Port Douglas kickstart campaign by knocking off the Bulls
FNQ Rugby’s defending grand finalists are on the wrong end of the table after one round. After JCU fell to Wanderers, Barron Trinity were rolled after a Port Douglas second half surge.
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FNQ Rugby’s defending grand finalists are on the wrong end of the table after one round.
JCU Mariners and Barron Trinity Bulls fought out a tough grand final last year, but both were dealt first-round defeats in the 15-man code’s return to the Far North.
The Mariners were bested by the returning Wanderers courtesy of a last second penalty goal, while the Bulls’ endured a sombre bus trip home after a scoreless second half against the resurgent Port Douglas.
The results prove this season will be unlike any other in recent time, with most of the teams in the running for a spot at the trophy.
A first-round win goes a long way to establishing momentum and confidence, and that’s what Port Douglas captain Jack Murday was preaching after a successful first day.
The Reef Raiders were led by Argentine fly-half Tomas Venter, a speedy, left-footed ballplayer who is generally more at home at inside centre.
Venter played a key role in several of his team’s tries, earning a few meat pies of his own, as the home side orchestrated a second-half surge to put the Bulls to the sword.
More than just a skilled rugby player, Venter has been brought into the fold and made at home after being stuck jobless in the tourist town as the coronavirus pandemic struck.
“He was great for us,” Murday said. “He’s from Buenos Aires. He was over here working but he was stuck in Port Douglas without work for a while.
“It’s good for guys like him to have the club to come to, and for the players to get around them, in situations like that.
“But he was great. He controlled the game for us, scored a few tries and he’s got a good left boot.”
Murday said Matt Mallard was strong at No.8 as well, as the home side ground the Bulls’ pack in the second stanza.
The win was all the more important for Port Douglas after a 2019 in which the Bulls scraped by in all three encounters – including the elimination final.
“It’s great to get a win against them but it’s more important to start with a win,” Murday said. “We were pretty happy with our structures and the plan we’ve been working on came off.
“If you get off to a good start, you can build on that, and that’s what we’ve done.”
Port Douglas will now prepare to face defending champions JCU Mariners while the Bulls will host the Mudcrabs.
THE RESULTS
FNQ Rugby - Round 1
Northern Beaches Mudcrabs 22 def Brothers Cairns 13 at the Crabpot.
Wanderers 21 def JCU Mariners 20 at James Cook University.
Port Douglas Reef Raiders 37 def Barron Trinity Bulls 25 at Port Douglas.
Round 2 draw
Barron Trinity v Mudcrabs
Wanderers v Brothers
Mariners v Port Douglas
Originally published as Port Douglas kickstart campaign by knocking off the Bulls