Tweed Seagulls improve in loss to Townsville Blackhawks, Burleigh Bears defeat Ipswich Jets

Sometimes the result doesn’t say it all.

SOMETIMES the result doesn’t say it all.

Tweed flew out of Townsville with their Intrust Super Cup losing streak now at three games but with a coach who had witnessed the best performance from his side in many weeks.

The Seagulls’ effort against Townsville on Saturday outdid what they had done even in big wins over the Northern Pride and Souths Logan – the last two games they’ve won.

Tweed were by far the better side in the first half to snatch the advantage 16-6 at the break; they finished the game strong too but were undone by a five-minute lapse at the start of the second term that netted the Blackhawks two tries.

BEARS ROAR TO SQUARE DERBY LEDGER

“I thought it was probably the best we had played in a month or so, even back as far as Northern Pride and Souths where we were winning games,” Ben Woolf said.

Tweed Seagulls prop John Palavi has taken over the captaincy. Picture: James Owen

“I thought there was some aspects of it, particularly with our ball control and our patience, that was better.”

Halfback Luke Jurd, on return from a hamstring injury, was a key man behind that improvement, earning players’ player.

BUTCHERED TITANS TRY ‘SUMS UP THE WAY WE’RE GOING’

The Seagulls are again without injured skipper Cheyne Whitelaw for the remainder of the year – prop John Palavi has stepped into the leadership role – and must regroup ahead of facing two more top four opponents in Wynnum Manly and Burleigh in the next fortnight.

They remain sixth on the ladder, however, well entrenched in the top eight.

Kurtis Rowe starred for Burleigh. Picture: AAP Image/David Clark

Out at Ipswich on Saturday night, Burleigh came from behind to defeat Ipswich 22-16 thanks largely to fullback Kurtis Rowe’s hat-trick.

“Ipswich are one of those sides where sometimes you don’t have to do a lot wrong and then suddenly you have got points against you and that was certainly the case. It was pleasing to be behind and then fight our way through,” coach Jimmy Lenihan said.

TITANS VOW TO LIFT STANDARDS

It was a different looking Bears side with front-rower Luke Page rested following his Test outing for Papua New Guinea and hamstring niggles for back-rowers Hayden Schwass and Jacob Hind.

Titans recruits Sam Stone and Tanah Boyd both made solid senior Burleigh debuts.