The Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles have uncovered a secret weapon that is propelling them to the top of the Group 7 rugby league ladder, and it has nothing to do with traditional on-field tactics. Instead, the team has embraced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as part of their training regimen, under the guidance of in-house wrestling coach Matt Hillcoat, a black belt in the martial art.
A Winning Formula
Currently sitting atop the first grade ladder with a perfect 6-0 record, the Eagles secured their latest victory with a hard-fought 22-14 win over the Gerringong Lions on Saturday afternoon. After the match, coach Josh White credited the work of Hillcoat, who was approached by White at the start of the season to take on the unusual role.
“It was one of the hardest off-seasons we’ve had. Not only did we work on our fitness and defence, but we’ve got a good wrestling coach in Matt Hillcoat,” White said. “He’s been fantastic for us, and it shows out there that the boys can stick into games even though they’re not that big. Matt is outstanding.”
White explained that the idea came from within the club. “We knew he was in the club, and I spoke to him about it this off-season. He said he’d love to help out, and has jumped in since. Every training session we get a wrestle session in.”
Defensive Dominance
The Eagles’ defensive prowess has been a cornerstone of their success. White emphasised that the team’s focus on defence has been key. “Defensively we were really good. I’ve said it, that we’ll win a comp on defence. We’ve got to stop them from scoring, so that’s what we’d been working on in the off-season … really working hard at it, and it’s starting to pay off now. I think the boys are starting to believe that if we can defend strong, we’ll win the game.”
The win over Gerringong was a tight contest, with the Eagles pulling away with three tries between the 49th and 69th minutes. This followed a dominant 44-8 victory over Jamberoo the previous week. White was pleased with the team’s response after a less competitive performance. “We needed a game like that after the last couple of weeks of blowout scores. It’s hard because you’ve gotta come back down. We left Jamberoo thinking ‘oh, we’ll be right,’ and then in the first half I’m thinking ‘this is gonna go either way.’ We talked at halftime and we stuck to everything we said in the second half, which was fantastic, and the reason for the result. It was gold.”
Confidence and Depth
One of the try-scorers was centre Jiye Ellis, who had spent time in reserve grade. White praised his confidence. “Jiye will tell you he’s the best. He’ll let you know. You’ve got to have those kind of players in the club, and Jiye is one of them. I told him to give me two reasons why I should put him back in first grade, and he said to me, ‘I’m the best centre in the comp.’ There’s your confidence right there.”
However, the Eagles may need to call on their depth after second-rower Jarryd King left the field with a knee injury, sustained without contact. White expressed concern. “He’s gonna get scans and we’ll just see how we go. That’s when it’s bad, when they just fall down like that. He laid down and I thought, ‘oh, he’s in trouble here,’ so I don’t know, we’ll see what happens. The good thing is, we’ve got a really good reserve grade side and it’s the next man up mentality at our club now, so one goes down, the next one comes in.”
Looking Ahead
The Eagles’ next major test is still three weeks away, against defending premiers Kiama Knights at home. In the meantime, they face Shellharbour and Warilla. White remains cautious. “There’s not one easy game anymore, I don’t think. All teams are getting better, so we’ve just gotta keep concentrating and keep doing what we do. We’re not gonna win a comp in May, but we’re going in the right direction.”
Group 7 Round Six Wrap
ALBION PARK-OAK FLATS EAGLES 22 (tries: B. Hayburn, V. Vatuvei, J. Ellis, M. Potts; goals: R. Smith 3) defeated GERRINGONG LIONS 14 (tries: J. Kunkler, T. Taione, J. Taylor; goals: J. Taylor 3).
