Knights crush Alleygators as new GCDRU backline king emerges in Round 5
A wet-weather showdown has reshuffled the pecking order in Coast rugby, as one side’s discipline and defensive grit exposed flaws in a title contender’s game plan.
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Griffith Uni Colleges Knights held the hottest attacking team of the Gold Coast District Rugby Union’s opening month to a single try in a convincing 39-7 win over title dark horse Palm Beach Currumbin.
The Alleygators gambled on their expansive attack in the wet and lost, with the composed Knights capitalising on errors with a dominant scrum and backs who held on the ball when it counted the most.
Colleges forged ahead 12-0 at the break but accelerated through the second half with 27 of the game’s next 34 points, putting forward their own claim as the Coast’s top attacking team.
Through three matches this season Colleges have averaged 37 points per game whiling conceding 14.
Alleygators coach Jack Moon conceded Colleges were deserved winners at Heeb Street.
“We just didn’t maintain possession well and didn’t execute in the right areas when we had our chances,” Moon said.
“We tried to play positive rugby but we just didn’t execute. Too many errors in important parts of the field.”
Knights centre pairing Callum Boomer and James Munro got the best of their impressive opponents in a blockbuster midfield duel, combining for a try each while containing the dangerous Tomas Grenon and Max Greatwood to none.
Australian Barbarians representative prop and 2021 Bob Sinclair medallist Lesi Tawake was enormous at the set piece and in defence, with Henry Morris also critical to shutting down an explosive opposition.
Backrowers Harrison Cumming and Devontay To’A generated strong go-forward while wing debutant Denzel Sofeni-Calder hinted at tremendous potential with a fine try.
For Palm Beach, halfback Kyle Reinecke was among his side’s best in his first game wearing the club’s No.9 jersey.
Colleges would have secured the best attacking record in the competition if not for Helensvale’s 56-17 win over Bond at Pizzey Park, pipping the Knights’ average by two.
Hogs coach Chad Maxwell said without the rain hampering his side’s attack the margin could have blown out even greater.
Helensvale’s 9-10-12 axis of Tyler Maxwell, Keahn Tipu and former Taranaki NPC representative Lukas Halls were particular standouts.
The trio combined for four tries with Halls notching a double in his first start for the Hogs.
“We started with some players who hadn’t started before and all performed well,” Maxwell said.
“(Halls) and Dan Stowers (loosehead prop) usually come off the bench but now have earned their spot,” Maxwell said.
“Manny Snooks (hooker) too.”
Bond coach Alex Prendergast said a dry track would have given his young side a better chance too, with soggy ground playing into the hands of the veteran Hoggies pack.
“Once again the weather gods have wreaked havoc on all the plans,” Prendergast said.
“With the Pirates’ young team I have been hoping for at least one hot dry day to give us a small edge against the larger opposition.
“Defensive mistakes and poor discipline got the better of us. Hogs were strong and we couldn’t match them.”
Illness and injury have forced Bond into multiple changes each week, contributing to a defence which has conceded 50 points or more in three games straight.
A bye next week could hold the key for the Pirates to correct their defensive misfortune against Surfers Paradise.
The Dolphins washed away last week’s staggering defeat to Hinterland Celtics with a tidy 33-5 win over Coomera at Albert Park.
Former Australian Schoolboys skipper Luke Gersekowski led the Dolphins for the first time and delivered a fine captain’s performance capped off with a try.
Tighthead prop Angus Burns was immense with three scrums won against the feed while flyhalf Connor Leather potted five of seven goals for a 13-point individual haul.
Strong defence and field position eventually cracked the Crushers despite some impressive first half defending.
Nerang defended its Pappas Way fortress with a 38-13 win over Hinterland Celtics.
The Bulls have not lost at Glennon Park since May 20, 2023, which means the club will officially go two years without tasting defeat at home.
Nerang’s next home game is against Helensvale is on May 24.
Former Bond Pirates superstar Lepau Feau made his Nerang debut with a bang, scoring for his first try in maroon inside five minutes of kickoff.
He was overshadowed by another debutant in young flyhalf Noah Lewis, who earned a player of the match nomination alongside man of the match flanker James Wairau and hooker Chunnas Aporo.
“To the Celtics credit they stayed in the fight and put us under pressure a few times in the first half,” Nerang coach Te Ari Mahuri said.
“We scored a few more tries but our discipline let us down again.”
Nerang were twice issued with yellow cards.
Mahuri was full of praise for the Bulls’ opposition, declaring the Celtics were continuing to prove they belong in the Gold Coast’s flagship division.
“I can see them tipping over a few more teams in the comp,” he said.
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