Meninga Cup, Connell, Harvey Norman U17 and U19 girls league round 5
Meninga Cup, Connell and Harvey girls round 5: The Clydesdales and Capras displayed clout, the Jets’ fired their engines while the Pride swam through a monsoon to find victory. Reports here.
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Cracking Meninga, Connell Cup and Harvey girls’ clashes between Capras and Pride and also Ipswich and the Clydesdales highlighted the first half of round five games today.
Northern Pride, hosting CQ, won the Harvey 19s but the Capras won the Harvey U17s and the Connell Cup.
SPEED DEMONS: MENINGA, CONNELL AND HARVEY GIRLS
UNSUNG HEROES: MENINGA, CONNELL and HARVEY GIRLS
In the Jets-Clydesdales’ south western derby, the Clydesdales won the Harvey 19s 26-22 and the Harvey 17s, but Ipswich returned serve to win both the Connell and Meninga Cups.
In the other matches today, the Sunshine Coast played the Bulls. Full reports below.
CLYDESDALES v IPSWICH, Harvey 17s
Clydesdales halfback Sedeequa Nelson was the difference in bruising, physical clash won 18-8 by the Darling Downs’ girls over Ipswich.
With her captain Chloe Thompson leading a forward protection racket against a tough Ipswich pack, Nelson scored a remarkable solo try and conjured up a second for winger Isabelle Duncombe which was the difference in a match which was much closer than the scores indicated.
But she could only have a say in the match if her forwards went forward, and leading the way was prop Chloe Thompson.
Ipswich had a host of strong players, including dangerous fullback Jannali Wyles-Entermann, interchange forwards Louretta Mataafa and Tamika Brennan-Rowe and Havana-Lee Tiepa-Campus, but the better side won.
WOW FACTOR
Nelson produced the wow factor of the match with a brilliant 80m solo try.
Off the back of a quick ruck ball by prop Millie Wolff, and slick service from hooker Isabel Johnston, Nelson was granted front attacking opportunities.
A dummy, a weave and a side swerve around the second line of defence opened by a canyon to the tryline which she covered quickly. It was one of the best individual tries of the season.
Nelson impacted the match with her ability to take advantage of quick play the balls generated by props Thompson and Wolff.
Around her running game and superlative solo try, she also saved a try with a subtle piece of defence on Ipswich centre Mieke Moata’ane at a crucial moment in the first half when the Jets were pounding the line.
Nelson’s kicking game, and associated chase of her own kicks, also aided her team’s performance.
OUCH - IT’S SLEDGEHAMMER IME
Tannah Klass stung like a bee in defence. No Clydesdales’ forward ran with freedom down the left hand side of the field where Klass stood in the defensive line.
Her timing was telling and would have been noted by rival teams.
CHLOE’S CLOUT
Clydesdales captain Chloe Thompson did have to say a word - her “follow me” example said it all as she took ruck ball close to the Ipswich line, powered through the defence and scored.
That moment against the physical Jets defence said it all and would have inspired her teammates. Around that, her ruck running was immense and it was no coincidence Ipswich worked their way back into the game during her absence from the field.
IPSWICH’S INTERCHANGE ACES
Jets interchange forwards Tamika Brennan-Rowe and Louretta Mataafa revved up their team’s performance after the Downs’ girl had prized open a 12-nil advantage.
With straight, hard running and quick play the balls, they helped give their side momentum which took momentum away from the Clydesdales and gave Ipswich parity in the game.
Brennan-Rowe also produced the pass which kept the ball alive that led to her team’s first try.
KICK-CHASE OF THE MATCH
Ipswich’s opening try came off the back of a wonderful tactical kick by five-eight Amber Collins, made even better by winger Camry Soli’s chase which regained possession for Ipswich.
It was off the back of that moment that the Jets were able to string together their first try as Brennan-Rowe, Pania Powhiro, Monica Tuala-Leaunoa and Ebony-Rose Te Kura handled, leading to centre Mieke Moata’ane hitting the gap and scoring.
CONNELL CUP
Innocent Baruani was the difference as Ipswich Jets hung on against a fast finishing Clydesdales 20-18.
A Liam Marshall try minutes from full-time set the scene for a gripping finish, as Clydesdales swept the ball 90m to almost pinch the win.
Baruani was the difference with his creation of tries for winger Harlem Tamali and right centre Samu Afoa.
In defence he also played an important role in Clydesdales’ centre Chevy Ryan not scoring at a time when Ipswhc clung to a 18-12 advantage.
The Clydesdales’ were never far from Ipswich’s shadow, with No. 13 Alastair MacLachlan and prop Thomas McDonald excellent around the middle, as were Ipswich props Tomasi Vaitai and Lane Edmonds.
Ipswich’s defence was also busy containing Downs’ five-eight Charlie Barnes, second rower Laythan Potter and hooker Max Murphy
“It was a tough game with a few too many errors at the wrong time,’’ said Clydesdales’ coach Ned Murphy.
PEACH OF A PASS x 2
Innocent Baruani’s pass under fatigue late in the first half for his winger Tamalii to score was a peach of a pass.
Almost as good was another ball to his centre Afoa who scored just after halftime. Baruani displayed the crisp hands of a five-eight, shuffling possession onto his centre with ease despite being under pressure.
His vision and awareness was something you can’t coach.
CHARLIE’S RUN
Charlie Barnes text book running game which took advantage of forward generated momentum was out of playbook No.1.
After mobile No. 13 Alastair MacLachlan had generated quick ruck ball, Barnes backed his skills, racing 20m to score under the posts.
MacLachlan’s ability to generate ruck speed with a play the ball also helped Max Murphy burrow over for his try early in the second half.
HARVEY 19s
On a glorious Darling Downs day, the Western Clydesdales twice fended off a dogger Ipswich to find a win.
The home side led 12-nil and 24-8, but were never comfortable as Ipswich eluded the knockout blows.
Ipswich captain Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa was magnificent for her side, while a glorious pass by forward Praya Lio for her winger Bree-Anna Owens to score set the scene for an exciting finish.
The Clydesdales won because of the work of the middle girls who each had a strong work ethic.
Tall Downs’ prop Libby Dunn also did her thing in the ruck, with long striding runs at pace, but also some subtle ball play which added variety.
Classy centre Lucy Davis crossed first, before Lille Merlow burrowed over around a sea of bodies. Those tries gifted their side a 12-nil lead.
Dunn’s ruck speed also handed her dummy half, Sienna Carr, an important try after the Ipswich girls had cut the margin to 14-8 courtesy of their captain and halfback, Harrison-Leaunoa.
BYRNES BURST
Someone needed to crack the match open and that someone was outstanding Clydesdales’ hooker Mia Byrnes, whose long run gave field position for Merlow to barge over.
Displaying the speed and movement of the fullback she once was, Byrnes dashed, running 40m to take her side deep into attack.
FIVE ON FIVE
Down 12-nil, and with halftime upon them, the Ipswich players rallied to almost generate space down the sideline for left winger Bree-Anna Owens.
Owens had eyes for the corner post, but Angel Austin had other ideas, wrapping herself around Owens and bundling her over the sideline.
THE CAPTAIN’S WANT
Ipswich needed something going into halftime and captain Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa provided it with a muscling try.
The No. 7 could easily have been held, but she fought hard to wriggle her way over for a try which cut Clydesdales’ advantage to 12-4. Boy, didn’t Ipswich need that try.
Ella-Jaye Harrison-Leaunoa also created another try with a grubber kick that was scoped up by centre Geraldine Lomas.
Meninga Cup
Ipswich hooker Harrison Hill and prop Henry Kallquist again proved great enhancements to their team’s campaign as a composed Jets second half to pull away from the Clydesdales and win 42-14 in Toowoomba.
Despite the Clydesdales displaying plenty of spirit to twice fight back, you always sensed the Jets were half a step ahead of their rivals.
The trio of No. 13 Lachlan Coburn, halves Ryder Williams and Nathan Fraser, and hooker Hill were the brains’ trust in the win.
Edge forward Jabiri Mack and prop Kallquist, recruited from Rockhampton, were also strong for the winners
DON’T YOU LOVE A RUN AROUND
There is nothing like seeing a good old-fashioned run around in full swing, particularly when it generates a try.
Ipswich hooker Harrison Hill and his prop Henry Kallquist were the men to execute the clever exchange of passing which resulted in Ryder Williams and Tavita Pomale linking to put winger Melchizedek Nonu over to give his side a 16-8 lead.
MACK TRUCK MUSCLE
Ipswich second rower Jabiri Mack opened the scoring with a magnificent solo try, hitting the gap at speed and finding a swerve of the hips to help him over the line to give the Jets a 6-nil advantage early on.
Soon after Mack was in the middle of a catch and pass movement from the tryline, with halfback Nathan Fraser backing up down the middle of the field to score after Ryder Williams and Tavita Pomale had put winger Melchizedek Nonu on a long run.
ELARA HITS TARGET
The Clydesdales’ needed something special, and No. 13 Shaun Elara provided it with a beautiful pass in contact that found his second rower Riley Zanette steaming onto the ball.
It was a great play by the St Mary’s old boy and that try reduced the margin to 16-10.
Earlier, the Toowoomba-based side found strength to also rally, with Harry Robinson scoring an opportunist try after a horror mix-up caused by the Clydesdales’ defenders from the restart.
CAPRAS v PRIDE
Harvey 17s
Alex Bukowski remarkably scored three tries as the Capras’ girls donned their wetsuits to swim to a convincing 24-nil win in pouring rain over a competitive Northern Pride.
Scoring one try was a milestone moment in the rain, let alone three, but Bukowski was at the top of her game.
The Capras set up the victory in the first half, fighting hard against the ever improving Northern Pride.
HOT START IN THE BIG WET
The Capras had got off to a hot start in the soaking wet, executing play after play despite the slippery conditions.
A mix of hot potato, great decisiveness from Josie Wegand (hooker), and telling likes from the likes of Alex Bukowski opened up a 12-0 half time buffer for the visitors.
The usual suspects found their way onto the scoresheet. Terrific trio Bukowski, edge forward Maycee Brown and work horse Wogand went in after tremendous build up play saw the Capras strut their stuff moving down field.
The bounding Bukowski barged over first after a wonderful carry from Charlotte McLean got her team on the front foot.
Both girls have been in everything over the past two matches. Brown, sporting bright pink headgear and fluoro-yellow boots, crashed over shortly after with a telling line back towards the ruck.
WHAT THE COACHES SAID
Capras coach Nicki Carpenter: Our grit and determination in attack was what impressed most,’’ she said. “In such terrible conditions we used the ball really well on the edges, while defence was also on point.’’
Pride coach Elionora Oberleuter had high praise for her hooker Nelly Roberton, but ball security and defence let her side down. “We gave Capras too much ideal field position. The girls know I am still always proud of their efforts but they know it’s back to the drawing board on Monday for our last game in Townsville.’’
DESPERATE DEFENCE
Despite desperate defence from Pride’s No. 9 Robertson and Jehaziel Kose, the Capras cashed in again five minutes from half time when busy fullback Kayla Vella made a smart pass to Wogand who scored.
Indeed Pride’s committed defence, while not good enough to win the match, was a credit to a squad which continues to improve.
Connell Cup
Capras centre Kaelan Callaghan scored a dream try to lift his side above a rising tide and defeat Northern Pride 22-6 on a rain soaked Barlow Park in Cairns.
With the match in the balance, Callaghan took a tap restart 25m from the line, burst through the defence and beat the cover defence on the line.
It was the type of try the kid could have dreamt about in his sleep. It was a special moment in a dour match.
Callaghan’s try, and a dummy half dive by Walt Lanson to score, proved the difference after the Capras had turned down 6-4 entering the second half.
No.14 Lanson had a strong match when injected, while hooker Jay Marsh continued his excellent form. Capras No.13 Lachlan Anderson and second rower Jake Armstrong again impressed.
WHAT A CATCH
Seriously, Ryan Millard should be in the slips for the Australian cricket team. His pick up of a grubber kick threaded through by Tyler Addo would have got plaudits in the dry - let alone in the big wet which greeted players in this match.
It was a sensational catch by the halfback which generated the game’s first try.
BUSBY, BILES BACK THEMSELVES
The Capras halfback Michael Busby and fullback Harley Bilesback their skills, regardless of the weather, when they rolled the dice on a right side short side play.
With the halftime siren looming, the pair crisply and cleanly delivered possession into a flying winger Kobe Oberhardt who shed two defenders to score.
Harvey 19s
The Northern Pride struck twice in the second half to palm off fierce competition from the Capras to win 24-12.
Outstanding second rower Lisa Waireg scored a wonderful individual try to turn a 12-8 halftime deficit into a 14-12 advantage, and then quick footed centre Jaeda Morato scored after fullback Jordana Woods had kept the slippery ball alive with sure handling.
There was not a struck match between the sides, and it took Waireg’s surging run and Woods’ fight in a tackle to deliver a pass to inch their side ahead of the Capras.
“We knew it we could hang onto the ball in the conditions we could create momentum and put some poitns on the board,’’ said Pride coach Karl Adams.
WONDERFUL WAIREG
The second rower was enormous in the heavy conditions, with her skill on the right side a constant threat. But he had helpers, with Jytte Wallace and Sari Ericson strong through the middle, while No.14 Makeilla Gibson influencing her side with clear, precision play around the ruck.
HAIL CASSAR
You’d love to see CQ fullback Teleah Cassar play in the dry. Her performance to drag the Capras from a 4-8 deficit into a 12-8 advantage played a huge part in the CQ’s girls’ amazing away win to the Pride.
In heavy rain, the CQ No. 1 conjured up a try for her halfback Manaia Faiumu Malone when she was able to keep the ball alive, and then soon after backed her running skills to slide over in the left hand corner.
Both pieces of player were dry weather efforts in heavy conditions and deserve to be acknowledged here.
DOUBLE TROUBLE
The Pride twice struck in the first half, once when middle forward Teneisha Ah Kee proved too powerful in the wet close to the line, and on another occasion when prop Syianna Banu was on hand to pounce on a grubber kick by clever NQ hooker Layla Geck.
But in between those scores, superb hands in the conditions by Capras centre Dale Lewis enabled her winger Keira Smith to cross and the CQ girls were back to a 4-all scoreline.
Meninga Cup
It took until the cusp of fulltime, but the Northern Pride got the lollies 30-14 in a gripping, gruelling clash against Capras.
Two first half tries to prop Kaiden Lahrs laid foundations for a lead which at one stage blew out, but the big hearted Capras were never going to throw in the white towel.
Back the CQ boys came, with a try by Harrison Hill cutting Pride’s advantage to just 24-18.
It took a show and go try by five-eight Ben Walker to finally bury their rivals and hand Pride victory.
This was despite a brave effort by CQ headed by hooker Curtis Seierup.
“We had more effort and desire today in very tough conditions,’’ said Pride coach Bevan Walker.
LAHRS DOUBLE
A Kaiden Lahrs’ double hauled Pride into the lead until Capras’ spiritual leader Jake Oberhardt battered his way over to score.
Lahrs scored both tries, but his front row partner Mafiou Cherif played a role with a dummy run, and then a catch and pass from close range.
It was nice partnership work by the arrow heads from the Pride forward pack.
PRAISE FOR CAPRAS
In the driest conditions of the day, Capras started the match by playing dry weather football, swinging the ball left and right before right centre Anasta Tamwoy opened the scoring.
The Capras’ front six then grinded their way back into the contest, giving the side a sniff with just minutes remaining.
SUNSHINE COAST FALCONS VS WIDE BAY BULLS
HARVEY U17s
You couldn’t count on one hand the amount of standout stars the Falcons had against the Bulls in round five.
With the home side picking up a 60-0 victory, the one sided display was led by Sunshine Coast captain and talented second rower Ace Pollock.
FULL POWER POLLOCK
The rising NRLW prospect was immense on Saturday, playing a solid all round game by displaying her wide range of passing, kicking, offloading, tackling and hard running skills.
“Coming in after a week off we made it clear we didn’t want to force anything so it took us a little bit to settle into the game but once we did the points just flowed,” Pollock said after the win.
“Our biggest asset is when we run in twos as a team because we make plenty of line breaks, complete our sets well and just add another layer to our attacking options.”
Pollock said she felt she was growing in confidence with each match.
“The last game I played was my club footy grand final back in September so I do think it is tough to get straight back into it at the start of the season but I feel like as I’ve settled and we’ve developed our combinations, I’ve grown each week,” she said.
“We have so many good attacking players in our side so I’d definitely say the girls around me are making my job so much easier.”
LLOYD FLYING UNDER THE RADAR
Lock forward Pearl Lloyd was also immense, capped off by her stunning 60m try in the first half.
Lloyd said she was enjoying her new role as a link player within the team.
“It was a bit difficult at the start just because I wasn’t familiar with many of the girls but it’s starting to get easier and easier every week and I think that shows in our performances,” she said.
“Having so much communication and attacking options around me it definitely allows me to take a step back but also be vocal when I need to be.”
Alongside Pollock and Lloyd, halves duo Lily Bain and Marley Chan were solid as well as fullback Aamira Renouf, hooker Asha Holmstrom and centre Tahlee Donald.
Connell Cup
A final quarter blitz from the Falcons flipped the script on what was an agreed upon ‘ugly’ display against the Wide Bay Bulls.
The Bulls kicked out to an 8-0 lead with two tries in the opening 12 minutes and despite the Falcons having the majority of the ball and field positioning, they couldn’t hit back.
15 MINUTE U-TURN
The error count was through the roof until the Falcons finally were able to hold onto the ball and complete back-to-back sets, scoring five unanswered tries in the last 15 minutes.
For the Bulls five-eight Edward Mackay and hooker Samuel Adcock performed well for their side while for the Falcons their two best were right centre Ashyr Kelso and fullback Taj Kuhl.
With the scoreline not a true reflection of the match, Falcons fullback Taj Kuhl said there would be a few tough training sessions for his side next week.
“It was just so hectic and we were scrambling from the get go for no reason,” Kuhl said.
“We couldn’t complete a set, it was error after error, just ugly footy to be honest.
“Once we started to complete our sets, kick to corners and put the pressure on them we started to find our groove.”
HARVEY U19s
A good all round performance was enough for the Devils to claim some vital ladder points, beating the Falcons 20-8 in round five.
The travelling side scored some good tries early to give them a good lead but impressed the most with their collective defensive efforts.
Pinned down on their try line for a fair chunk of the second half, Norths held their own to finish with their heads held high.
VULU, TYRELL TOO GOOD
Devil’s right centre and wing pairing of Te Arani Vulu and Courtney Tyrell showed their class against the Falcons in round three.
A Tyrell double and one try for Vulu was enough for Norths to rest their hat on.
What also stood out was their defensive efforts, showing strong positioning and communication.
For the Falcons Takoda Thompson was positive as always along with both Ladewig sisters out wide.
Meninga Cup, Norths v Falcons
The North Devils have punched their ticket into finals contention thanks to a second half blitz against the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
After travelling up the Bruce Highway, Norths acted like a sponge for the opening half, soaking up any attacking pressure by the Falcons before punching holes in their defence.
A 14-12 halftime score was as close as the Falcons got as the Devils kicked into gear to come away with a 40-22 win.
North’s forwards really stood up to the task in the middle of the field, pinning down the Falcons pack and keeping them on the back foot.
LOCKED IN
Devils lock Charlie Dickson was immense all game, playing direct when he needed but also looking out wide the opportunity presented itself.
He took the ball to the line really well, putting his teammates through the gap or going himself for some handy metres.
Five-eight Noah Blooranta also showcased his positive running game which unlocked plenty of space for his outside men.
Centre Robertson Tusi Tofu was solid with two tries of his own while Nate Clark was also strong off the bench.
For the Falcons Will Graham was strong as he has been all season.
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