Aquis Titans feeder team Burleigh Bears have taken second spot on the Intrust Super Cup ladder after a 24-14 win against Northern Pride, despite the call-up of forwards Eddy Pettybourne and Nate Peteru and the absence of in-form Lachlan Burr and Cameron Cullen.
The Bears have lost only one of their past seven games, a shock defeat to Central Queensland Capras, and drew with competition leaders Townsville Blackhawks.
Former Titan Jamal Fogarty sits atop the competition’s points-scoring charts with 120 points, which includes eight tries, and fullback Kurtis Rowe is second on the try-scoring list with 11 behind the Blackhawks’ Johnathon Reuben’s 13.
The link with the Titans has never been stronger with contracted players Peteru, Burr, Cameron Cullen and Jeff Lynch being a feature of their winning run while former Titans Fogarty, Jamie Dowling, Hayden and Daniel Schwass, Connor Broadhurst and Parahi Wilson playing their roles.
The Bears came away from an unusually cold Cairns having truly established themselves with the Blackhawks and PNG Hunters, who went down to the Capras, as the competition’s heavyweights with a classy victory in torrential rain.
Daniel Schwass opened the scoring and the Bears led 14-0 at the break and 18-0 soon after before the Pride rallied to get within eight, only for a stray offload by Cowboys player Ben Spina gifted Burleigh a match-sealing try and a hard-earned two points.
The other feeder team, Tweed Heads, went down 30-16 to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls at Piggabeen Sports Complex after having won three straight to challenge for a top-eight position.
Titans player Karl Lawton had to fill in at centre while Ryan Simpkins started in the second row in place of the injured Matt Robinson, in his second game back after fracturing his jaw. Kierran Moseley (pictured), put back to the Cup to make way for Nathan Peats, started as hooker and was busy.
The match would go through a stale period for much of the rest of the second half as a dour wrestle for control slogged out in centre field after Wynnum led 14-6 at the break.
Tweed Heads, armed with a bigger pack in 2016, did not shirk the interior battle, contrasting past strategies to play laterally “out of necessity” as described by Tweed coach Aaron Zimmerle.
Wynnum scored three second half tries to race away to a 30-10 lead before Michael Burgess scored a consolation late try.
To watch the Tweed highlights, click this link - http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2016/05/23/highlights_rd11_twee.html
To watch the Bears’ highlights – click this link - http://www.qrl.com.au/news/2016/05/23/highlights_rd11_prid.html
BURLEIGH BEARS 24 (Daniel Schwass, Kurtis Rowe, Waka Wanahi, Olly Regan tries; Jamal Fogarty 4 goals) def NORTHERN PRIDE 14 (Justin Castellaro, Luke George, Khan Ahwang tries; Khan Ahwang goal) at Roosters Stadium, Atherton.
BURLEIGH BEARS: Kurtis Rowe, Waka Wanahi, Sami Sauiluma, Connor Broadhurst, Oliver Regan, Daniel Schwass, Jamal Fogarty, Luke Page, Pat Politoni, Paterika Vaivai, Parahi Wilson, Hayden Schwass, Jeff Lynch. Interchange: Tyler Chadburn, Jamie Dowling, Josh Ailaomai, Louis Fanene.
WYNNUM MANLY SEAGULLS 30 (Daniel Ogden 2, Patrick Templeman, Mitchell Cronin, Alex Barr tries; Mathew Seamark 5 goals) def TWEED HEADS SEAGULLS 16 (Samuel Saville, Samuel Irwin, Michael Burgess tries; Samuel Meskell, Michael Burgess goals) at Piggabeen Sports.
TWEED SEAGULLS: Shannon Walker, Matthew Hundy, KarL Lawton, Shaun Carney, Leva Li, Sam Irwin, Mitchell Burgess, Will Bugden, Sam Meskell, Mitch Sharp, Ryan Simpkins, Cory Blair, Sam Saville. Interchange: Kierran Moseley, Josh Coyle, Ethan Price, Oshae Tuiasau.
POINTS TABLE AFTER ROUND 11
Team |
Played |
Won |
Draw |
Lost |
Bye |
For |
Agnst |
Total |
Townsville Blackhawks |
11 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
376 |
164 |
19 |
Burleigh Bears |
11 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
328 |
256 |
17 |
PNG Hunters |
10 |
7 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
243 |
191 |
16 |
Easts Tigers |
10 |
6 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
280 |
208 |
15 |
Redcliffe Dolphins |
10 |
6 |
0 |
4 |
1 |
266 |
170 |
14 |
Northern Pride |
10 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
245 |
217 |
12 |
CQ Capras |
10 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
1 |
216 |
264 |
12 |
Sunshine Coast Falcons |
11 |
5 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
221 |
222 |
11 |
Wynnum Manly Seagulls |
10 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
242 |
267 |
10 |
Tweed Heads Seagulls |
10 |
4 |
0 |
6 |
1 |
203 |
272 |
10 |
Souths Logan Magpies |
11 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
275 |
298 |
9 |
Norths Devils |
10 |
3 |
1 |
6 |
1 |
192 |
298 |
9 |
Ipswich Jets |
11 |
3 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
250 |
317 |
6 |
Mackay Cutters |
11 |
1 |
0 |
10 |
0 |
216 |
409 |
2 |
NEXT WEEK’S GAMES
Saturday 28 May
Wynnum Manly Seagulls v CQ Capras at BMD Kougari Oval 6:00pm
Sunday 29 May
Ipswich Jets v PNG Hunters at North Ipswich Reserve 1:40pm (Channel 9)
Redcliffe Dolphins v Burleigh Bears at Dolphin Oval 2:00pm
Easts Tigers v Townsville Blackhawks at Suzuki Stadium, Langlands Park 3:00pm
Norths Devils v Tweed Heads Seagulls at Bishop Park 3:00pm
Northern Pride v Souths Logan Magpies at Barlow Park 3:00pm
Bye: Mackay Cutters, Sunshine Coast Falcons
