Meninga Cup: Players of the Finals after two sudden death games
Meninga Cup: Who were the Players of the Finals after two elimination blockbusters this weekend? Revealed here, along with all the big moments.
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And then there were four. The Meninga Cup has come down to a battle in four following a weekend of elimination finals.
Burleigh Bears and Ipswich Jets through to the grand final qualifiers after wins in their respective knockout deciders.
On Saturday Bears beat Wynnum beat 34-20 while today, Sunday, Ipswich won a 13 try feast 38-32 over Mackay.
Waiting for them were the competition’s top billing sides, premiers Redcliffe and the Tweed Seagulls.
IPSWICH JETS, MACKAY CUTTERS SEMI-FINALS PICTURE GALLERY
MENINGA CUP’S MOST IMPROVED PLAYERS HERE
BEARS v WYNNUM MANLY
THE MATCH
Two moments of magic by Bears’ Bailey McConnell and Ray Puru broke the semi-final open.
Leading by just 18-16, the Bears were propelled toward the winning post when McConnell showed and went, darting 20m before putting his big centre Phillip Coates in to score.
It was appropriate left centre Coates was involved, because he was a part of a left hand edge formation that was a stuff nightmares were made of.
Then seven minutes from full-time Puru came onto the ball like a 100m sprinter, bursting clear down the ruck before flipping a miracle pass on a tackle to the supporting McConnell who sprinted the final 20m to score. It was 28-12 and with the rain sweeping in, there was no way back for Wynnum who had finished the season like a freight train.
It was breathtaking play by Puru who took advantage of tiring middle forwards to ensure his side lived to fight another day.
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The Bears left side arsenal of Bailey McConnell, Phillip Coates and Amare Milford was particularly challenging for the Wynnum Manly defence.
Burleigh’s Milford produced a bull dozing try to start the game, and then battered his way forward to lead to Coates’ scoring.
Around his big runners the pace of five-eight McConnell also threatened and it was red alert time whenever the Bears went to their left.
Wynnum Manly, without No. 1 prop Beni Allen, gave it their best - which was almost good enough.
Hooker Cameron Bukowski twice brought his forwards onto the ball for tries, including Harry Armstrong’s crucial effort beneath the posts on the cusp of halftime which narrowed the margin to 18-12.
Wynnum Manly then struck first in the second half when five-eight Larry Clark weighted a chip kick ahead that Charlie Johnstone was able to pounce on a score. It was 18-16 to Burleigh with 22 minutes remaining.
Early on, Wynnum centre Tariq Tanner continued his fine form by opening the scoring for his side.
PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Bailey McConnell (Bears)
McConnell was a thief in the night around his big bandits, Amare Milford and Phillip Coates. His running game both down the middle and toward the edge gave his side sharpness.
Amare Milford (Bears)
Milford was enormous on Burleigh’s left edge. He was up against no mug, Wynnum captain Harry Armstrong, but was a handful every time he carried the ball.
Cameron Bukowski (Wynnum Manly)
If his forwards gave him momentum, Bukowski would bring his runners pouring forward. He was also a running threat on his own with his strength and speed.
Ray Puru (Bears)
Puru came into his own the further the match progressed. He was dynamic with his running and support play right down the middle of the field.
Kylem Vunipola (Wynnum Manly)
Is he the most consistent player this season? Under intense pressure from Black and McConnell’s short or long kicking game, and their pair’s creation of half chances near the line, the Wynnum fullback stood up - yet again.
Hayden Watson (Bears)
Playing up in his age group, Watson was a glittering gem stone with his running and passing. He has natural vision, is a real footballer, but can also execute what he is thinking. It is little wonder the Storm have signed him.
TEAMS OF THE SEASON
CONNELL CUP TEAM OF THE SEASON
HARVEY 19s TEAMS OF THE SEASON HERE
HARVEY 17s TEAM OF THE SEASON HERE
THE TACKLE OF THE GAME
Will Allen (Wynnum Manly) on Brady Turner (Bears). Towering prop Turner met his match when Allen shortened him, forcing a turnover just as the Burleigh side were looking for a kill, leading 18-6.
PASS OF THE GAME
Burleigh dummy half Hayden Watson’s long cut out pass from the ruck found his left winger Saxon Innes who squeezed over in the corner. It took remarkable confidence, vision and execution and was a great play by the Bears’ hooker.
QUIET ACHIEVER OF THE DAY
Cooper Bai (Bears)
Another strong performer across the first half came from Burleigh No. 13 Cooper Bai.
Bai was exceptional again with his subtle variations. He ran cross the field with his angled runs and also straighten the play and pass.
Bai’s straightening of the attack and subsequent pass allowed Bailey McConnell to give his
centre Phillip Coates just enough room to squeeze over in the corner.
Zane Ford (Wynnum Manly)
Ford got through a mountain of work in the middle both running the ball and in defence. Without Beni Allen, Wynnum’s No. 1 go forward player, Ford did his best with thrustful running early, before settling in for a typically gutsy, grinding performance.
Allen also got through a mountain of work.
Isopo Taunu’u (Wynnum Manly)
Without his big mate Beni Allen, he had a huge second half and tried to thrust the Seagulls back into the frame.
IPSWICH JETS v MACKAY CUTTERS
THE MATCH
Big Kanaan Magele scored a crucial try and set up another as the Jets outlasted Cutters 38-32 in a thrilling semi-final shootout.
Prop Magele scored from a near impossible position after supporting an enterprising piece of play by the jets following an attacking kick.
The big bloke used his power to get within cooee of the line, and once surrounded continued to fight before dropping over the line. That try, and Junior Saifiti’s conversion, put the Jets ahead 32-22.
Then as Mackay threatened late, Magele put the game to rest with a storming run down the middle to create a try for Dom Sandow.
This came just minutes after Mackay’s own battering ram prop, Penaia Te’o, had produced an heroic run which he claimed had resulted in a try. Unfortunately for the Cutters, the referee denied what would have been a sensational try that would have put the Cutters ahead.
Mackay did score again with two minutes remaining when improved winger Hunter Harris sprinted over, but the Cutters ran out of time.
It had been a 13 try thriller.
Mackay had hit the front for the first time in the match just after halftime when Harris crossed.
Then came Magele’s powerhouse effort and the home side had the upper hand again.
But Luka Russell’s second try, after a clever blindside raid organised by Nelson Fenlon and Mutau Brown, put Mackay within four points, 32-28, of their rival with eight minutes remaining.
Ipswich’s had a dream start with a right hand move ending in Don Sandow scoring after 90 seconds, while they played the power game to get No. 13 Lyncoln Cliffe over the line after props Magele and Tuliatu and winger Saifiti Junior Saifiti had pounded forward.
But Mackay was not going away. The players dusted themselves off and ran with vim and vigour, using their big forwards to blast the side back into the contest around hooker Xavier Kerrisk’s running game.
It was one of those big men, prop Tavita Penaia Te’o, who crashed over beneath the posts after the Cutters had backed their big men to get the job done.
Mackay made Ipswich pay for an error on halftime when they turned a turnover on halfway into a sensational try courtesy of the aerial skills of winger Luka Russell.
PLAYERS OF THE DAY
Kanaan Magele (Ipswich)
The big bloke with a big motor was magnificent from start to finish against a raw-boned, motivated Mackay pack. He created momentum for his side with his carries, and offered support players chances to show their wares.
Xavier Kerrisk (Mackay)
We tend to get a bit romanced by Kerrisk’s running game, but he uses his speed in defence and hits and sticks against bigger bodies in the middle. His running game today was also a threat until he was forced to play injured in the second half.
Junior Saifiti (Ipswich)
The explosive Junior Saifiti then had his say in the match with two tries, one from a super ball by his five-eight Keaton Stutt, and the other when he displayed catlike reflexes to haul in a chip kick by Stutt while retaining full pace. That try took the jets to a 20-6 lead after 17 minutes. He also ran strongly from the ruck, scored two tries and kicked five goals.
Tavita Penaia Te’o (Mackay)
The big bloke was good in his first stint and magnificent in his second as the Cutters ran down hill trying to overtake their rivals.
Nicholas Tuliatu (Ipswich)
The big fella has some stiff competition today - his own teammate Magele and big Cutters pairing Penaia Te’o and a towering Matthew Watts, but Tuliatu lost nothing in comparison.
Luka Russell (Mackay)
There were some Rolls Royce motors on display today and big winger Russell mixed it with the best of them. He was a battering ram and a finisher who scored twice.
Keaton Stutt (Ipswich)
Stutt’s first half kicking game was just what the doctored ordered, including a short kick who helped create a try. He also played straight and was threatening with his quick feet and ball handling.
Jack Thorburn (Mackay)
The big second rower continued to enhance his reputation with his run and his ability to unload the ball in traffic. He was a handful, that’s for sure.
PASS OF THE GAME
Keaton Stutt (Ipswich)
Ipswich five-eight Keaton Stutt to his winger Saifiti Junior Saifiti. Saifiti had been calling for the ball through the set of six, and down a wide blindside Stutt went to dummy half and ignored a stacked left side attacking formation to back his winger. Saifiti stood on the very edge of the field and danced along the touchline to score after accepting the long pass.
BEST SECOND EFFORT OF THE GAME
Jack Thorburn (Mackay)
Cutters’ Jack Thorburn scoring his team’s first try. Thorburn came off the back fence with a dynamic run that saw him batter forward despite strong contact, and when his momentum was in danger of running thin, he thrust his body into a twisting, turning formation that saw him cross despite heavy traffic.
CATCH OF THE DAY
Luka Russell (Mackay)
Talk about Up There Cazaly. Mackay Cutters winger Luka Russell who hauled in a cross kick to score right on halftime after launching himself skyward and somehow remaining in the field of play.
BEST IMPERSONATION OF AN OLYMPIC SPRINTER
Amaziah Murgha (Ipswich)
Amaziah Murgha pinned his ears back to scorched 45m after a break from his halfback Lachlan Stuart. Boy he moved quickly.
Originally published as Meninga Cup: Players of the Finals after two sudden death games
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