Ahoy to our beloved Circular readers, it’s us, The Oysters! We’re coming to you live from Gmail Stadium with a toasty wrap up of what your favourite Rugby Union football team soaked up this week. Yes, the temperature is dropping, but we won’t be stopping, oh no, the Oysters don’t quit until the fat lady sings (and let me tell you, she’s not even started belting out the songs in ACT II of our season.)
It was State of Origin week on The Reef and let’s just say many of us sided with the blue spectrum of our Oyster colour scheme. In fact we’ve somehow managed to assemble 30-ish players for the 2023 season and not acquire a single Queenslander. There is a God and he looks fondly on us south of the Tweed! Our birth certificates seem to herald from the great hospitals of Grenfell, Newcastle, Muswellbrook, Wagga and Penrith. Even our brothers from across the ditch have pledged allegiance to the NSW Blues (and if they haven’t, they’ve sure been quiet about it to protect any loss of game time courtesy of Coach Wiv).
So with the Wednesday TV spectacular fast approaching our training was short and sharp this week so we could pack down for a bonding session and watch the gladiatorial contest that shatters TV ratings. Whilst the senior head honchos of our dear club would argue Union is the game they play in heaven (whilst League is the game they play in Kurri), it’s true that our overarching love for sports that include an oval shaped ball, strapping tape and adults running full tilt at each other in acts of unbridled aggression still inspires us to enjoy each other’s company. As such, we speed dated through the holy trinity of Oyster training activities (Touch > Burpees > Ballwork) and proceeded to pack up our kit and head to the pub for a schnitzel and valued time in front of the plasma screens. From our watching party and results on the field this week, it’s fair to assume that the Oysters took more inspiration from Reuben Cotter than Tevita Pangai this week, but a leader is a leader and we must concede that Queensland put on an absolute clinic in embodying ‘The Way of the Mongrel Dog’, and thus we found inspiration for our game against the Harlequins.
Before we launch into the play-by-play of our game at Woollahra, we’d love to give a very special thanks to our most valued sponsors for whom we donned our jerseys for this week. To Greenstone & Partners, Delaney Lawyers, Costin Roe Consulting, North Bondi RSL, Light Brigade Hotel, Beach Club and Cheers Bar, we can’t get on the field fully dressed, watered and ready for war each week without your valuable support. We thank you and we hope our efforts on Saturday made you proud to call us Oysties your team.
Secondly, in big news from our Director of Social Media Engagement and Online Talent Development, our infamous Oysters Instagram page is merely moments away from cracking the BIG TONNE, the GRAND, the 1000 followers mark! So if you happen to be reading this on your mobile telecommunications device, please swing over and give our page a like, a follow and pass it to five more friends! Our club continues to grow, and you can be part of it and soak up our content along the way!
After a week filled with State of Origin bliss, with a short sharp training session for the oysters, to ensure all oysters where able to listen to Gus Gould’s pre-origin fire up message down at the North Bondi RSL. The oysters where wholeheartedly prepared and motivated to put on a show for the sponsors at Woollahra Oval for sponsors day, after a post training feed and brews down at NBRSL.
The oysters warmed up well under Saturday afternoon HD light and came out with a spring in their step, with Angus McClelland making a nice line break to put away Hamish Lorang to score the first try. The oysters looked dangerous in the first ten minutes of the game, with some barnstorming carries and some mammoth efforts in defence that put the Sydney Harlequins under a lot of pressure. The second try came after a great defensive effort by Lachy Argiris to steal the ball and then throw a 6 man cut out to see Hugh Morgan stroll over in the corner.
As the game continued, the oysters where defending with tenacity and coming up with some huge defensive plays which pleased the coaching team, as the attack was clunky and un-oyster like, the defensive efforts by James Manns, Nick Tibbotts and Clay Brodie kept the Harlequins at bay. The third try came from continual pressure at scrum time, with the return of Harri Greville making an immediate impact and assisting with Jackson Garrels going over the line and the final try coming from the kick off with Lachy Argiris going back to deep within his roots, pulling off some neat soccer dribbling, reminiscent of his Hamilton Olympic junior soccer days, allowing Hamish Lorang to pounce to score his second and final try for the oysters.
The game continued with some significant defensive resolve from the oysters to keep the Harlequins to nil, with the Halequins showing great continuity with their phase play and attacking runs, we look forward to following on to see how the Harlequins finish up for the year.
A huge thankyou to the Harlequins as the game was played in tremendous spirit between both teams and we enjoyed having a beer with the Harlequins at the end of the game, goodluck for the rest of the year gentlemen.
Exhibit A: A victorious Oysters team with our fantastic sponsors
UP NEXT
17th June: Away vs Manly Savers
24th June: Away vs Old Barker
1st July- RETURN TO REEF / OLD BOYS DAY: vs Epping at Rushcutters Bay.
22nd July: Ladies Day at Easts vs Knox.
SPONSORS
Thank you again to all of our fantastic 2023 sponsors
