NSWCity Police V NSWCountry Police 1983
Reprinted from the NSWPRL 1983 Year Book.See Photo's for full name references.
From the kick off it is apparent that members of the City team are fitter with more training runs together under their belts. At the 15 minute mark in the City 25 after a scrum is won by City, Guyatt runs from the scrum base followed by Nellies.Guyatt passes to Wilding who passes to Stevens who scores wide out. Duckworth fails to convert - score 4-0. At 26 minutes with Country in possession, Bartlett at halfway loses the ball forward in the slippery ground when tackled by Cook. It is picked up by Reeves, passed to Nellies, on to Guyatt who passes to Stevens, who scores to the right of the post, 3 metres in from touch. Duckworth fails to concert. Score 8-0 City. Redfern Oval is very wet following a downpour overnight and all players are covered in mud and have trouble with the wet greasy ball. Country continues with some good moves and makes a break which breaks down when the ball slips from their grasp. Half-time, with the score still 8-0 in City's favour.
In the second half Country takes the field with new found strenght and vigour. Country kicks off, the ball slips through Keith Cook, Garry Butt runs through, picks up and passes to Sheaney who scores wide out. Natty fails to converty. City, 8-4. City kicks off, Butt takes the ball in the mud, is held up by Reeves and Bates but gets the ball away to Natty who runs 10 metres only to slip and fall in the mud, losing possession. City then starts to attack. In the next 10 minutes the game goes from one end of the field to the other, tacking is hard with spilt ball aplenty. At the 18 minute mark when 2 metres out from the country line, Cook plays the ball to Reeves who crashes over to score and Duckworth converts. 14-4 City. Bartlett, Butt, Kennedy and Natty continue to play well and make many good breaks but the lack of training as a team costs them dearly. Many good moves break down for the want of understanding and positioning. Nellies picks up a loose ball 10 minutes from full time, makes a break, passes to Guyatt who passes to Wilding who passes to Duckworth. Jeffrey comes up from full back, takes the pass from Duckworth to score to the left of the post. Duckworth converts with the score of 20-4 remaining until the full time siren. All players are wilting in the heavy going. At fulltime City has won but Country is not disgraced.