What a game of rugby. The U12s served up a thriller on Saturday that had everyone on the sideline swinging between heart attacks and beaming smiles — and when the final whistle blew, Eltham had run out convincing 47–22 winners over a determined Northern side.
A Fast Start
Eltham came out firing, with Alex’s quick feet causing early problems and Roman and newcomer Carmelo making their presence felt with big tackles from the opening moments. Northern scored first off a quick tap — but Eltham didn’t flinch. Six consecutive phases of pressure followed, and when Northern couldn’t hold them back, Orin stepped up to convert and put Eltham ahead 7–5.
The game swung back and forth in a breathless opening half. Northern edged back in front, but Eltham responded immediately — a sharp line break from Carmelo spread through the backs and found Nas under the posts, with Orin converting to make it 14–10. The pick of the first half came when Artie managed a massive reach to finish off a try following an interception from Carmelo, and Orin’s boot pushed Eltham out to 21–10 at the break.
A Second Half to Remember
Northern came out swinging after half-time and pulled the score back to 21–22, cancelling out all of Eltham’s first-half lead. The sideline held its breath.
Then came the moment of the match. Nas intercepted and set off on a run all the way under the posts — and in a moment of pure generosity, pulled up just short to pass to Alex for the finish. It brought equal parts heart attack and beaming pride from everyone watching; technically a risky move that could have cost Eltham the try, but the kind of instinctive camaraderie that makes this team special. Orin converted, and Eltham were back in front at 28–22.
From there, Eltham didn’t look back. Alex struck again moments later, then Max powered over out wide with Orin converting to stretch the lead, before Orin capped a remarkable afternoon with a barnstorming 50-metre try of his own. The final scoreline: 47–22.
A Team Effort
This was a complete team performance. The fitness of this group really showed in the second half — when Northern were running on empty, Eltham kept pushing, kept moving, and kept scoring. Roman, Max, Hunter, and Artie were outstanding in defence throughout — with some try-saving tackles and chase-down work that kept Northern at bay at crucial moments. Malachi and Kade worked tirelessly in the forwards, creating the platform for the backs to do damage. The kicking game from Artie and Max, including some excellent clearance kicks under pressure, helped Eltham control field position when it mattered most.
Probably the best tackling game and best support game from the forwards to date — well done, lads.
A final word of thanks to every player who put their body on the line on Saturday. There were some big knocks taken out there. We hope everyone is recovering well.
Player of the Match: Carmelo 🏉
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