Intrust Super Cup 2019: Burleigh beat Wynnum-Manly 28-10
Two-try hero Kurtis Rowe and Petero Civoneceva Medallist Jamal Fogarty created Burleigh history as Wynnum-Manly fell short at Dolphin Stadium.
NRL
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The class of Kurtis Rowe and some Jamal Fogarty magic proved enough to sink Wynnum Manly’s premiership dream as Burleigh recorded their fourth Intrust Super Cup title in emphatic fashion on Sunday.
The Bears led from start to finish in a 28-10 shutout at Dolphin Stadium with Rowe replicating his two-try heroics from their 2016 victory and Fogarty pulling the strings from halfback.
This year’s effort was even sweeter for inspiration skipper Luke Page, who was at the heart and soul of Burleigh’s entire campaign.
“We’ve had our ups and our downs, we’ve had injuries but we’ve overcome everything so we’re going to celebrate this,” Page said.
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Eager to emulate their early shutout of Sunshine Coast, Burleigh were fire and brimstone from the get-go and put Wynnum-Manly on the back foot with a swirling Fogarty kickoff that went dead.
The Bears should have scored 30 seconds later when Pat Politoni secured a short goalline dropout, leaving acres of space for Burleigh to attack but poor running lines allowed the Seagulls to bundle Gold Coast veteran Anthony Don into touch.
A traditional softening up period ensued with Wynnum-Manly twice threatening Burleigh’s left edge as star fullback Edene Gebbie worked to unlock Junior Pauga.
But the Bears held firm with skipper Luke Page particularly influential and it wasn’t long before Burleigh were back in command and working upfield to earn a penalty, gratefully converted by Fogarty.
Tyrone Roberts-Davies was next to light up Dolphin Stadium with a 70m burst that laid the platform for his side’s opening try, which he scored himself just four minutes later from a second-tackle blindside play.
Fogarty’s conversion hit the upright but the Petero Civoneceva Medallist made amends and then some with arguably the individual play of the season.
Camped midfield under enormous pressure from the Seagulls’ rush defence, Fogarty spiced up Burleigh’s fifth-tackle options with a deft chip and regather before drawing Gebbie with a double pump and sending Kurtis Rowe over the stripe untouched.
Not to be outdone by his opposite number, Sam Scarlett produced an equally important play at the other end five minute from halftime with the Seagulls star collecting his own grubber from a swarm of bodies and dotting down.
Wynnum-Manly emerged a different beast in the second half with only a near-perfect defensive game from Rowe keeping them at bay.
The fullback made back-to-back try saving tackles on Lachlan Lee and Delouise Hoeter to single-handedly preserve Burleigh’s lead but it could only last so long as Pat Templeman began to show his class.
Sensing space out wide, Templeman switched left and kick-passed to an unmarked Edward Burns who dove over untouched for a crucial score.
A cheer went up as Templeman’s conversion took him past Damien Quinn’s club points record for a season and closed the gap to 12-10 but the Seagulls’ smiles were shortlived as Burleigh tightened the screws once more, this time through Dyan Phythian.
After a quiet first half, the five-eighth played godmaker with a 51st minute chip in goal that found none other than Burleigh’s hero of the half - Rowe.
A missed conversion left the door open for Wynnum-Manly at 16-10 and the Seagulls had their chances with Houeter and Gebbie constantly probing down Burleigh’s left edge.
But it was again Rowe who foiled the green machine, time and time again swooping from backfield to shut down a promising raid and when Pat Politoni scored Burleigh’s fourth try to open a 12-point lead with 13 minutes remaining, the game was almost up.
As Wynnum-Manly pressed and pressed for a miracle, it was Burleigh’s miracle worker Fogarty who would enjoy the last laugh two minutes from time.
The halfback produced his second piece of magic for the afternoon to sink the Seagulls’ final attacking raid, plucking a grubber from the turf and scooting 80 metres to dive over untouched and seal the Bear’s second title in four years.
Burleigh coached Jim Lenihan described the win as really special.
“It was a tough close match and we always knew it was going to be like that,” Lenihan said.
BURLEIGH BEARS 28 (Rowe 2, Fogarty, Politoni, Roberts-Davis tries; Fogarty 2, Roberts-Davis goals) def WYNNUM-MANLY SEAGULLS 10 (Scarlett, Burns tries; Scarlett goal)
Originally published as Intrust Super Cup 2019: Burleigh beat Wynnum-Manly 28-10