Live stream: Watch three preliminary finals from FNQRL finals week three
It went for almost 110 minutes, featured 13 tries, multiple players cramping and missed field goal attempts galore ... and it needed a touch of class to finish it. Check out all the REPLAYS.
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After almost 110 minutes and with multiple players cramping or bent over in utter exhaustion, Ivanhoes are through to a FNQ Rugby League grand final showdown with Brothers.
Hooker Jacob Wallace played the hero, diving over in the corner after some excellent work from centre Dallas Skardon as Ivanhoes sealed an incredible 36-32 victory.
Players were too tired to celebrate, some lay prone on the ground, after a rugby league classic.
Ivanhoes battled back brilliantly from a halftime 22-8 deficit and led 32-28 with five minutes left.
But relentless Innisfail pressure eventually paid off with centre Ayden Kris crossing out wide.
Halfback Michael Morton missed the conversion that would have won the game in normal time.
Each side traded early field goal attempts in golden point before exhaustion crept in and tries looked the likely avenue to success.
Earlier, the Leprechauns were the dominant force after tries to Graham Clark, Sosifa Fakalelu and Daniel Mairu.
They extended their advantage out to 28-10 before Ivanhoes stormed home with four tries in 14 minutes to take the lead.
They couldn’t hold on then but found enough energy to win it 35 minutes later in extra time.
Check out all the REPLAYS below.
See the full FNQRL finals LIVE STREAM schedule.
REPLAYS
Kangaroos v Tully (Reserves) - FNQRL preliminary finals
Mareeba v Ivanhoe (U19) - FNQRL preliminary finals
PREVIEW
Ivanhoes will have a massive task ahead of them against Innisfail on Sunday as they chase a grand final berth, with star hooker James Segeyaro sidelined with injury.
The former decade-long NRL veteran, who joined the team at the start of this season, has been a pivotal piece for the side in their run to the preliminary final.
Ivanhoes president Aaron Lloyd admitted the loss of the former Broncos and Roosters rake could not be understated.
“He’s been great for us this year, he’s an experienced head and he’s helped us out through the middle a heap,” Lloyd said.
“It’s a big loss for us, but we have to move forward and rely on the cattle we have in the shed to get the job done for us.
“At this stage the hope for us is that we can have him back in the side for the grand final if we get through this week.
The Knights have been a perennial contender in the FNQRL year after year, but with their last premiership being back in 2016, their president said the club is hungry for more.
It will almost feel like a sense of dejavu for the FNQRL high flyers this season who have reached the preliminary final in the past two seasons only to be cut down one game from the big dance.
“The last two or three seasons we’ve been out in straight sets in A grade, and we’re certainly hoping it’s a case of third time’s the charm for us this year,” he said.
“There’s been some change this year, we’ve brought in a few more experienced heads who know how to get the job done.
“The hope is the guys that have been here throughout have learned from the past and can get to that next level this time around.”
Innisfail presents an enormous challenge for any side, not least one that is missing arguably it’s best player.
“To put 50 on a team in a finals series is no small feat, they know how to play,” Lloyd said.
“But our boys will be on high alert, we’ll be needing to use our agility and speed against what is a very big front pack over there.”
Innisfail leaning on pains of the past in FNQRL finals
You’d be hard-pressed to find a less fortunate club when it comes to grand final success than Innisfail, who have played in four FNQ Rugby League grand finals in six years, but have yet to lift the trophy.
The Leprechauns have been about as successful as a club can be without having silverware to show for it in coach Leon Hallie’s tenure.
The club will have a chance reach its fifth A Grade grand final with him at the helm when they take on Ivanhoe in the preliminary final this weekend.
The preliminary final showdown will headline a big day of preliminary final action exclusively live streamed on KommunityTV and the Cairns Post on Sunday.
Check out the full FNQRL finals LIVE STREAM schedule below.
Hallie said the key to the club’s ongoing success has been the experienced and seasoned veterans that have been there throughout, and he said he’ll be looking to them to lead the charge once more.
“I look to players like Aaron Jolley, Johann Turner, Robbie Garrett and Ashton Galea… those boys that have been around for a number of years. They’ve felt the pain with all of us,” Hallie said.
This year’s finals run has panned out slightly differently for the Leprechauns, who have typically won through to the grand final with victory in the major semi-final, but will have to do it the hard way this time around.
They’re coming off a thumping win against Atherton in last weekend’s elimination semi-final, beating them by 48 points, but Hallie said the focus now has to turn to their next bout against Ivanhoe.
“It’s a good challenge for the group, especially against Ivanhoe,” he said.
“They play a fast-paced game and they defend really well so we know we’re going to have to be at our best against them.
“We can’t be looking too far ahead to our ultimate goal just yet, there’s a job to do this weekend and if we get it done then we lock in and reassess for the grand final.
Ivanhoes will also feature in the Under-19s preliminary final up against Mareeba, while the reserve grade final features Kangaroos and Tully head-to-head.
Originally published as Live stream: Watch three preliminary finals from FNQRL finals week three
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