Injuries have taken their toll on the Leeton Greens after they fell to their first defeat of the season in the top of the table clash with DPC Roosters on Sunday.
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The Roosters were able to make a perfect start as after going down the short side close to the line, coach Ben Jeffery was able to send Joe Peato over inside the first four minutes.
Peato made it a first-half double as, after spotting a gap in the middle of the Leeton defence, he was able to race away and score under the post from dummy half.
The Roosters look set to run away with the game as the Greens defence let a Ben Vearing bomb bounce. Jarrod Williams was able to get to the loose ball and offloaded to send Jeffery through.
Vearing was then able to get over the line and see the Roosters raced out to a 24-0 lead before the Greens had really created a chance.
Leeton's coach looked to have gone close before losing the ball as he reached out to score, and the Roosters took a 24-point lead into halftime.
The Roosters made a fast start in the second half, with Peato completing his hat-trick before Jeffery got over for his second in the space of two minutes.
The Greens were finally able to break through after Jeffery was sent to the sin bin after repeat ruck infringements close to the line with Will Barnes darting over from dummy half.
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That was as good as it would get for the Leeton side as Luke Hogan crossed late in the game to see the Roosters take a 40-6 win.
With seven regular first-graders missing from the side, Leeton coach Hayden Philp admitted their preparation hadn't been what he would have liked heading into the top of the table clash.
"We didn't really have the ideal preparation for this week, and it showed out there," he said.
"We didn't really have a good chance to have a good training session together. Had a couple of boys sick, and Cam (Bruest) was out with COVID until yesterday. With him being half, we didn't get a chance to go through the team drills.
"They are very disappointed in there, but it is what it is."
Of the injuries, most of them will be three to six-week scenarios, while Shannon Bradbrook's return is unknown after a knee injury.
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Liam Warren
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
As someone with an underlying passion about sport it is a privilege to report on the sporting landscape around the MIA
