CQ Capras beat Burleigh Bears in week one of Hostplus Cup finals

The CQ Capras are firming in the Hostplus Cup finals race after an impressive win at home on Saturday. Check out the four key factors that got them home in a riveting do-or-die showdown.

Zev John impressed against Burleigh. Picture: Michaela Harlow

The CQ Capras are into week two of the Hostplus Cup finals after what coach Lionel Harbin said was one of the best wins he’s been involved in with the club.

They downed their finals nemesis, the Burleigh Bears, 32-24 at Rugby Park on Saturday night.

The Bears had bundled the Capras out of the finals race in the past two years.

They will now meet the loser of Sunday’s game between the Redcliffe Dolphins and Norths Devils.

The Capras finished the regular season in sixth, setting up their home elimination final against the seventh-placed Bears.

They scored six tries to five, with winger Bob Tenza running in a double.

We reveal the biggest talking points from the win.

The start

The Capras were fast out of the blocks.

Anthony Milford scored the Capras opening try in the first minute of the game.

Five-eighth Anthony Milford scored in the first minute, and they took an 18-4 lead into the break.

“We had a high completion rate and we gave ourselves time to play our type of footy,” Harbin said.

The forwards

Harbin was full of praise for his forward pack who refused to be intimidated by their opponents.

Tyler Szepanowski was one of the Capras’ best on Saturday.

“I thought Tyler Szepanowski, Ryan Jackson, Kurt Donoghoe, Zev John and Larson Dale-Doyle did a really good job of laying that foundation to let our playmakers do what they do best.”

The resolve

Just as they did in the first half, the Capras scored in the first minute of the second stanza, but the Bears fought back with three quick tries to narrow the gap to just four points.

Larson Dale-Doyle had a big game on Saturday.

But Harbin said his team dug in, determined not to be denied again by an opponent that has beaten them in their past two finals meetings.

“I thought we did a good job after those three tries to be able to claw our way back, get some footy and finish the game,” he said.

The takeaway

Harbin said his side should take a lot of confidence from the victory.

“We just beat a really good football side that has a lot of finals experience,” he said.

CQ Capras' head coach Lionel Harbin. Photo: Luke Fletcher

“To beat them at home the way we did was a really good performance.

“It’s probably one of the best wins I’ve been involved in with the club in terms of what was on the line and who the opposition was and the players they’ve got.”