Typically gutsy but ultimately outgunned by a big and mobile opposition, Farrer are out of the NRL Schoolboy Cup after losing 40-14 to Patrician Brothers Fairfield at John Simpson Oval on Wednesday.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Already disadvantaged by the absence of their best player, Mitch Henderson, the home side were left shell-shocked by a try blitzkrieg that was launched after Farrer reduced the margin to 12-10 early after the break.
Read also:
Farrer No 6 and captain Ethan Anizakles - a match standout - said: 'We expected them to be big, but I just think they blew us away a bit."
The Sydneysiders' right side was lethal. And it was there that they struck early in the match via explosive close-range tries to No 12 and skipper Joshua Alhazim - built like a smaller Tyson Frizell - and powerfully built No 4 Perosi Papalii.
Farrer were lucky not to be trailling by more, before Anizakles found No 5 Mac Symons with a long, floating pass and he scooted over. No 2 Latrell Allan missed the conversion.
A penalty goal to exciting Patrician Brothers No 1 Taj'h Colquhoun made it 12-4 at half-time, with Farrer crossing early after the break when centre Logan Spinks fielded a kick on the fly and raced 35m to score. Allan landed the easy conversion: 12-10.
Patrician Brothers' response was immediate and brutal.
An unanswered salvo of three unanswered tries was unleashed by Colquhoun's sparkling 53m solo effort, and followed, from the subsequent restart, by a sensational 90m try that was sparked by halfback Terence Lafai and finished by Papalii.
When front-rower Matthew Alhazim crashed over and Colquhoun converted, Patrician Brothers led 28-10.
Farrer gave themselves a sniff when centre Riley Leonard raced 20m to score after being put into a hole by No 7 Fletcher Wells, but Patrician Brothers responded with four-pointers to replacements Massimo Mari and Billy Arena.
Anizakles said "we just kept fighting against them".
"They had to work for it," he said, adding that he was "proud of the boys".
Patrician Brothers Fairfield 40 (P Papalii 2, J Alhazim, T Colquhoun, M Alhazim, M Mari, B Arena tries; Colquhoun 6 goals) d Farrer 14 (M Symons, L Spinks, R Leonard tries; L Allan goal)
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark northerndailyleader.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter
- Follow us on Instagram
- Follow us on Google News