COACH Darryl Fisher took the 'softly, softly' approach in his half-time team talk to coax Orara Valley to a
36-28 victory over Woolgoolga at Coramba yesterday.
The Axemen relinquished a big lead prior to the break ... a disputed try awarded to Seahorses' second-
rower Wade Gerhard saw them switch off and allow the visitors to snatch an unlikely lead.
But Woolgoolga badly bungled the kick-off and the Axemen gleefully raced across, bringing an end to
their short period in the doldrums.
“There's no sense blowing up at half time as they just don't respond to it,” Fisher said.
“So I just reminded them of what works for us, what they needed to do and they showed they
understood from the reaction to that first Woolgoolga mistake.”
A try to Matt Grayson levelled the scores, Dan Tempest landed a penalty to give Orara a slender lead
but the final line crossing - the third to rookie winger Nathan Hardy - ensured the Axemen would win a
nail-biting grand final replay.
“The side that was hungriest was always going to win and Orara had just a little more determination,”
Woolgoolga coach Darren Leaney said.
“And it doesn't hurt when a player as good as Paul Tomlinson is in your side ... he was fantastic again
today and helped keep his blokes on fire.”
Both outfits were affected by injury and Fisher was forced to sign on at five-eighth for what he insisted
was a cameo performance.
“We've talked all week about the big games ahead and how we needed to start enjoying our football,”
Fisher said.
“For a while we lost our way but it all came together in the second half.
“Our way is for no-mistake football and to keep pushing when an opportunity opens up and that won us
the game.”
Both forward packs ripped in with little regard for personal safety and while overall it was an improved
effort after last week's slump to the Sea Eagles, coach Leaney believes the mental approach from his
team is still a work in progress.
“Basic fundamentals were missed and it's really frustrating,” he admitted.
“People keep saying we're going to win the grand final, the reality is we aren't even in the 'five' and
we've got to start playing with what's between the ears if we're to start making real progress