Australian Club Championship: Brothers win Trophy, Fijian flyer bags hattrick in Wests’ win

Australian Club Championship: A Fijian flyer scored three tries in the first 20 minutes as the Wests Bulldogs bulldozed their way to victory before Brothers and Randwick battled it out in a mouth-watering clash at Crosby Park. See how it unfolded.

The Brethren edged their name in history following Saturday’s Australian Club Championship bout, won 25-18 by Brothers over Randwick.

In front of a packed house at Crosby Park, flyhalf Lawson Creighton and the butcher boys trumped Kurtley Beale and Randwick in a titanic battle to inspire a mouth-watering seven-point-victory.

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Creighton played the full 80 minutes and swung momentum in his team’s favour with a strong kicking game, while wingers Tim Ryan and Kamilo Guido, fullback Jake Sargood, veteran centre Patrick James and new recruit Grason Makara capitalised on a strong showing by the Brothers forwards who played themselves to a standstill against a big Randwick pack.

Will Wilson. Action from the Australian Club Championships at Crosby Park. Picture credit: Anthony Wingard/QRU.

BROTHERS V RANDWICK

Brothers’ scrumhalf supersub Will Cartwright scored a sensational 45m solo try in the 71st minute of Saturday’s Australian Club Championship clash to land the dagger in a historic 25-18 victory over Randwick.

The Brethren led 20-13 with the game hanging in the balance when Cartwright darted out of the defensive line and kicked ahead lost Randwick ball before regathering at the 22m line and diving over in the left corner.

Cartwright sprung into the air in jubilation knowing the match was safe as the heaving crowd erupted around Crosby Park.

It was an inspiring piece of play by the little man whose quick reaction late in the game was the match-defining moment which delivered the home side the Power Challenge Trophy.

It was a euphoric moment for the club, fifty years on from winning its first ever encounter against the glamour Sydney club.

Tim Ryan on the run. Action from the Australian Club Championships at Crosby Park. Picture credit: Anthony Wingard/QRU.

“It’s pretty special” said Brothers captain Noah Nielsen post-game.

“You can see by the turnout today and what it means to the club that it is a special day.

“We didn’t really know what to expect so we came in here a bit blind... We just tried to play a high paced game which worked in our favour today.

“Obviously it’s massive for the club based competition... It’s good to see everyone who turned out... it’s a special day to everyone who turned out.”

Dre Pakeho. Action from the Australian Club Championships at Crosby Park. Picture credit: Anthony Wingard/QRU.

GLIMPSES OF BEALE BRILLIANCE

Kurtley Beale pictured at Crosby Park playing for Randwick as they take on Brothers, Brisbane 16th March 2024. (Image/Josh Woning)

Any ordinary onlooker who had strolled into Crosby Park to see ex-Wallabies star Kurtley Beale impact Saturday’s blockbuster clash at Crosby Park would have thought he was in the form of his life.

It would have been almost impossible to tell the veteran flyhalf was playing his first game in over 12 months after his suspension from all forms of rugby last January.

Beale, in his first game back after being found not guilty of sexual assault, looked at the peak of his powers, the slick mover steering Randwick with his precise exits, attacking chip-kicks and accurate passing.

He was silky smooth, a classy customer who did everything right in an impressive 60 minute showing.

In the second half Beale recognised space in his own 22 and ignited a fullfield try by the Galloping Greens which got them back in the contest at 17-13.

Beale’s light footwork, reminiscent of his schoolboy days at St Joseph’s, was on full display for Randwick who will rue the handling errors made in a sloppy first half performance.

Lawson Creighton was class for Brothers. Action from the Australian Club Championships at Crosby Park. Picture credit: Anthony Wingard/QRU.

POWER PERSONIFIED

Brothers received a boost from mountain man No. 8 Brad Hemopo who was key in getting the Brethren up the field.

One of the biggest players on the field, the powerful backrower bended the Randwick defensive line with every carry, bruising opposition shoulders in the process.

Around him, trojan workhorse Will Wilson and flanker Noah Nielsen were influential in a strong performance against a sizeable Galloping Greens’ pack.

Hemopo and backrower Charlie Brosnan combined to put on a thumping hit in the 70th minute which put a stop to dangerous momentum mounting from Randwick.

Unfortuntely promising backrower Brosnan was stretchered off the field minutes later after a brutal Randwick clean out at the break down.

Brothers 25 (tries: Creighton, Guido, Tarabay, Cartwright, cons: Creighton, pens: Creighton) def Randwick 18 (Sugars, Yassmin, Robinson, pens: Willoughby).

Brothers hooker Dom Fraser tackling Kurtley Beale.

WESTS BULLDOGS V TUGGERANONG VIKINGS

193cm Fijian born fullback Mosese Dawai scored a hattrick within the first 20 minutes of the Wests Bulldogs titanic 52-19 victory over the Tuggeranong Vikings at Crosby Park on Saturday.

The towering fullback bolstered by strapping across his head made breaking the line and finishing in traffic look easy as the Wests newcomer made a statement in a bold 40-7 first half showing from the Bulldogs.

The Vikings closed the gap to 47-14 with a determined second half effort, but the game was won in the first quarter when Dawai dazzled with three five pointers.

He opened the scoring when he darted out of the ruck from close range, then struck moments later when he regained his own chip kick to finish off a superb inidivudal effort.

By the 21st minute Dawai had his third try which extended Wests’ advantage to 26-7 after Henry Speight scored, and prop Monty Royston answered with a pick-and-drive for the Vikings.

Dawai’s hattrick came in the form of a 60m runaway try. The slippery fullback didn’t even look in third gear yet he shrugged off trying defenders and strode over to extend Wests’ lead.

Wests Bulldogs fullback Mosese Dawai on his way to score. Picture courtesy of Holly Hope Creative.

“He’s a winger covering fullback for us at the moment” said Wests coach Elwee Prinsloo.

“He’s a class footballer. He’ll be good for us and we will experiment with him in other positions because he’s a good all-round footy player,” Prinsloo said of the capped Highlanders winger (13 games).

Flyhalf Mason Gordon was silky with a nice touch in Speight’s second try and then a wonderful cross field kick to put Speight in for his third.

Outside of hattrick heroes Speight and Dawai, winger Ilikena Vudugo was sharp with limited opportunities.

He assisted on Speight’s second five pointer with an accurate left-to-right cut out pass.

Prinsloo praised the leadership of captain Speight who with Dawai, brings a nice Fijian touch to the ‘Buladogs’.

“He’s just a phenomenal human,” Prinsloo said.

“He has a servant style of leadership. He serves the boys, he’s so humble.

“He’s the first bloke to pack stuff up and he is always helping blokes out... he’s awesome to have around.”

Alex Kerr winning a lineout. Picture credit: Anthony Wingard/QRU.

SPICER’S CLASS

Bulldogs inside centre Fletcher Spicer was classy on Saturday, the midfielder impressing with his kicking game and playmaking.

Spicer was at times like an extra flyhalf, and when Louis Werchon moved to No. 10 to allow James Martens to come on at scrumhalf, a lovely switch play involving Spicer and Mason Gordon set up a try finished by Werchon.

Late in the second half a pinpoint kick from Spicer buried the opposition deep in their 22, and hooker Noah Hartley scored as a result of a misfired Vikings lineout.

All of this after early in the game Spicer looked certain to come off the field after a head on collision with a Vikings defender.

He and hotstepping outside centre David Vaihu had a very positive outing.

Bulldogs captain Henry Speight scored three in his return. Picture credit: Holly Hope Creative.

BRISBANE TO CANBERRA

Just three months ago backrower Alex Kerr was influencing the breakdown for the Queensland Reds under-19s team in the National Championships.

But the Easts Tiger and Churchie old boy was representing the Vikings on Saturday and the headgeared workhorse scored one of the team’s three tries off the bench.

COMBINATIONS

Wests unleashed a new combination in the second half after flyhalf Mason Gordon went to the bench.

18-year-old scrumhalf James Martens was sent into the fray and starting No. 9 Louis Werchon was moved to No. 10 where he set up his own try.

Wearing jersey No. 22, Martens impacted the game early on with a smart quick tap, and then he did the hard yards with tackles and cleaning out as the match to-and-froed.

Wests played without Moses Sorovi who will be a vital cog in the Wests backline when he returns.

INJURY WARDEN

Powerful Wests lock Sau Vaihu left the field holding a green whistle after picking up a dislocated shoulder.

The big bopper was making his presence felt around the breakdown but before he could reach oranges the No. 5 left the field with a grimace on his face.

Vaihu, who has a history with dislocated shoulders, will likely go into surgery.