Langer Trophy live: Mabel Park will have to overcome lengthy injury list to upset Keebra Park

Keebra Park have distanced themselves from last week’s loss with a win over Mabel Park to restore their strong Langer Trophy campaign. Check out that and their Walters Cup REPLAY.

It was gritty, it wasn’t their best, but it was enough.

Keebra Park bounced back from last week’s loss to clinch a crucial 12-4 victory over Mabel Park, taking their record to 5-1 this Langer Trophy season.

Front-rower Zac Kumbamong was Keebra’s chief enforcer, standing head and shoulders above the rest and leading his side to victory.

“He got through plenty of work in some big minutes,” said Keebra coach Peter Norman.

It was Kumbamong that opened the scoring for Keebra, he was simply too strong and bounced off his opponent to burst over from close range.

REPLAYS

Keebra Park SHS v Mabel Park SHS - Langer Trophy Round 6

Watch the full replay in the window above.

Keebra Park SHS v Mabel Park SHS - Walters Cup Round 6

Keebra would dominate most of the first half, but a combination of gutsy Mabel defence and errors on the final pass proved costly.

“We built pressure and won the grind,” Norman said, while lamenting his side’s errors which included a dropped ball and forward pass - both of which cost them certain tries.

“Instead of going in four tries up it’s only 12-0 at half-time, and then we had a couple of opportunities in the second half we didn’t capitalise on in the end.

“We lost the second half 4-0 so that’s something to work on.

“We did defend our line really well and that’s equal with our best defensive effort of the year so there are positives in it for sure.”

Bailey Secombe would be Keebra’s other try-scorer when he burrowed over on the right edge. It was a try that had been brewing for some time given the missed opportunities.

Lively playmaker Mason Barber showed glimpses of his class, but Norman said there was room for him to improve his game.

“I think he needs to add a bit more diversity to his game from what he did tonight, he was too reliant on the run, still plenty for him to work on for us to see his best football,” Norman said.

Mabel Park held their heads high despite the end result, and with good reason given the side had been hit hard by unavailability and was fielding three debutants. It was a much improved showing from their effort against Redcliffe last round in which they were trounced 44-6.

The visiting side was on the field minutes before their opposition to start the second half in what was a clear sign of their intent, and they owned the majority of the match from there to Keebra scoreless for the game’s remainder.

“Very proud of the effort, just our execution on good ball let us down,” said Mabel coach Ben Weston, adding that his trio of debutants stepped up and performed well.

Stand-in skipper and five-eighth Natu Leota was Mabel’s best.

“He was outstanding, he played the full game, some of it was in the middle and he did a really good job for us.” Weston said.

“I can’t fault our back five tonight, they were outstanding, they had a lot of tough carries.”

Centre Dean Tauaa was Mabel’s tryscorer, piercing the Keebra defence off the back of a pinpoint cutout pass from Leota.

The earlier Walters Cup clash between the two schools was a tense affair and one where neither side could register a score for the opening 20 minutes.

Keebra would break the deadlock and lead for the game’s remainder, conceding just one try in a superb defensive showing en route to a 18-4 triumph.

PREVIEW

Amid a period of injury turmoil, Mabel Park is looking to embrace the adversity, not run from it.

While most sides hit the resumption off the Langer Trophy competition last week with a clean bill of health and raring to go, that couldn’t have been further from Mabel Park’s reality.

They were decimated 44-6 by Redcliffe last week with six players unavailable through injury, and that figure won’t be easing up when they take on Keebra Park on Wednesday night.

Catch the match LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV at Owen Park from 5pm, with the Walters Cup clash kicking off beforehand at 3.45pm.

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“Bit of bad luck lately, it is what it is,” said Mabel Park coach Ben Weston of the unavailabilities.

A red-hot Keebra Park outfit will also be looking to bounce back after they were handed their first loss in round five at the hands of Ipswich, falling 34-22.

Keebra fullback David Bryenton is a dangerman for Mabel Park.

“It’s just about the boys that are coming in stepping up and taking their opportunity, just having that next man up mentality and not looking for excuses, just finding a way,” Weston said.

“If we can put in the effort, just be willing to get in that grind and do the dirty stuff, not looking for any shortcuts … and just tough it out to give ourselves a chance.

“If we’re gonna take shortcuts, give up penalties and errors and be ill-disciplined, a good side like that will make us pay, we’ve just got to limit their opportunities.

“They’re a very good side, they’ve got strike all across the park, I don’t think there’s too many weak links 1-17, so we’ll have to be at our best.”

Despite last week’s heavy defeat, Weston was thrilled with the performance of Bailey Downs, who put his best foot forward in first Langer Trophy outing of the season.

Can Mabel Park bounce back?

“Just his effort areas and his defence more than anything, they really stood out,” Weston said.

Alongside Downs, Weston is hopeful that Ronnic Starkey and Dom Ierome can step up against Keebra.

Starkey will be promoted from the bench to get his opportunity to start, while lock Dom Ierome has been called up from the reserves.

“He’s played a whole season of Cyril Connell with (Brisbane Tigers) so looking forward to what he can do,” Weston said.

Originally published as Langer Trophy live: Mabel Park will have to overcome lengthy injury list to upset Keebra Park