The five key takeaways from the week in local Toowoomba rugby league

As the Toowoomba Rugby League prepares for it’s biggest Sunday of the season, The Chronicle has the five key takeaways from the week in local rugby league action.

RUGBY LEAGUE: Here are the key takeaways from the latest week of local Toowoomba rugby league.

BOARS EXPLODING INTO CONTENTION

The winning run of Goondiwindi has extended to eight, and their attack has been a big part of it.

Over that period they’ve cracked the half century five times at an average of 55 points per game.

They’re now well in the race for a top-three finish, and no team will want to face a sudden death game against them in the finals.

WHERE TO NOW FOR DALBY?

After such a strong first round of the season that saw them in a tie for top spot, the Diehards have now slipped to three losses from their last four games.

With games to come against Pittsworth and Newtown, they’re expected to earn their place in the semis, but will they be able to make an impact?

They’ll need to get their mojo back in the next fortnight if they want to go further than just making it.

Wade Austin. Picture: Nev Madsen

SOUTHS SHOW FIGHT

They’ve been on the big end of some big scorelines this season, but it was good to see Souths give a good account of themselves against contenders Wattles.

Wade Austin scored tries in the opening minutes of each half and they remained competitive against a much stronger side.

That’s the type of effort expected every week.

GATTON’S FIREPOWER ON SONG

The Hawks came out of the opening whistle like they were shot out of a cannon.

Six tries in the opening 28 minutes had them beating the clock in Pittsworth, and the Danes just couldn’t keep up.

In a league full of attacking weapons, the Hawks statistically can lay claim to having the best, with their points for more than 100 ahead of the next best team.

BIGGEST WEEKEND OF THE YEAR

The make-up of the finals will be shaped with two huge games this weekend on a super Sunday of action.

At Gatton it will be the Hawks against Highfields in a rematch of the Madsen-Rasmussen Trophy, with Wattles hosting Goondiwindi as well.

Currently Gatton and Wattles sit in first and second, with the other two just a win behind in third and fourth, meaning minor premiership claims and spots in the all-important top three are well on the line.

George Tavita for Gatton holds up Thomas Hatch for Highfields. Picture: Nev Madsen

WEEKEND WRAP

RUGBY LEAGUE: Highfields has survived an almighty scare to remain in the hunt for a spot in the TRL Premiership’s top three.

The Eagles trailed at home to Oakey at halftime 14-10, before a four-try second half propelled them onto victory.

Josh Keoller and Josh Fanning both picked up doubles in the victory that sees them remain in third ahead of a showdown with Gatton this weekend.

For the Bears it continues a strong back half of the season that has resulted in two wins, a draw and tight losses against the two Madsen-Rasmussen teams.

Gatton remains clear on top with points differential after a clinical 74-6 defeat of Pittsworth on the road.

Tyson White got across for four tries in the big win, taking him to 27 for the season and within four of the top spot.

“Five minutes in it was pretty evidence our attitude wasn’t there,” Pittsworth halfback Tom O’Sullivan told TRL Media.

“It’s frustrating because the players we do have showing up, we’ve got a good enough team.

“We used to have it over them a few years ago, but they’ve had it over us for the last couple of years.”

Wattles was made to work for it, but ultimately had the class to escape Gold Park with a 34-12 defeat of Southern Suburbs.

Star outside backs Austin Jennings and Aaron Hooper both posted doubles in the success.

Warwick kept its mathematical chances of the finals alive with a 48-18 victory over Brothers at Father Ranger Oval.

Mitch Wilson and Byron Creighton had two tries apiece.

Nick Bainbridge, Carl Clement, Thomas Hatch and Joshua Keoller. Picture: Nev Madsen

SATURDAY GAMES

Goondiwindi has given the strongest indication yet that it is a live hope of going back-to-back in the TRL Premiership.

The Boars rocketed temporarily into a share of top spot courtesy of a 55-16 win over fellow contenders Dalby at Gilbert Oval.

A slow start saw them fall behind 16-6 early on, but from that point on it was all the home side as they raced in eight-straight tries to cap off their best performance of 2022.

Malcolm McGrady was in everything, finishing the night with four tries as halfback Trae Bennetto recorded a 22-point haul.

The Boars have now won eight games in succession, with a top-three finish well within their sights.

“They came out of the blocks in the first 20 minutes,” captain David McGrady told TRL Media.

“They’ve got some big boys with a lot of energy and we just had to hold them.

“I’m so happy with the boys. We’ve come a long way and we’re hitting our straps at the end of the season which is good for us.”

Dalby slipped to its third loss from four games, and now needs to win both remaining games against Pittsworth and Newtown to ensure a spot in the finals.

“We have got the cattle and in that first 20 minutes we controlled the game, we were patient and we did everything right,” Dalby coach Kerry Carmichael said.

“A couple of things don’t go our way when we’ve got our backs against the wall and we just can’t respond.

“We gave up tonight and I’m really disappointed.”

The Diehards have Valleys snapping on their heels just one point behind them on the standings after they defeated Newtown 68-4 at the Jack Martin Centre.

The Roosters raced in 12 tries to continue the winless season of the Lions.

Malcolm McGrady. Picture: Nev Madsen

Dylan Chown, John Maila and Selemaia Taungahihifo all collected doubles in the one-sided performance, keeping them in the hunt for fifth spot.

In more positive news for Newtown, their women locked up second spot after downing Valleys 20-8.

The Lions have tasted defeat just once this season and have earned a double chance in the semi finals.

ROUND 16 RESULTS AND SCORERS

A-GRADE

VALLEYS 68 (John Maila 2, Dylan Chown 2, Selemaia Taungahihifo 2, Joel Currie, Rueben Tatow, Brendan Saltner, Matthew Schulze, Angus Taylor, Harrison Murphy tries; Tatow 9, Maila goals) defeated NEWTOWN 4 (Josh Stanton try)

GOONDIWINDI 55 (Malcolm McGrady 4, Luke Buckle 2, Trae Bennetto, Tom Davis, Geoffrey Prince tries; Bennetto 9 goals; David McGrady field goal) defeated DALBY 16 (Sam Fermor 2, Danny Wassell tries; Dylan Taylor 2 goals)

WARWICK 48 (Mitch Wilson 2, Byron Creighton 2, Jake Speed, Tyrelle Ross, Kieran Fender, Morgan Byrne, Cody Byrne tries; Mitch Watson 2 goals) defeated BROTHERS 18 (Garrad Brewer 2, Lachlan Swan, Riley Wockner tries; Sam Betros goal)

WATTLES 34 (Aaron Hooper 2, Austin Jennings 2, Zac Stevens, Jackson Green tries; Kai Duggan 4 goals) defeated SOUTHS 12 (Wade Austin 2 tries; Ben Cook 2 goals)

HIGHFIELDS 30 (Josh Keoller 2, Josh Fanning 2, Cory McGrady, Matthew Waites tries; Fanning 3 goals) defeated OAKEY 20 (Benji Neliman 2, Sam Dowling tries; Dylan Adamson 4 goals)

GATTON 74 (Tyson White 4, Jayden Williams 2, Ben Seul, Lisite Hafoka, Shannon Hicks, Mitchell Graham, George Tavita, Sione Foueti, Steven Eliott tries; Haydan Lipp 9 goals) defeated PITTSWORTH 6 (Tom O’Sullivan try; Jake Johnston goal)

WOMEN

NEWTOWN 20 (Natalia Parsons, Paige Edwards, Kiara Taylor, Lorna Murray tries; Parsons 2 goals) defeated VALLEYS 8 (Anna Dingley 2 tries)

GOONDIWINDI 16 (4 tries) defeated DALBY 4 (Kiara Norris try)

GATTON 74 (Kayla Maddy 2, Courtney-Lee Nolan, Savannah Crawford, Kimberley Dore, Nat Webb tries; Tahlia Sudhaus 6 goals) defeated PITTSWORTH 4 (1 try)
HIGHFIELDS 18 (Sienna Norris, Taylor Logan, N/A tries; Norris 3 gols) drew OAKEY 18 (Clarissa Janes 2, Alexis Arioka, Kiarah Woodbridge tries; Sabina McLoughlin goal)

RESERVES

VALLEYS 58 (Daniel Bain 4, Hayden Brown 3, Shannon Lawton, James Utumapu, Cameron Lovelock, Aaron Watson tries; Josh Hancock 6, Watson goals) defeated NEWTOWN 6 (Dylan Glossop try; Ashley Shepherd goal)

GOONDIWINDI 36 (Dallas Dennison 2, Lance McGrady, Lachlan Heironymus, Brandon McIntosh, Braethan Holland tries; 6 goals) defeated DALBY 4 (Jack Welsh try)
WARWICK 40 (Joe Fuimaono 2, Joseph Wagner 2, Cameron Mulcahy, Paul Cantwell, Daniel Watson tries; Matthew Henry 6 goals) BROTHERS 10 (Lachlan Swan, Reily Land tries; Jake Head goal)
WATTLES 36 (Warren Draper 2, Lachlan Henry, Jason Nightingale, Tom Morris, Alex Morris, Nick Morris tries; Tom Morris 3 goals) defeated SOUTHS 12 (Damian Mills, Moses Fakaigotau tries; Matthew Gainey 2 goals)

GATTON 34 (Chevez Hughes, Michael Frohloff, Zachary Linde, Jesse Bellert, Rhys Jackson, N/A tries; Jagan Swan 5 goals) defeated PITTSWORTH 30 (Matthew Reynolds, Samuel Fraser-Bellette, Braydon Wilson, Brady Manteklow, Sebastyan Thompson, Ausage Meauli tries; James Sinclair 3 goals)

HIGHFIELDS 54 (Tyson Klingsberg 2, Lachlan Kinivan 2, Jake Brauer, Jarred Faux, Blake Appo, Jordan Klingsberg, N/A tries; Cory Haywood 7 goals) defeated OAKEY 4 (Tristan Hooper try)

UNDER 19s

REDBANK def WATTLES (forfeit)

HIGHFIELDS 68 (Chad Lebsanft 3, Zac Brown 3, Lachlan Fanning 2, Lachlan Hilton, Bailey Nash, Connor Nicholls, N/A tries; Lebsanft 10 goals) defeated OAKEY 6 (Sam Dowling try; Brady Dodd try)

GATTON 90 (Cooper Liston 4, Kaden Buhse 4, Ethan Dowie 2, Hayden Dunn 2, Caelab Nagan, Dominic Jones-Pincombe, Jake Self, Nathan Kleidon tries; Buhse 12 goals) defeated PITTSWORTH 8 (Ellot Smith, N/A tries)

WARWICK 46 (Jeffery Ross 2, Brock Patti 2, Lucas Bradfield, Zac Beckwith, Angus Ridley, Jack McMeniman, Benjamin Lyons, Jayden Tucker tries; Tucker 4 goals) defeated BROTHERS 22 (Kerion Parravacini 2, Alzavian Chicken, Riley Wockner, tries; Reily Land 3 goals)

BROTHERS IPSWICH 16 (Caleb Jackson, Regan Payne, Elijah Masame tries; Nicholas Torrens 2 goals) defeated VALLEYS 14 (Robert Fangatua 2, Dom Whittingham tries; Rueben Tatow goal)