A clash of competition heavyweights at the top of the table has led to new league leaders. Check out who emerged victorious in the full round 11 wrap of Group 7.
Round 11 of Group 7 was headlined by a massive win in a clash of two competition heavyweights which resulted in new league leaders.
Around the grounds there were tries left right and centre as big scores unfolded down the south coast of NSW.
Some teams kept winning ways going, while other snapped losing streaks.
Check out the full wrap of round 11.
Biggest win of campaign for lethal Sharks
The Shellharbour Sharks have put together their biggest win of the 2023 season, demolishing the Kiama Knights 46-0 at Ron Costello Oval.
The makes it five wins on the trot for the high-flying Sharks who are finding form at the right time, while for the Knights it was a disappointing third straight loss.
During his side’s mid-season review, coach Atallah said he was pleased with his side’s defensive efforts, but there was still work to be done in the fluency of their attack.
Judging by the scoreline, it looks as though the Sharks have found their attacking mojo at last, running in eight tries against the helpless Knights.
Atallah’s two players of the season he picked at the halfway point of the season, front rowers Joshua Starling and Matt Nicholson, both picked up meat pies for their side, showcasing great run choices and power to burst their way through multiple Kiama tackle attempts.
Interchange forward Nicholas Hay picked up a brace for the Sharks, acting as a great support runner to twice bust his way over the line from close range.
Five-eighth Emanuel Sultana was stamping his influence via the boot, assisting Jye Brooker with a grubber and Braxton Wallace with a bomb.
Hooker Brody Rigg was also having a good day out, finding the try line from a close range dummy half run, while picking up an assist right on the full-time siren to Bradley Chapman after a terrific weaving run.
A statement win by the Sharks who look more threatening week by week.
New league leaders as Lions dethrone Jets
The Gerringong Lions have prowled to the top of the Group 7 ladder for the first time since round one following a 36-28 win over the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets.
This meant a double for the Lions over the Jets this season following their 26-20 win in round three.
A real try-fest at Michael Cronin Oval where the Lions really flexed the strength they have all over the park.
The Lions put on four first half tries through Liam Holland, Nathan Ford, Hamish Holland, as well as a rare penalty try awarded to Wesley Pring after he was taken out by fullback Adam Quinlan in the act of scoring what would have been a certain try.
The Jets weren’t going down without a fight though, with usual try scoring suspects Beau Luland and Matori Atunasia proving lethal down the left flank for the Jets.
In another rare case, Nowra-Bomaderry second rower Tyson Simpson picked up a second half hat-trick, showing up all over the park with a great solo run, a kick chase and a short ball charge over the line to score three tries.
It wasn’t enough to get the Jets back into the game though, as second half tries to Kal Collins and Jack Quine put the game too far out of reach and cemented the Lions as the team to beat for the second half of the season.
Stingrays hold off relentless Bulldogs
The Stingrays of Shellharbour have prevailed against a valiant Milton Ulladulla Bulldogs 35-22 in a try-fest at Bill Andriske Oval.
It was back-and-forth all game between two sides who love points, with the Stingrays maintaining the advantage for just about the entire game, but the Bulldogs not allowing them to stretch the lead out.
The Stingrays showed their attacking threat doesn’t lie just within their backs, with prop forward Liam Scott and captain second rower Tom Warner both getting on the scorecard with rampaging efforts.
James Scott picked up a beauty after Ben Weatherall made a breakaway down the right flank, before finding his centre partner back on his inside with a beautiful one-handed offload.
Cody Roach has a good afternoon from five-eighth for the Bulldogs, charging in to score a try himself and putting in a peach of a grubber kick for his halfback partner Sam Stewart to score.
Dangerous centre Mitch Simington was also in the tries again, creating something out of nothing to step and power his way through the Stingrays line.
With the game locked at 22-all with under 10 minutes on the clock, the Stingrays showed their class with two classy late tries, first to Tyler Johns in the corner and finally to Kieren Moss who was in support for a great team try.
William Heta added the extras with a final minute field goal to make it back-to-back wins for the Stingrays.
Superoos keep the ball rolling
There was to be no 100th year anniversary magic for the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles as they let their lead slip, going down 22-16 to the Jamberoo Superoos.
It’s a fourth straight win for the Superoos who are continuing to stamp their intentions of playing finals footy.
It looked as though they were going to be outclassed by the Eagles though, as the home side led by as much as 16-4 in the second half.
Lock forward Jack Walsh picked up a beauty of an individual try, stepping and evading numerous attempted tackles and racing in to score.
Jamberoo would mount a second half comeback though, with Corey Grigg continuing his excellent form to pick up a try and an assist to Jordan Xuereb down the productive left flank of the Superoos.
James Gilmore reached out to snag one from prop forward to reduce the margin to two, before one of the season’s best in Jayden Morgan charged onto an inside pass close to the line to get the Superoos in front for the first time.
Kyle Stone would finish the job late on to ensure Jamberoo left with the points.
Gorillas finally end run of losses
The defending premiers Warilla-Lake South Gorillas have snapped a five-game losing streak, defeating the Berry Shoalhaven Heads Magpies 34-22.
The luckless Gorillas will be sweating on the diagnosis of Samuel Hooper though, their star hooker who was filling in at halfback on the weekend, added to the monstrous casualty list of the Gorillas with what appeared to be an ankle injury early in the first half.
Berry opened the scoring early on through Matthew Creswick, but from then on it was the Gorillas who took the game into their own hands.
Darnell Walker finished off a move that he started, getting on the end of an inch-perfect grubber from Blair Grant.
Grant would again be influential from the boot, sending up a bomb for Justin Jones to field and offload for captain Jamie Burns to crash over and score.
Jones was having a good day out from fullback as he picked up two tries, the first of which was a terrific chase down of his own grubber kick right on the half time siren.
Young gun James Hoy also put in a stellar shift with his try, turning defence into attack to run the length of the field down the left flank after he diffused a Berry attacking kick.
Berry last minute try was overshadowed by on-the-ball scuffle which saw Warilla’s Guy Rosewarn and Berry’s no. 18 sin binned for punches thrown.
Originally published as New league leaders after clash of competition heavyweights: Group 7 Round 11 wrap