Match Report – Round 15

The Stara Easts Tigers rediscovered their rolling maul mojo and ravenous defensive hunger to revitalise their 2025 campaign with a rough and tumble 26-15 win over Souths in Round 15 of the StoreLocal Hospital Cup.

After the 50-31 loss to University in Round 14, Easts needed to provide an emphatic – and immediate – response.

And a southside derby between two teams in the top four in front of a healthy crowd at Bottomley Park was the perfect stage to prove the St Lucia shocker was an outlier.

If you like big blokes legally bashing into other big blokes, the first half was a contest for you as the traditional softening up period went into overtime.

It was scrappy, physical and intense as neither side was able to control possession for an extended period in the torrid encounter.

Souths crossed early but Easts responded with some Fijian flair spearheading a sweeping 70 metre movement in some razzle dazzle counter-attack from a Souths kick.

Livewire winger Sikeli Rabitu burst through the Magpies defence and found centre Inia Tabuavoa and fullback Meli Dreu in support. Prop Nick Bloomfield darted over in the next phase to hand the home side a 7-5 buffer that it held to halftime.

After such a gritty arm-wrestle in the opening 40 minutes, the early salvos of the second stanza were always going to be important.

With flame-haired flanker Brad Wilkin leading the charge with an outstanding individual display on both sides of the ball, Easts lifted when it mattered.

The Tigers turned to the tried and tested try-scoring weapon of the rolling maul to seize what proved to be match-winning momentum to power their way to an 11-2 record.

Nuku Swerling bullocked his way over in the 43^rd minute from the back of a rolling maul and hooker Max Craig carried defenders on his back into the corner a few minutes later after another relentless rolling maul from the men in blue and gold.

Welcome back, old friend.

The Tigers were reduced to 14 men midway through the second half when lock Tau Tuisamoa received a yellow card after repeated infringements from the home side.

The immense weight of field position and possession in favour of the Magpies eventually produced a try near the posts only for Souths fullback Lachlan Stewart to miss the conversion attempt.

The Tigers put the game on ice when replacement hooker Andrew Ready crashed over after another perfectly executed rolling maul to give Easts a hard-earned 26-10 advantage.

And then in a sign that the Tigers were back on track, some desperate Easts defence held up the Magpies over the tryline in the dying minutes.

Tigers defenders put their bodies on the line and under the ball to stop a certain Souths try with the game well and truly in hand. The hunger was back.

Welcome back, old friend.

The Tigers victory was critical as the top echelons of the Hospital Cup standings resembled a game of “Snakes and Ladders” in a rollercoaster Round 15.

The surging Wests jumped up the standings with a thumping win over Sunnybank while Brothers tumbled after the loss to Bond and Souths dropped out of the top four after succumbing to the Tigers.

With a competition-wide bye for the Wallabies-Lions Test in Brisbane, Easts will be in action again on July 26 when they take on Brothers at Brothers in a Crosby Road blockbuster.