Cowboys-contracted forward shows why he’s earmarked for NRL

Captain Kulikefu Finefeuiaki showed why is contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys with an outstanding leadership display in Ipswich’s valuable 36-6 victory. See why team’s hopes growing.

Ipswich State High captain Kulikefu Finefeuiaki. Picture: Brad Fleet

IT was the powerful presence Ipswich State High wanted to see and what a time to do it.

Captain Kulikefu Finefeuiaki showed why is contracted to the North Queensland Cowboys with an outstanding leadership performance in Ipswich’s valuable 36-6 Langer Trophy victory over St Mary’s College.

Wednesday night’s latest win at the North Ipswich Reserve was a timely team effort, keeping Ipswich State High’s top four hopes alive in this year’s elite Queensland schoolboy competition.

However, it was second rower Finefeuiaki who ignited Ipswich’s resurgence with two tries and a number of perfectly timed passes that kept his team moving forward.

With experienced centre Damien Burrows scoring a double for the second week in a row, Ipswich State High shook off the attacking breakdowns in earlier matches.

Head coach Josh Bretherton was justifiably proud of his team and the way his NRL prospect set the standard in his best game of this year’s Langer Trophy series.

“Kuli was really, really excellent tonight,’’ Bretherton said, reflecting on the crucial win with one match to be played before the finals.

“He got some tough carries early and as the game wore on, he got some room to move and he really got to play so good football.’’

Ipswich State High NRL contracted player Kulikefu Finefeuiaki.

Asked if there was a special reason for his captain’s standout display, Bretherton said he could see it coming.

“I think he’s just been building towards getting back to the football he’s been capable of and he was very good last week but with a little bit less room to move, doing a lot of the tough work.’’

Speedster Burrows also capitalised on a superb effort against Wavell a week earlier.

“With him (Burrows) to be able to put up regular tries is certainly very helpful, keeping the scoreboard pressure on teams when games are close,’’ the coach said.

Apart from threatening with some line breaks and crossing the tryline twice, Burrows set up winger Ariki Wallace’s seventh try of the match.

The ball travelled beautifully from Finefeuiaki to Burrows, who smoothly passed to Wallace for him to turn on the afterburners and dash to the line.

Ipswich’s other winger Kuli Baruani earlier finished fantastic lead-up work to put his team 4-0 up.

Hooker Tommy Luhrman dived through to score Ipswich’s third try in the first half.

After going into the break at 12-0 up, the referee adjusted the score to 14-0 after crediting Ipswich kicker Jake Self with a conversion initially ruled to have missed by the touch judges.

Bretherton wasn’t completely satisfied with the first half.

“I was a little bit unhappy at halftime just because after a really good first 15 minutes I thought we too quickly went around from what was working and weren’t smart enough,’’ he said.

“But in the second half, they stuck to the plan a whole lot better. The second half - excellent.’’

Among the key momentum moments Bretherton likes to see was one by Ipswich State High enforcer Samson Sauaso. He drove a St Mary’s player back over his own tryline.

After Ipswich regained the ball from that physical play, Luhrman shortly after scored his try.

“It was just a good group effort,’’ Bretherton said, particularly pleased with how Ipswich repelled some threatening attack from St Mary’s.

With both teams chasing their third win to stay in touch with the Langer Trophy top five, Ipswich State High boosted its for and against which may prove decisive.

St Mary’s toiled hard for much of the match, unable to find a way through Ipswich’s committed defence.

Winger Chad Lebsanft scored a late consolation try.

In the latest Walters Cup match, Ipswich State High reaffirmed their reputation as a finals threat with a 50-0 win over Forest Lake.

After their first defeat a week earlier against Wavell, Ipswich State High took charge early, leading 30-0 at halftime.

A feature of the match was Ipswich State High’s committed attack with strong runs and excellent ball distribution.

The year 10 footballers also kept working hard until the final whistle.