Fifita fires in City-Country draw

Spilling the football with his first carry of the match was hardly the perfect beginning but from there things improved considerably for Andrew Fifita who bounced back to form with a sound performance for City against County in Dubbo yesterday.

Fifita took the ball forward for his team with vigour, slipped a clever off-load to City fullback Matt Moylan in helping to create the first try, then scored one himself in the City comeback late in the contest.

It was an effort which wouldn’t have gone unnoticed by State of Origin coach Laurie Daley and his NSW selection panel and was especially timely with the Origin series just a matter of weeks away.

Before the game in Dubbo Fifita spoke of playing ‘happy football’ and with previous contract distractions out of the way that’s the way it looked in the match which finished in a 26-all draw.

“I’ve got nothing on my mind no more and it’s about playing happy football and I can’t wait to get back playing with the Sharks,” Fifita told media in the Apex Oval dressing room in Dubbo after the City Country clash.

“I improved today massively compared to the form I’ve been in. This rep game is just the starting point, as it was last year,” he said.

“I’m going to take a big confidence boost out of this game. I can’t wait to play some good footy and just try to get into Origin. Hopefully it keeps improving week by week,” Fifita added.

Also playing for City was Michael Lichaa, the young Sharks hooker entering the game after halftime and having good input into his team late game fight back as they scored three times in the final 10 minutes of the match to snatch what was an unlikely draw.

The involvement of the two continued a tradition of Sharks participation in City v Country Origin matches dating back to the first encounter back in 1987.

Sharks Historian Jeff Petersen has put together all the results from the 25 City-Country Origin matches, plus an chronological listing of those to have taken part while playing at the Cronulla club.

City Origin v Country Origin

SHARKS in CITY ORIGIN v COUNTRY ORIGIN clashes

Jonathan Docking (NSW City Origin 3 apps) W30-22 1987; W20-18 1988 (1 try); W16-8 1989; Mark McGaw (NSW City Origin 5 apps) W30-22 1987; W20-18 1988; W28-26 1990; W22-12 1991; L10-17 1992 (1 try); Andrew Ettingshausen (NSW City Origin 8 apps) W20-18 1988; W16-8 1989; W28-26 1990 (1 try); W22-12 1991 (2 tries); L10-17 1992; W7-0 1993; L2-22 1994; W18-16 1996 (1 try); Gavin Miller (NSW Country Origin 1 app) L8-16 1989; Adam Ritson (NSW City Origin 1 app) W16-8 1995; Danny Lee (NSW Country Origin 1 app) W18-16 1996; Colin Best (NSW City Origin 1 app) L10-42 2001; Adam Dykes (NSW City Origin 1 app) L10-42 2001; Brett Kimmorley (NSW Country Origin 3 apps) L16-26 2002; W22-18 2004 (3 goals); L6-12 2007; Nick Graham (NSW City Origin 1 app) W26-16 2002; David Peachey (NSW Country Origin 1 app) L16-17 2003 (1 try); Jason Stevens (NSW City Origin 3 apps) W17-16 2003; L18-22 2004; W29-22 2005; Luke Covell (NSW Country Origin 1 app) L22-29 2005 (3 goals); David Simmons (NSW City Origin 1 app) L10-12 2006 (1 try); Lance Thompson (NSW City Origin 2 apps) L10-12 2006; W12-6 2007; Paul Gallen (NSW City Origin 1 app) L10-12 2006; Greg Bird (NSW Country Origin 1 app) L6-12 2007; Reece Williams (NSW City Origin 1 app) W12-6 2007; Ben Pomeroy (NSW City Origin 3 apps) W12-6 2007; D22-22 2008 (1 try); W40-18 2009; Brett Kearney (NSW Country Origin 1 app) D22-22 2008; Anthony Tupou (NSW Country Origin 1 app) L18-40 2009; Kade Snowden (NSW Country Origin 1 app) W36-18 2010; Todd Carney (NSW Country Origin 1 app) L22-24 2012 (3 goals); Bryce Gibbs (NSW City Origin 1 app) W24-22 2012; Andrew Fifita (NSW City Origin 2 app) L12-18 2013 Draw26-26 2014 (2 tries); Michael Gordon (NSW Country Origin 1 app) W18-12 2013; Wade Graham (NSW City Origin 1 app) L12-18 2013; Michael Lichaa (NSW City Origin 1 app) Draw26-26 2014

Played 25 – City Origin 13 wins – Country Origin 10 wins– drawn 2

PREVIOUS CITY ORIGIN/COUNTRY ORIGIN RESULTS