on the wing.  Dusty’s conversion from the sideline was successful.

Onkas 19 – Barossa 7

The Barossa restart was controlled by Onkas, who kicked it deep and Blake chased down the Barossa fullback, forcing a knock-on on the 22m. The ref changed it to a penalty after Barossa mouthed off and then they were marched another 10m. Onkas took a scrum and drove Barossa back. A long pass from Tom Davies found Troy on the wing, but play was brough back to a scrum on the far side of the field. Onka drove the ball right to the line and Tom Selwood crashed over for a try. The conversion was unsuccessful and Onkas went into half-time with a solid lead.

HALF TIME: Onkas 24 – Barossa 7

Barossa started the round with a kick-off, which fell to James Shearer. Onkas knocked on from the ruck and Barossa cleared the scrum, despite a strong push from Onkas. Barossa kicked to the far side 22m and Onkas knocked the ball on in the tackle, resulting in another scrum. The Onka drive was successful this time and the ball was spun out to Dusty, who cleared with a big kick down field. Barossa recovered and kicked back. Their player leapt to take the ball, jumping into the tackler and Onkas were penalised for tackling in the air. Barossa kicked to the 22m and mauled from the line-out, pushing Onkas deep into defence. Some fancy Fijian footwork looked dangerous, before Onkas tackled the Barossa player over the line in front of the Onka box. Onkas won a messy line-out and Dusty cleared the ball to the halfway line.

The Barossa line-out jumper lost the ball in the air and Onkas drew a scrum on the halfway. The scrum drove Barossa back to the 40m line before Kaedan passed to Dusty who kicked deep. Barossa returned the kick and Onkas ran some solid phases before seeming to give away a penalty for a scuffle off play.  The ref discussed with both teams and the line ref before settling for an Onkas scrum just inside the attacking 22m. Another strong scrum drive started Onkas attack with some big hitups. This resulted in a high tackle and a yellow card for Barossa. Onkas took a scrum and again drove Barossa back. The ball was spun to the backs and chipped through by Kaedan. Tom Bray had a clear run to recover the ball and score for Onkas on the far wing. Dusty’s conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

 Onkas 29 – Barossa 7

The Barossa kick off was gathered by Liam and spun to the backs. A slight overthrow put the ball out on the far side just inside the defence 40m. The Barossa line-out was also overthrown and knocked on, coming back for an Onka scrum. Another big drive, led to a Dusty kick and a big hit from George pushed the Barossa receiver out of play. Unfortunately, Jimmy looked to have pulled a muscle in the chase and was helped from the field. While this was happening there was some pushing off play, resulting in a penalty for Barossa.

Barossa tapped and ran into a solid Onkas defence and knocked on after a few phases. Another big drive led to a Dusty clear that unfortunately went out of the full. The Barossa line out was almost fumbled, but they cleared and drew a penalty for offside. The Barossa kick and led to a maul from the line-out, and Onkas drove it out of play.

Onkas won their line-out but were caught mid-field and eventually cleared through a Dusty kick. Barossa recovered the ball and were hit hard by a solid Onkas defence. Despite some solid tackling by Onkas, Barossa managed a pop from the ground, which caught the defence off-guard and the visitors gained some ground, crashing into the 22m. Onkas looked like they may steal a ruck, but ended up giving away a penalty just inside the 22. Barossa shot the ball wide and used their overlap to run around and score under the posts. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 29 – Barossa 14

Onkas kick fell short, resulting in a midfield scrum. Despite a strong Onkas drive, Barossa got the ball clear and drew a penalty in the next hit-up. The kick didn’t make it out and Onkas regathered, with Blake making a solid run before getting thrown to the ground by his neck. The ref was facing away at the time and didn’t call it. The ball spilled loose, but Onkas recovered and continued to grind up field, drawing a penalty. A fight broke out and resulted in a yellow and red card for Barossa.

With about 15min to go, Onkas called a scrum. For the first time, they were driven back slightly, but held strong and the ball was passed out to the backs before being kicked deep. Barossa recovered and made a break down field, Onkas defended well and returned to eventually drew a scrum inside their attacking 10m. A strong drive pushed Barossa back and George picked from the back of the scrum diving over the line for Onkas 6th try.  The conversion was successful (but missed on the scoreboard).

Onkas 36 – Barossa 14

Inside the last 10 minutes, Barossa kicked off and Tom McColl picked up the ball, crashing through the line. An Onka kick was recovered by Barossa who took the ball to the halfway. A slipped tackle followed by a pop ball, gave the visitors some space and they managed a break down the wing to score.  Conversion was unsuccessful.

Onkas 36 – Barossa 19

The Onkas kick off was knocked forward by a pressured Barossa player, resulting in a scrum and another big drive from Onkas. Kaedan picked from the back, made some meters and then spun the ball out the backs. The ball was passed to the wing and back midfield before being knocked on. Onkas came back for a penalty and took a scrum just inside their attacking 22. The ball was knocked from Kaedan’s hands at the back of the scrum resulting in another penalty and Barossa being marched 10m for backchat. Onkas passed quickly to big Tommy McColl who crashed up the centre. A loose pass to the backs was regathered but then forced over the touch line. The Barossa player took a quick line-out throw before his team was ready and Jack Robins scooped up the ball taking it forward. He crashed over the line but was held up.

A diving Dusty recovered the goal-line drop out and some Onka phases drew a penalty on the nearside 22m.

Onkas took a scrum and drew another penalty; this time Dusty kicked it out on the 5m line. Onkas took the ball cleanly at the first jumper and mauled forward with James Shearer crossing the line. The conversion was successful.

Onkas 43 – Barossa 19

The Barossa kick-off fell to Tommy and was called up for an offside runner. The game ended there.

Best Player: Nathan Harwood, Voucher: George Hayter

Onka Women - BYE

Onkas Reserves Start Strong but Go Down (12-36)

The Reserves went into half time 7-5 up but struggled to sink the tackles in the second half. Onkas scored the last try to finish 12-36. Tries to Damien Whitton and Tom Bray, Conversion to Declan Booby.

Best Player: Dylan Burke, Voucher: Zac Kirkland

Onka Third Grade Go Down in a Hard Fight (24-40)

Onkas 3rds fought hard but ultimately went down 24-40. Tries to Noel Taylor, Ben White, Justin Rourke and Riley Sturtis (on his first touch in his senior debut). Conversions to Stuart Suter (2).

Best Player: Stuart Suter. Voucher: Nicholas O’Brian

Results - Onkas vs Barossa

President's Update - Apr 2026

Hi Onka Family,

This is the President's update for April.

The season has well and truly started, with some great games played in the first round against Old Collegians and preparations being made for the next two weeks, which are home games against Barossa and Woodville. The Woodville game is also our Past Players’ Day so we’re hoping to see lots of our club legends down for the games – if you know any past players, please spread the word.

Our juniors had a great start to the season, with solid performances against Old Collegians and good player numbers.

Unfortunately, some of the other clubs are struggling with U16s and U18s numbers and have pulled their teams out of the competition (or merged). This would normally mean more Byes for those age groups, however we have been working with RUSA to ensure that our older juniors get games each week – more info to come through the coaches shortly, but rest assured we will make sure that our juniors get game time.

Seniors have had strong attendance and solid performance at training and on the field, and are looking forward to big games against Barossa this weekend.

Cameron Puplett and I have been working on weekly match reports that we will post up with match results each week – hopefully you saw the one for the Old Collegian’s game. Any feedback or suggestions for future reports are most welcome.

Off the field, the committee has been busy. The old Honour Boards, which were relocated to the player’s race last year, have now been covered with Perspex to protect them, and new Honour Boards for the club are expected next week – so keep an eye out for them, they look great! At the same time we are updating and replacing our sponsor signs at the front of the club.

The gear shed roller door has been ordered and we’re expecting it to be installed in around four weeks’ time. This will make getting equipment in and out of the shed much easier (and safer) and open up that area. We’ve also purchased more rope and poles to allow us to rope off both fields in line with RUSA regulations – please stay outside of the roped areas on game day.

We are looking at some upgrades to fridge space for both the canteen and the BBQ, which will make buying and prepping food and drinks for Thursdays and Saturdays a lot easier.

We had a power issue last Thursday night (2 April), which caused the club to be shut down early. The Power company have repaired the fault, and we now have all the fridges and cool-rooms up and running. Thanks to members who stored the food in their home freezers until we could get the canteen up and running again.

The club website has now been updated with all the current news, as well as fixtures, coaching lists and other details.

One thing that I feel is very important is to remember and respect the club history. As part of the working bee – we cleaned and sorted the old documents that were stored in the office, some from the very early days of the club. I have scanned over 800 files, including old newspaper articles, pictures, team lists, minutes etc and plan to purchase a club network hard-drive to store these on. I have also added a big section to the website on club history. Based on an original document by Colin Talbot (that I believe Matt Whitton added to), as well as some of the old documents, RUSA paperwork and other snippets I located, it captures the birth of the club including pictures, newspaper reports and other facts. Check it out at [https://www.onkarugby.com.au/club-history](https://www.onkarugby.com.au/club-history) and feel free to provide any feedback, updates or suggestions.

I am also intending on adding a section to the website on our named club awards with details on who they are named after as well as what the criteria are for winning them.

There was also a requirement put on us to update the club constitution to bring it in line with the Sports and Recreation templates and guidelines, which give it a more professional look. I have made these updates and hope to send the updated constitution out to the wider Onka club community for feedback. Once we are happy with it, I will call a Special General Meeting to get it approved. I have captured a list of all changes and mapping between the old and new to show how they line up. More on this shortly.

As always, if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions please message me or talk to me at the club.

Results - Onkas vs Old Collegians - 31 Mar 2006

Match Report - Onkas vs Old Collegians - 28 Mar 2026

Onkas keep fighting in tough battle

The A grade were put to the test against last year’s undefeated minor premiers and fought to the final whistle in a game that could have gone either way.

The boys started with the physicality that they have been training. With a great take by Ryan Evans from the kick-off, Onkas crashed the ball forward eventually drawing a couple of penalties that pushed Old Collegians back deep into their half.  A rare mistake at the line-out by Onkas gave Colls the chance to push forward and despite some great defensive lines from Onkas, Old Colls finally managed to break through for the first points of the game just after the 6-minute mark.

Onkas 0 – Old Colls 7

Onkas hit back hard at the kick-off, forcing Old Colls to lose the ball over the side-line. After another great lineout, Onkas crashed the ball forward, breaking the defensive line before drawing a penalty right in front of goal. Dusty Loffler slotted the penalty.

Onkas 3 – Old Colls 7

Some great pressure by the Onkas forwards drew a penalty a few hits after the kick-off but the ball was turned over from a knock on in the lineout. Onkas defended strongly with some big tackles, eventually drawing a penalty for Old Colls holding on.

The game seesawed back and forth for the next 10 minutes, with Onkas defence holding strong and drawing multiple turnovers and penalties from the Colls attackers. Onkas played territory, kicking the ball long and forcing Old Colls backwards. An Old Colls penalty gave the visitors a chance to advance and the Onkas defence held until a number of Old Colls phases drew Onkas in and Old Colls managed to break the line on the far side wing in the 21st minute.

Onkas 3 – Old Colls14

For the next ten minutes, Old Colls continued to pepper the Onkas defensive line, but Onkas held and eventually a dead-ball kick by Old Colls led to an Onkas scrum. A long kick was knocked on by the Colls defender, and a strong Onkas scrum put the Red Devils back into attack. The rest of the half was back-and-forth with the defence for both sides holding out.

HALF TIME: Onkas 3 - Old Colls 14

Onkas started the second half, hard chasing down the Old Colls kick receiver and crashing into the defensive line with some big hits. Just before the second minute of the half ticked over, an Onkas maul crashed over the line with Jack Robins scoring the try and Dusty Loffler converting.

Onkas 10 – Old Colls 14

A fight broke out from the kick-off after Ryan Evans was taken out in the air by the Old Colls defender, leading to a yellow card for the Collegians player. The penalty put Onkas back on the offensive and a defensive penalty by Colls allowed Dusty Loffler to slot another 3 points from the 40m line.

Onkas 13 – Old Colls 14

Onkas continued hit hard against a shocked Old Colls team using a series of penalties to push deep into attack. A missed catch from Colls and a kick through looked promising for Onkas but trickled over the line before it could be recovered, and a break by Troy Wilkins was called back from an earlier offside. Despite some strong defence, Old Collegians broke through the Onkas line stretching their lead.

Onkas 13 - Old Colls -21

Old Collegians attacked hard on the restart, but Onkas held them, eventually drawing a penalty and pushing back. But a Collegian runner managed to break a few tackles and scored.

Onkas 13- Old Colls 28

With 10 minutes remaining, the Onka boys kept up the pressure attacking from within the 5m line, drawing multiple penalties and looking to score on the far wing, before the referee called that the ball had gone dead. Old Collegians managed a quick turn-around, breaking down the field for a try.

Onkas 13 – Old Colls 35

Onkas finished strong, never dropping their heads. With three minutes to go, Dusty put a kick deep into attack and Collegians returned it to just outside the 22. Some strong drives from the line out and big hits from the backs pushed Onkas forward, drawing a penalty 5m out. The ball was kicked out and the Onkas lineout led to a good set of hit ups, with Kaedan O’Neill crashing over for the points.

Onkas 20 – Old Colls 35.

Onkas never looked out of the game and their physicality and defensive line work showed some real positives for the start of the season.

Best Player: Marios Theodosi

Onka Women get big win over Old Collegians

With good squad numbers and some great ball work, the Onkas women came away with a 74-14 win, with tries to Ashley John (3), Caitlin Purton (2), Jade Pilkington (2), Danielle Paenga (1), Caity Williams (1), Leah Chothia (1), Grace Fitzsimmons (1) and Cheyenne Chilton (1) and conversions to Ashley John (7).

Best Player:  Caity Williams. Voucher: Danielle Paenga

Onkas Reserves have a rough day

The depleted Reserves fought hard but ultimately went down 57-5 with a try to Dylan Mostyn.
Best Player: Taylor Marangavis

Onka Third Grade defeat Old Collegians

Onkas Third Grade started the season well with a solid 24-14 win over Old Collegians. Tries to Ben White (2), Noel Taylor and Nicholas O’Brien and conversions to Noel Taylor (2).

Best Player: Ben White. Voucher: Tom Puplett

2026 Social Calendar Release