Please note: top photo is from when the Kiama Knights won the Group 7 premiership in 2019.
True Blue twins Brett and Josh Morris have been lighting up the NRL for years and it appears Rugby League talent runs deep in the family after younger brother Matt helped the Kiama Knights to a thrilling win over the Nowra-Bomaderry Jets on Sunday.
Morris grabbed a crucial first-half double at Kiama Showground to help the home team fight their way back into the match and help set up a 28-24 victory to keep them in touch with the rest of the pack as the finals series rapidly approaches for the Group 7 competition.
The game didn’t start the way the Knights wanted after Nowra hooker Paul Roberts scored in the opening set and seven minutes later winger Kuyan Wellington crashed over to put the Jets were up 8-0.
Morris then grabbed a double in the space of 10 minutes to help put his team in front for the first time before the visitors scored just before halftime through winger Braydon Rumble Walsh to set up a 14-10 lead.
In his 150th game for the club, Tom Atkins got on the scoresheet in the second half and Vazzoler went over for the Knights to go back-to-back and the half converted both his own and Atkins’ try to extend the lead.
However, the Jets just kept on coming and Rumble Walsh bagged his second try of the afternoon and converted his own try to put them back into the contest.
Knights captain and lock Kieran Poole stood up when it was needed to grab a try and dampen the Jets comeback hopes but they refused to give in.
Nowra Second rower Tyson Simpson used his size to score with five minutes left to play and despite both teams scoring five tries apiece, the goalkicking ultimately proved the difference in the end and the Knights came away with the spoils.
“We spoke about starting fast and they scored in the first set, so that really didn’t work for us,” Kiama coach Matt Clarke told South Coast Register's Courtney Ward.
“A lot more energy and enthusiasm was needed and we got it.
“We knew that they wouldn’t go away, they’re a pretty good team and they kept coming and we were lucky enough to get the win.
“It’s important to get two bites of the cherry by being in the top three so that really, really helped.”
The Knights have a mounting injury toll and were playing without mainstays Luke Chalker and Dylan Morris who will hopefully be returning in the coming weeks but Clarke was impressed with the big men through the middle who helped them grind out the win.
“Josh Dowel - he’s a bit busted himself, every week he’s playing 80 and Tommy Angel, he was busted as well but he had a massive game - those two were obviously our best,” Clarke said.
“We’ve got two tough games still to come - Shellharbour and Albion Park but we’re building slowly and there’s definitely a lot to improve on.”
To keep up to date with latest Group 7 draw and results click here.
