Meninga Cup semi-finals: Bears demolition job against Souths Logan
Meninga Cup semi-finals: The Mackay Cutters claimed a shock win while Burleigh Bears produced one of the performances of the season to blow Souths Logan out of the competition. More here.
Mackay
Don't miss out on the headlines from Mackay. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Mackay Cutters snared a win for the ages while Burleigh Bears hooker Hayden Watson delivered a masterclass during a dramatic day of semi-final action.
The Cutters survived the kitchen sink being thrown at them to defeat Norths 22-18, while the Bears scored 48 unanswered points to smack Souths Logan 48-12.
What a day it was for both Burleigh and the Cutters.
MACKAY v NORTHS
Mackay denied the odds to unseat Norths in a boilover result during the first weekend of Meninga Cup semi-finals.
With the game on the line seconds from fulltime, Cutters’ hero winger Rylan Misztela denied his opposition Kurt Jones a try by out-leaping his rival after Devils’ halfback Jahrel Iselin-Jansen had delivered a perfectly placed attacking kick.
The Cutters had led 20-12 with 16 minutes remaining, but Norths hooker Sonny Herdegen scored a tremendous solo try under the posts, dragging his side within touching distance of their rivals.
The Mackay win would be one of the best in the club’s history this decade, with the side having to travel to Brisbane and topple one of the best local teams in the competition laden with NRL academy players.
And just four weeks ago Norths beat Cutters 42-10, highlighting the magnitude of the Mackay performance.
REPUTATIONS OUT THE DOOR
Reputations meant nothing as the athletic, lanky Cutters’ forwards came hard at their rivals all game.
Even when Norths drew level, 12-all, early in the second half, Mackay continued to punch on, with a lovely left short through the hands of Kayne Smith, Nelson Fenlon and centre Zane Elletson ending in the hands of winger Rylan Misztela.
BIG MEN, LITTLE HELPERS
While the Cutters towered forwards like Larner, Doyle, Penaia Te’o and Thorburn thundered ahead, around them little men Nelson Fenlon, Kayne Smith and Ryan John provided a point of difference and variety around the ruck.
One such moment came midway through the second half when half Fenlon bravely chip kicked ahead for his interchange forward Mark Morrow who stole possession and scored a vital try which made it 20-12.
DUQUAN, DICKSON DAZZLE
Norths No.13 Dickson was close to the best player on the field.
His storming right side runs and strength in contact placed Mackey under extreme pressure, but not even Dickson could get the Devils home against their country cousins.
Duquan Talaepa, the Norths right second rower, also proved a handful for his rivals on occasions.
He set up a long distance try for his fullback Luke, and almost scored one himself.
proved to be a point of difference.
CUTTERS’ CUT DOWN RIVALS
Prop Travis Larner and second rower Joseph Doyle’s chase of a runaway Norths winger Kurt Jones said everything about the Cutters’ desperation on the day.
Jones had intercepted a chip kick by Cutters centre Flynn Battaia when Larner and Doyle spun on their heels to give chase.
The pair combined to herd Jones to ground in a courageous performance which emphasised the Cutters’ desire.
TRY SAVING TACKLES
The performance by Larner and Doyle, mentioned above, was followed by a try saving tackle from Mackay winger Rylan Misztela on tearaway Norths second rower Duquan Talaepa.
The Devils’ right second rower had ripped his rivals apart and looked certain to score, only for Misztela to come from the clouds with a diving tackle.
From the next ruck Nelson Fenlon scrambled to somehow prevent a try in the right hand corner by Norths hooker Sonny Herdegen.
BURLEIGH v SOUTHS LOGAN
With hooker Hayden Watson, halfback Marley McLaren and interchange forwards Brayden Wong and Tavake Tau’a’alo ramping up their team’s performance after halftime, Burleigh scored 34 points in a second half rampage.
Their win sent a shot across the bow of the No.1 and No.2 seeded teams, Tweed Seagulls and Redcliffe.
Burleigh’s win is even more remarkable when you consider they trailed 12-nil after 15 minutes.
WONDERFUL WATSON
Watson will be the first to point the finger at his teammates for their ball control and for generating speed around the ruck, but his explosive performance was a big factor in his team’s win.
Watson’s running and evasive skills swung the game emphatically his team’s way.
At times he toyed with the Souths Logan defence.
Most of Burleigh’s tries were a result of Watson impacting the match in some manner.
MARLEY’S MAGICAL KICKING
The tactical kicking of Burleigh halfback Marley McLaren was a huge factor in the match.
His outstanding kick and chase efforts either side of halftime led to the field position which saw his side score two tries - one to Kilarney Lavender and the other to Bailey Trew.
McLaren’s kicking game also led to Trew’s second time which created a 28-12 buffer early in the second half.
JETT’S WARMED FOR TAKE-OFF
Burleigh second rower Jett Bryce was a wonderful effort player throughout the game, including when he chased a Marley McLaren kick which forced a line drop out from Souths Logan.
His energy must have been infectious on interchange forwards Tavake Tau’a’alo and Braydan Wong who both produced rollicking performance’s off the bench.
BYENTON’S MAGIC
Souths captain Bryenton lit the game up early, slipping past Bears forwards Sebastian Sykes and Kilarney Lavender and sprinting almost the length of the field.
He pinned his ears back, and despite Jett Bryce’s forlorn, yet courageous chase from the other side of the field, Bryenton was home for all money.
Then when Magpies’ prop Feaunati powered over from dummy half, Souths Logan were up and running, leading 12-nil after 11 minutes.
SKYES COMEBACK
Having earlier missed the tackle which led to Bryenton’s stunning try, Skyes fought back hard.
What Souths try scoring prop Feaunati could do at one end of the field for Souths Logan, Sykes could do at the other end for Burleigh.
Skyes stormed onto a pass from hooker Hayden Watson to score, with his passage to the tryline helped by Watson’s cleverly looking in one direction at dummy half, only to offer Skyes a beautiful quick pass on the other side of the ruck.
ABELL’S MOMENT
Burleigh centre Ryder Abell has done a terrific job on the left side for the Bears this season, and twice in the first half he struck telling blows.
Firstly he powered over to score after quick hands by five-eight Dallas Ingram and hooker Watson.
Then, with full time looming, Abell generated a flick pass which brought Kilarney Lavender storming back on the inside to score.
TREW BLUE
Former Souths Logan winger Trew had a big game against his old club, and was a right edge packhorse who could not be restrained across the course of the game.
Twice during the first half the big bloke was held up over the line, only to help crack the dam wall in the second with his robust runs both in attack and from the defensive end of the field.
LAVENDER BLOOMS
It took until late in the game, but a Kilarney Lavender special was worth the wait.
The imposing left second rower angled his run back on the inside of his halfback McLaren, accelerating into a gap and beyond the clutches of four Souths Logan defenders.
It was a typical of the type of destructive runner Lavender can be.
Originally published as Meninga Cup semi-finals: Bears demolition job against Souths Logan
Judge to Qld meth mum: ‘You won’t remain an attractive woman’
A young Qld mining town mum who was dabbling in drug dealing and planning a large sale worth thousands of dollars has been warned continued meth use could cost her more than her freedom.
State’s deadline for answers over Labor’s ‘flawed’ hospital plan
The LNP has demanded Labor release cabinet documents relating to a hospital infrastructure plan deemed ‘deeply flawed’. But the Opposition has hit back, claiming the government is looking for excuses not to keep its own promises.
Druggie dad caught with ‘meth, ecstasy, break-in tools’ named
A Mackay father of six was already on parole when he was repeatedly caught with drugs and other dodgy items including those linked to a BCF break-in.
Jury finds truckie not guilty of sex charges
A jury has found a truckie not guilty of indecently treating two boys after closing statements in which the defence argued the accusations had come from a dishonest place.
Alleged drink driver charged over fatal Bruce Highway crash
Police have charged a man over a fatal crash that killed two people on the Bruce Highway last year.
Club legend takes reins, ready to guide Saints to more success
Four-time premiership winner James Gallagher has taken on the senior men’s coaching role at the North Mackay Saints. He talks candidly about how he plans to return the celebrated team back to the winner’s circle.