David Ward

The Pirates’ Division 1 team made it two wins in a row with a 48-7 victory over the Nepean Ducks in Week 3 of the 2015 season.

The Pirates scored from their first touch of the ball but that was to be the only points in the opening period with the Pirates taking a 6-0 lead. Two converted Touchdowns in the 2nd Quarter saw the Pirates leading 22-0 at the halftime break. Another sluggish passage of play with only a single score in the 3rd Quarter had the Pirates leading 28-0 heading into the final period. Then scoring opened up again in the final quarter with three Pirate TDs and a Ducks’ converted score of their own to round out the game at 48-7.

Despite the score it was a frustrating game with the Pirates showing flashes of great play coupled with missed assignments and penalties. A 2-0 start to the season is pleasing but there is work to be done as the games ahead will be tough outings.

After a Bye in Week 1 of the 2015 season the Pirates opened their campaign at home against the UNSW Raiders. The Raiders were coming off a win in the previous week and had showed good form and enthusiasm, so they would be tough opponents for a Pirates’ team that had yet to play another team.

After a slow start to the game the Pirates went to halftime leading by 22-3.

A quick score after the break, followed by two more scores had the Pirates up by 40-9 at the end of the Third Quarter.

A solid final period saw the Pirates run out winners by 56-9.

The score line was not a true indication of the game, particularly in the First Half as the Pirates looked rusty and out of synch. Both the Offense and Defense had their moments with some bright patches of play on both sides of the ball.

The Second Half was a much better display which showed glimpses of promise for the weeks ahead.

It was a pleasing start to the season but there is still a lot of work to be done as the Pirates iron our the wrinkles in the game.

In Week 3 the Pirates take on the Nepean Ducks at The Square, Sydney University. The game will kick off at 2.00pm.

The Pirates have clinched the minor premiership with a 38-0 win over the North Sydney Rebels. The Pirates will now have a rematch with the Sutherland Seahawks in game 1 of the playoffs.

Last time they met, the Pirates got away with a narrow 34-30 win at Craik Park, Austral. But the Pirates will need to lift their game to get over the fast Seahawks.

The game will kick off this Saturday, December 6, at 6:30 at 5 Sports Endeavour High school, with the earlier semi final game at 3:30, the Sydney University Lions taking on UTS Gators.

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The Pirates kicked off to start the game, but the kick was wayward and went out the sideline untouched, the sharks got the ball at the 40.
The Pirates defence came out strong, leading to a Sharks 3&out and a punt.
The Pirates returned to the 35, but on the first snap of the game the offence was flagged for offside and were back to the 30.  On 1st&15@30 the RB ran for 10yds, and on 2nd&5 ran for another 15yds.  But the sharks defence halted the pirates at the halfway mark, leading to a pirates punt on 4th down.
The punt went into the red zone leading to a Sharks 1st&10@20.
Again the Pirates defence came out strong, and although the Sharks got two short rushes, the third rush was stopped way back behind the line at scrimmage leading to a Sharks 3&out and a punt.
The punt sailed over the sideline at the 50yd, pretty much where the pirates finished their first series.
The pirates had a small rush, a short pass and another small rush, and then were halted on the 32yd line.  On 4th&3 the pirates went for it, and the RB rushed for a bit over 10 yds.  On the resulting first down the RB rushed again for a bit over 10 yds, bringing the pirates to a first & goal at the 8yd line.   Again the pirates rushed and the RB smashed into the endzone on an 8yd TD run.
The pirates set up for a 2point attempt, but the Sharks defence held strong against another rush, the 2 PAT was no good.

PIRATES 6 : SHARKS 0

The Pirates kick was returned by the Sharks to the 30yd.  The Sharks 1st&10@30 was a rush for -1yd.  2nd&11 was an incomplete pass, and on 3rd down the Pirates registered the first SACK of the game.  The Sharks punted on 4th down at their 22yd line – a bad punt out over the sideline at their 38yd line.  This brought the first quarter to a close.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: PIRATES 6 : SHARKS 0

The pirates started the second quarter 1st&10@38 in Sharks territory, but ran into very determined sharks defence.  The first rush was stopped dead on the line of scrimmage, then the Sharks got a SACK for a loss of 5yd, a battered pass on 3rd down, and another SACK on 4th down for a loss of about 10yds — and turnover on downs at the 48yd in pirates territory.
The sharks offence came out energised by their defence, but the pirate defence was asleep, some players coming onto the field late and without equipment ready and earning the pirates an equipment violation penalty.
The sharks capitalised on this slip by the defence, throwing deep and receiving a pass interference call.  But that is where they stopped, the pirates defence woke up with the Sharks 1st&10@33, and the Sharks went for four straight pass incompletions and turnover on downs.
The pirates offence now had the ball at their own 33yd line.  On 1st down they went 20yds on a pass. On the next 1st down they had a small pass and then ran for a few, and on 3rd&short they had a big rush for a first down.
The pirates were now 1st&10@30 in Sharks territory,  and the RB had a huge 25yd run but was brought down by the defence at the 5yd line.  On the next play – 1st&Goal@5yd – the pirates run it in for a TD.
The pirates set up for a 2point attempt, and this time a floating pass to the weak side was caught by the WR, the 2 PAT was good.

PIRATES 14 : SHARKS 0

The Pirates kick was returned by the Sharks to the 36yd.
The first offensive series by the Sharks were rushes and they gained a first down. At 1st&10@47 they did three straight incomplete passes and punted on 4th down.
The Pirates returned the punt to the 32yd, then went back-to-back 20yd passes and then back-to-back incomplete passes followed by a pass into the endzone that was intercepted by the sharks and was run back 40yds – with the pirates QB making a tackle that stopped the intercept being a pick-6.
The Sharks set up for a 1st&10@41, and had 3 incomplete passes and a battered pass for a turnover on downs.
The Pirates took over 1st&10@41 in their territory and ran a reversal, but the RB fumbled the ball when tackled after gaining 9 yds and the fumble was recovered by the sharks.
The Sharks set up for a 1st&10@50, and had an incomplete pass and then the Ref called Half Time

END OF 1ST HALF: PIRATES 14 : SHARKS 0

Sharks kickoff to start 2nd half, pirates receive and return to 43yd line.
Pirates 1st&10@43yd is a 57yd run all the way to a TD.  They go for 2 and its good.

PIRATES 22 : SHARKS 0

Pirates kickoff and sharks receive to the 39yd line. Sharks 1st&10@39, Run for 1stDown. 1s&10@28, Run for small gain. 2ndDown Pass for small gain. 3rdDown Pass Incomplete but defence called for offside.
Sharks 1st&10@18. Pass for TD.  Sharks go for 2 – failed.

PIRATES 22 : SHARKS 6.

Sharks kickoff, pirates receive and return to Sharks 46yd line. 1st&10@46.  Run for 1yd. 2nd down pass for 1yd.  3rd&8@44, personal foul on offense, 15yd penalty.  Punt to 18yd.
Sharks 1st&10@18 is a run for large gain. Sharks 1st&10@34 is another run for large gain. Sharks 1st&10@47 in pirates territory, another run for good gain.  Sharks 1st&10@35.  Pass incomplete. 2nd down run for 5yd.  3rd&5@30 is a run, but offence fouled for illegal shift. 3rd&10@35.  Pass incomplete.  On 4th Down they go for Pass – Incomplete, Pirates receive ball on turnover of downs.

END OF 3RD QUARTER: PIRATES 22 : SHARKS 6

Pirates 1st&10@35 in Pirates territory.  Pass is good. 1st&10@46 is a run for short gain.  2nd Down is another run.  3rd&1@45 in Sharks territory is a short run.
Pirates 1st&10@39 in Sharks territory is a Run for no gain. 2nd&10@39 is a Pass – intercepted by the Sharks and run all the way back to the 18yd line in Pirates territory – the TD saving tackle was made by the Pirates QB.
Sharks 1st&10@18 in Pirates territory is a run for 7yds.  2nd is another run but called back for offensive holding. Sharks 2nd&13@11 is a short pass.  3rd&10@18 is a run, but a penalty occurred at the end of the run by the offence. 3rd&long is a Pass – Touchdown. Sharks go for 2 points – it’s good.

PIRATES 22 : SHARKS 14

Sharks kickoff is out of endzone.  Pirates 1st&10@20 in Pirates territory.  Run for 5yd.  2nd Down offensive is called for Offside. 2nd&15 the Pass is battered at the line by the Sharks defence.  3rd&long run for short gain. Pirates Punt deep at their 19yd.
Sharks receive and run to the 42yd in Pirates territory. Sharks 1st&10@42 is a Pass – incomplete.  2nd Down the Pirates get a sack.  3rd&13@45 is a run – defence called for a penalty.  1st&10@35 is a pass – incomplete. 2nd is a Pass also incomplete. 3rd&10@35 is a Sack by the defence.
The Referee calls the 2 minute warning. The sharks need a score and 2 point conversion to tie the game.
4th&20@45 is a Pass incomplete, but there is a penalty on the defence.  4th&15@40 is a Pass incomplete.  Pirates get the ball on turnover of downs.
1st&10@40 in Pirates Territory is a run bringing the ball into Sharks territory.  1st&10@49 is another run. 1st&10@39 is another run but there is a penalty on the offence after the run.  2nd&13@45 is another run.  3rd&2@34 is another run bringing up the 1st Down.  Pirates take a knee to end the game.

END OF GAME: PIRATES 22 : SHARKS 14

 

It was too close for comfort, but after a see-saw battle the West Sydney Pirates put away the Sutherland Seahawks 34-30 to grab the vital premiership points.

The win means the Pirates are in third place on the ladder of the NSW Gridiron division one competition.

It was their ninth win of 2014 and with the business end of the season looming it came at a vital time.

This was always going to be a hard game for the Pirates. Not just the fact the team was light on numbers but also because the Sutherland Seahawks 2014 model has been one of the best in recent times.

Coming into this game, Pirates were 8-1 and Seahawks 6-3. Pirates started with the ball first but didn’t do anything with the opportunity.

Then Seahawks turned with a short field due to a bad Pirate punt. They didn’t do much more and Pirates took over on their own 22 yard line after a penalty on first down.

Again the Pirates’ offence didn’t get a first down and was forced to punt.

Some good defence followed as both teams traded punts. Then the scoring started with an 82 yard touchdown catch by Jason Ram and it was 6-0 to the Pirates.

The Seahawks answer back with a drive and touchdown of their own and a 2 point conversion to take the lead 8-6. And the see-saw battle had commenced.

Pirates had a solid 83 yard drive that resulted in a Todd Russell touchdown catch. The scoreline now read 12-8 in favour of the Pirates, but the Seahawks answered right back with a touchdown and a 2 point conversion to take the lead at 12-16.

Pirates again mustered a long drive that ended in Jason Ram’s second touchdown of the game with Raneen Shamoon getting the 2 points and putting the Pirates back in the lead, 20-16.

Seahawks started driving again but perhaps a key play of the game was a Chris Snagg interception deep in the Pirates’ own half to snuff out that chance for the Seahawks.