WESTS coach Matt Lantry knew there was something special about Willis Alatini.
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It was a matter of finding a way to get the best out of the powerhouse winger. Alatini crossed for a two tries and set up another help steep Wests to a 34-16 win over Souths at Townson Oval on Sunday.
“He is among the next generation of players we want to build a club around,” Lantry said. “He had some shortfalls across the last couple of years where he would react to things, become a bit aggressive and lose control. He is really starting to manage his emotions and channel his energy into other areas.”
Alatini backed up a Brad Tighe bust and sent Sam Keenan on a 20 metre passage to the try-line to open the visitor’s account in the 23rd minute. He went over for his first four-pointer just before half-time before completing the Rosellas scoring with a spectacular effort three minutes from full-time.
Powerhouse game aside, Lantry was impressed that Alatini summoned the energy to play. The winger, Wests halfback Sam Keenan and Souths trio Luke Higgins, Ryan Glanville and Roman Fepuleai were apart of the Newcastle under-23s side which accounted for Central Coast 48-18 in the semi-final of the Country Championship at Morry Breen Oval on Saturday. Newcastle meet Monaro in the final next Saturday. The decider will be the fourth straight week where players will have backed up.
“I don’t mind the concept but the format needs to be looked at,” Lantry said about the championships which this year reverted from opens to under-23s. “We talk about player welfare and burnout … the poor buggers have had to play Saturday and Sunday for the past month. People say, it’s your choice to play them. Are you going to tell a 22-year-old that he has to forfeit income for a month?”
Wests controlled the majority of the battle on Saturday. Up 14-4 at break, they extended the margin to 24-4 before a spirited Souths fightback. James Livlock and Brendan Simpson crashed over to close the gap to 24-16.
“We lost our way in the second half and credit to Souths, they rallied really well,” Lantry said. “It got physical and quite willing.”
The loss leaves Souths bottom on one win after six rounds, but with a game in hand.
“The attitude and intent of our defence in the back end of the game, shows that it is there and we can do it,” Souths coach Ben Cross said.
Elsewhere on Sunday, Lakes United came back from a 12-10 deficit at half-time to overrun Kurri Kurri 34-24 at Cahill Oval.
On Saturday, Cessnock stormed past Maitland 30-22 at Coronation Oval. The match between Central and Macquarie has been moved to June 10.
