Redmen Run Riot on Old Boys’ Day
Grafton powers past Kempsey with 11-try demolition
The Grafton Redmen produced one of their most complete performances of the season on Saturday, overwhelming the Kempsey Cannonballs 67-24 in front of a large home crowd celebrating the club’s annual Old Boys’ Day.
After a competitive opening half, the Redmen exploded after the break, unleashing an irresistible attacking display that yielded 11 tries and showcased the speed, skill and creativity of their backline.
Scrum-half Ravu Seruvakula was instrumental throughout the afternoon, directing play superbly and constantly keeping the Cannonballs’ defence under pressure. His quick thinking around the ruck and sharp service created numerous attacking opportunities, while powerhouse centre Wally Tau Vesi proved almost impossible to contain, crashing over for an impressive hat-trick of tries.
The forwards laid the platform for the emphatic victory, with veteran back-rower Ed McGrath delivering an outstanding performance. Leading by example, McGrath inspired his teammates with a tireless work rate in defence and attack, helping the Redmen gain control of the contest as the match wore on.
Despite the convincing scoreline, coach Gary Powell said there were still valuable lessons to take from the performance.
“Kempsey were in the game for most of the first half,” Powell said.
“We didn’t see much ball early, but once we started getting our share of possession, we showed just how dangerous we can be with the football.
“We scored some outstanding tries today, but there were also times when we tried to force things by pushing unnecessary passes instead of showing patience.
“Those are areas we’ll continue to work on because against quality sides like Port Pirates and Coffs Harbour, turnovers will be punished.”
The victory was made even more memorable by the club’s annual Old Boys’ Day celebrations, with members of the 1986 and 2006 premiership-winning teams returning to witness the next generation of Redmen produce an entertaining display of attacking rugby.
Powell said performing in front of so many former players made the occasion even more special.
“It’s always satisfying to win at home, but doing it in front of our past players who helped build this club means a great deal,” he said.
The comprehensive win strengthens Grafton’s confidence heading into the closing rounds of the competition, with the Redmen showing they possess the attacking firepower to challenge the competition’s leading sides if they can maintain consistency and minimise unforced errors.
