Axemen get a record crowd for international game

Approximately 1500 Axemen fans showed up to see the Jacksonville Axemen Rugby League team take on the visiting Jamaican Rugby League team at Hodges Stadium at UNF.

With almost perfect weather and a great build up to the event they were not disappointed as the excitement started form the very first kick off.
The very first tackle set the tone for the day with the Jamaican ball
carrier charging into the Axemen line, who were just as keen to introduce
him to the Hodges Stadium grass. The big hits came thick and fast from the
Axemen who knew they would have to use their size to try and counteract the speed of the visitors. It wasn't long before the Axemen found enough room in a small defensive gap to open up the scoring and lead 6 to 0 after only 5 minutes. It wasn't long after that that another quick play set saw them do exactly the same up the middle of the field to make it 12 nil.

The visitors quickly adjusted the defense to stop the power running up the
middle and held the Axemen to only 10 more points in the half. While doing so they also put on their own display of attack with their speed used very well on the outside backs and they run in 2 of their own trys to go into the break down 20 to 10.

Coach Spinner Howland was concerned at half time about containing the speed and fitness of the faster Jamaican players for another 40 minutes and was very clear about the style of defense the Axemen would play. He wanted solid tackles that slowed their plays down and to try and knock the wind out of them. In offense he wanted all the Axemen to plow into the lighter defense. This seemed to have the desired effect with plenty of "bell ringing" tackles sounding the alarm for the visitors and the crowd was out of their seat for everyone of them. The Jamaicans however would not lay down and during the onslaught kept their game plan together and scored 2 more tries to make the game very close at one stage.

The Axemen found the stance tiring and it was only the luck of a few bounces and some clever kick plays that allowed them to get some late tries to put the game away in the final 10 minutes.

After the game both teams looked like walking wounded with the injuries to Axemen Perry Vaught, Richard Alleger, Will Fletcher and Marc Hanke who all finished the game on the injury list. The visitors seemed just as battered.

The record crowd stayed for a long time after the game getting their last
autographs and photos with players from both teams. The Axemen did however promise them more fireworks when the 2 best AMNRL teams meet in the Grand Final at Hodges Stadium on Aug 25th

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