It was back to The Foreshore on Sunday for the first time for the 2009 season, where there was plenty of talk about the rapidly-approaching Nedlands 75th anniversary celebrations. For those of you who haven’t got around to registering for what is shaping up as the biggest event in the club’s long and proud history, get cracking now and sign up on the forms on the Neddies website. Registration forms are also available behind the bar. And if you know any former players or supporters who are yet to sign up, start rattling the chain now. Starting on Saturday May 9 and culminating with a gala dinner at the Convention Centre of Friday May 15, the anniversary will be a week of festivities not to be missed.

Back on the field on Sunday and the 1st Grade played host to a resurgent Palmyra after last week’s draw with Perth-Bayswater. Nedlands were able to field two Emirates Western Force players in prop Troy “Chicken” Takiari and hooker Luke Holmes, while Paly had No 8 Filipe Manu, who is apparently no relation to a former Neddies try-scoring legend of the same name, the man they called Block. With the sun at their backs and with the first use of a handy breeze, the visitors got on the board first with a penalty goal for an early 3-0 lead.

Paly also scored the first try of the game to go to the break with an 11-9 lead, after Neddies inside centre Juan “JP” Pretorius had slotted three penalty goals for the home team. In a tight second half, Nedlands looked to have seized the initiative when winger Barry Mansfield flew down the new Neddies Supporters Club (aka The Third Half) side of the ground to score with a desperate lunge in the corner. With the sideline conversion sailing wide, the scores were locked up at 14-14. However, Palmyra finished stronger with a penalty goal and a late try to take the match 22-14 and deny Nedlands a bonus point in the process. It was something of a disappointing finish for Tony Ball’s troops, who were too often guilty of turnovers and giving away free kicks and penalties against a Paly team which should cause a few more upsets this season.

Earlier, the 2nd Grade made it two from two with a 32-15 win over Palmyra. Despite conceding a try within the first minute of play, Nedlands gained ascendancy with a try to Barry “Tooheys Extra” Dry and took a 15-5 halftime lead after man of the match Matt Suter had set up Mike “Dents” Denton for a spectacular try. Second half tries to Callum Sauer and Terry “Max” Smith gave Neddies the bonus point before Dylan Dwyer made it five for Neddies and a comfortable victory, even though Paly scored a consolation try.

In the new 3rd Grade Black competition, the Cavaliers were pipped again, going down 17-7 to arch rivals the Southern Lions. The Cavaliers were obviously so gutted they forgot to send in a match report.

No match report either from Bryn Vaughan’s 3rd Grade Gold team, which prevailed 25-20 over Palmyra in another close encounter at The Foreshore.

In 4th Grade, Neddies Black recovered from Spocky’s birthday celebrations to record a 53-6 win over the Southern Lions at The Foreshore, despite a few seedy players failing to turn up. The Nomads are now the overspill team for the under 20s and had nine Colts run on against Southern Lions, complementing legends like Reg “Boogie Wonderland” Walters and Kenny “Sir Edmund” Fleury. For the Nomads, Aussie Bob Somerville, Mark Clutterback and Shane Atkins keep the bigger opposition in check which allowed Paul “Fiji” Knight to capitalise on any loose ball getting two tries and the best player. Gadget sneaked on in the 2nd half to bag three tries, but Angus Meyer and Tim Badham showed tremendous skill for U20s to help get the score above the half century mark.

The Neddies 4th Grade Gold team were also in the winners circle, defeating Palmyra 24-5. Some heroics there, but nothing we can share with you because they forgot to send in a match report for the second week running.

The Under-20s had a bye and rumour has it Neddies may enter another team in this grade because we have so many young players wanting to play for the mighty Royal Blues.

After last week’s draw against Perth-Bayswater, the Under-18s recorded their first win of the season with a 19-5 victory over Palmyra. No match details from there either however.

Another big weekend down at The Foreshore on Saturday with Neddies hosting Soaks. And for those of you chasing details of the biggest event on Perth’s social calendar outside the Leeuwin Estate concert, the Neddies Ladies Day, the event has been tentatively booked for Saturday August 1, subject to confirmation.