GIO NSW City have produced a statement performance in the GIO Under 18s Country v City representative clash, running in a host of tries to overwhelm NSW Country 66-0 in a dominant display of attacking football at 4 Pines Park, Brookvale today.
It was City who struck first, with second-rower Tully McCulloch crossing for the opening try. The points came after a Country penalty failed to find touch, allowing City to regain possession and launch an attack. Spreading the ball to the left, five-eighth Chase Butler challenged the defensive line before delivering a well-timed pass to McCulloch, who finished the movement. Cyrus Bloomfield added the extras as City took an early 6-0 lead.
Shortly after, City shifted to the right edge, with a strong run and offload from hooker Cruz Death setting up the opportunity. Moving the ball wide, second-rower Leo-Stipe Latu produced a sharp tip-on pass to winger Joshua Fesolai, who powered his way over the line. The conversion was waved away, leaving the score at 10-0.
Lock Cooper Townsend added City’s third try of the afternoon, finishing off a powerful break through the middle from prop Jamie Curran. Curran tore through the Country defensive line 60m out from the try-line and charged deep into the field before linking up with Townsend in support, who backed up perfectly to complete the movement. The successful conversion extended City’s lead to 16 points.
A brilliant individual effort from Cyrus Bloomfield saw him score his first try of the afternoon. With Country on the attack, a loose pass hit the ground before Bloomfield reacted quickly to toe the ball upfield. He chased through, collected his own kick, and dribbled it forward again to ground the ball over the try-line. He was unable to convert his own try, with City leading 20-0.
City continued to pile on the points with two more first-half tries. Halfback and captain Carter Mareko took on the defensive line with a strong run that refused to be stopped, breaking through contact before producing an offload to number 16 Benjamin Kaberry, who crashed over the line. Hooker Cruz Death was next to score after earlier setting up a try, darting from dummy-half as quick play-the-ball speed caught the Country defence short and allowed him to dive over. Cyrus Bloomfield added the extras as City went into halftime leading 32-0.
The second half highlighted the attacking depth in the City squad, with halfback Carter Mareko heavily involved in multiple tries through his sharp vision. Straight from the half restart, Joshua Fesolai crossed for his second try of the afternoon, finishing acrobatically out on the wing after the ball was shifted wide. City then struck twice in quick succession through fullback Darcy Feltham, with Mareko again playing a key role as City surged to a 46-point lead early in the second half.
Cyrus Bloomfield added further points to his outstanding afternoon, finishing off another flowing City movement that once again featured halfback Carter Mareko’s influence in the build-up. Shifting the ball through the hands, City worked it wide for Bloomfield to dive over in the corner, though the conversion was unsuccessful. Bloomfield then completed his hat-trick shortly after with a brilliant individual effort, bursting down the sideline and stepping up another gear to score. He was again unable to convert his own try, with City extending their lead to 54-0.
City continued to add to their tally as CJ Udeh sparked another attacking set with a strong line break, building momentum deep into Country territory. From the ensuing pressure, Benjamin Kaberry completed a double, finishing off a well-structured play that saw Cruz Death once again deliver a sharp pass for Kaberry to crash over under the posts. Cyrus Bloomfield added the conversion to extend the lead to 60-0.
City weren’t finished there, with Player of the Match, halfback Carter Mareko, capping off an outstanding performance with a try of his own to close out the match. A break from Nicholas Koterac opened the door before the ball was shifted through Zaylen Ekepati, who linked up with Mareko in support to finish the movement. Cyrus Bloomfield was again successful from the tee as City wrapped up a dominant 66-0 victory.
