THE Kiama Knights have sharpened their swords ahead of their 2018 Group Seven finals campaign, by smashing the Stingrays of Shellharbour 60-12 on Sunday.
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The hosts at the Kiama Showground opened their account within the first two minutes, when a Stingrays bomb got caught in the win, is let to bounce and is picked up by Jay Delaney – who ran 70 metres to score untouched.
Half Cameron Vazzoler added the extras for 6-nil.
The Knights had their second five minutes later, again from a Stingrays error.
This time a big hit by prop James Brown forced a Stingrays knock-on – a ball which is pounced on by Vazzoler, who ran 50 metres to score.
He failed to convert his own try, leaving it at 10-nil.
The Rays then went close to opening their accounts, as five-eighth Kaden Towle was held up over the line.
But the hosts punished the Rays for not scoring when forward Toby Nobes barged over from dummy-half to score.
Vazzoler converted for 16-nil, after as many minutes.
The Knights had their third long range try in the 21st minute when Cameron Cornell found space down the eastern touchline.
Vazzoler failed to convert in the wind, as the lead was 20.
From the kick-off, Nobes broke then line and put Matt Morris into space, with the winger eventually brought down.
But next play, Vazzoler held the ball up perfectly for fullback Tom Atkins to slide through and score.
Vazzoler converted from the sideline for 26-nil.
Twelve minutes before the break, Stingrays’ Tyson Owen was sent to the bin for repeated late hits on Vazzoler.
During the period of time with the extra man, the hosts score two tries – through Matt Morris and then Daniel Martin, who Vazzoler converting the second to make it 36-nil the at half-time.
The Rays came out a different side in the second half, as Lachlan Roache reached out to score his side’s opener.
Aaron Merrick added the extras for 36-6.
This was as close as the visitors got though, as the Knights hit straight back through Vazzoler, following sharp play for Atkins.
The half converted his own try for 42-6.
The hosts had back to back tries when a Vaughan Thistlethwaite offload put Matt Morris into space to score – which was converted for Vazzoler.
The Rays then blew back to back chances to score their second, which was compounded when Shaun Baulch was given a 10 minute rest for a late hit of Hamish McLaurin.
The very next set, McLaurin put prop Luke Sutton over to score – with Vazzoler nailing the converison for 54-6.
The Rays then scored their second when Jimmy Scott beat Atkins to a grubber kick by Kaden Towle, placing it down just inside the dead ball line.
Merrick converted for 54-12.
The win for the Knights was capped off when lock Nobes ran onto a Vazzoler pass to score.
Vazzoler converted to make it 60-12 at full-time.
In the win, Nobes, Thistlethwaite, Atkins and Vazzoler were exceptional, while Kaden Towle, Jake Goody, Liam Thompson and Anthony Nabbe tried hard for the Rays.