Rookie Wildfires fly-half steps up to inflict killer blow on Eastwood

The rookie fly-half made two huge plays to snatch the Hunter Wildfires a 29-28 triumph over Eastwood at TG Millner Field on Saturday.

With the visitors trailing 28-22 and time almost up, Evenden showed vision and precision to deliver a pin-point cross-field kick for winger Frankie Nowell to score in the corner.

Evenden had hustled back to halfway when he realised regular goal-kicker Morgan Ethan had been replaced.

He raced back, lined the kick up from a metre inside the touchline and - with the Eastwood faithful blaring in his ear - sent the conversion over the black dot.

"That was a big play at a big time," Wildfires coach Scott Coleman said.

"You wouldn't know it was his third game. He stepped up, not only to set up the try but also land the kick."

Evenden, from Canberra, joined the Wildfires in May after a season in Ireland at Cashel.

The 25-year-old made his Shute Shield debut against Manly in a mud bath three weeks ago.

"Jack has been a breath of fresh air," Coleman said. "He is really calm around the guys. On the pitch, he is decisive and communicates really well. He also has confidence in his ability."

The win was the Wildfires' fifth of the season, but they remained in 10^th despite moving to 27 points.

However, it came at a heavy cost with lock Taufa Kinikini, centre Ueta Tafuga and breakaway Tiueti Asi all suffering long-term injuries.

Kinikini limped off inside 10 minutes with a suspected torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee, Tafuga tore his pectoral muscle three minutes into the second half and Asi was replaced seven minutes later with a broken hand.

They add to a casualty list that was already at 15.

"To lose those three - they are all big players - and win showed great character. It was a gutsy effort.

"It was an amazing feeling at full-time. The boys were pumped. It will be an awesome boost and exactly what we needed.

"The intent and line speed in defence probably won it for us."

The Wildfires led 12-0 after 24 minutes through to tries to Veni Vahai and Elyjah Crosswell.

The home side hit back four minutes later when winger Jordan-Lee Bacon crossed.

The home had all the ball early in the second half and made the most of it with back-to-back tries to go ahead 21-12.

Against the run of play, Nowell grabbed an intercept and raced 50 metres.

Kirk Tufaga crashed over from a driving maul to regain the lead 22-21 for the visitors.

When Bacon crossed for his second from a quick tap, it looked like the Woods would prevail.

Evenden had other ideas.

'At half-time, I told them to back themselves and run when on," Coleman said. "More so keep the energy and line speed in our defence. We were getting off the line and putting shots on. We were really aggressive.

"We celebrated the little wins. That was our motto for the day. celebrate little wins and from that big wins will come."