Game of the Week: Top of the table clash

(Allene Rachal photo)

You’ll recall that during the college season we offered up a regular Game of the Week feature in which we previewed each week’s best matchups and even though we’re now diving headlong into summer we’re bringing it back.

The difference is we’ll be drilling down on the American National Rugby League’s biggest matches.

We appreciate that the 13-man code may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but here’s the thing, you’ll never know if you never go.

Every week between now and the end of the season in August you’ll be able to check out some live rugby league just as you normally would when you want to watch your favorite union team during the fall and spring.

The AMNRL’s website lists all the teams in the competition so you can figure out where your nearest club is and where and when they play. Granted, they’re all on the East Coast, but next year the league plans to expand nationally so now’s your chance to get a feel for the game.

In our first Game of the Week preview, we’ve got a real beauty. It’s a Round 3 top of the table clash in north Florida between the Jacksonville Axemen and New York Knights.

Both teams go into the game with unbeaten records. The #1 Axemen (3-0) are playing at home at UNF’s Hodges Stadium and have been virtually unbeatable there in the last couple of years. Players to watch include Simon Moate, Sean Rutgerson and Brent Shorten.

Moate has been on fire so far in ’09 averaging three tries per game and helping Jacksonville average 48.6 points per match, while giving up only 14.6 points a game.

The #2 Knights (2-0) have been equally impressive. New York is averaging 52 points per game to date, while allowing a miserly 14 points per match. One of their main playmakers is a young Australian Luke Hume, who was recruited during the off-season.

Hume is a product of the Cronulla club in Sydney and has been playing in the Toyota Cup U21 competition down under.

Gareth Baxendale is another guy to watch. The Knights are coached by Guillaume Cieutat, who was at the helm of Old Blue during this year’s Super League.

Each team has secured a bonus point for tries in every game played so far, suggesting that both are adept at completing their sets of six tackles, while also being pretty good defensively.

It shapes up as an exciting, competitive matchup and if you’re in the Jacksonville area this Saturday you might want to check it out.