TOOWOOMBA
CLYDESDALES 46
Tries:
Alex
Wilson 2, Justin Hodges, Kerrod Walters, Darren Mapp,
Darren Ingram, Nathan Friend, Chris Walker
Goals: Jace
Van Dijk 7
Team: 1. Justin
Hodges, 2.
Adam Warwick, 3. Brent
Tate, 4. Alex Wilson, 20. Chris Walker, 6. Paul Warwick, 7. Jace Van
Dijk,
8. Corey Parker, 9. Michael Ryan, 10.
Damon Keating (c), 11. Darren Mapp, 12.
Neale Wyatt, 13. Darren
Ingram. Int: 14. Kerrod Walters, 15. Nathan Friend, 19.
Dan Robinson, 17.
Damien Quinn. Coach: Ivan Henjak.
defeated REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 12
Tries: Damien Richters 2, George Wilson
Team: 1. Adam Mogg, 2.
Trent Purdon, 3. George Wilson, 4. Damien Richters, 5.
Trent Leis, 13. Danny Burke, 7. Michael Roberts, 8. Rob
Campbell, 9. Craig O'Dwyer (c), 10. Troy
Lindsay, 11. Luke Scott, 12. James Hinchey, 15.
Russell Lahiff. Int: 14. Troy Mitchell, 6. Tony Gould, 16.
Duncan Naawi, 17. Adam Starr. Coach:
Neil Wharton.
Venue: Dolphin Oval
Date: Saturday August 5
Referee: Adam Neale
Half-time: Toowoomba 22-8
Written By: Matthew Lyne
Wow, what a performance by Toowoomba and sees them
advance straight into the Grand Final (played in a
couple of weeks time) after putting the cleaners
through Redcliffe. I initially thought that this
would most probably be the best game of the year
(given that the two previous clashes between these two
sides were thrillers) but how wrong was
I!!
Redcliffe pulled out a huge surprise when Tony Gould
was named on the bench for the Dolphins. Gould
injured his neck a few weeks ago and was supposedly to
have been ruled out for the rest of the season. However, he has made a
superb recovery and would figure in the home sides'
team today.
The Clydesdales started off very strong and, after 4
minutes of play, Justin Hodges cruised in for the
first points of the game. Hodges dummied past a
dreadful attempt at tackle by James Hinchey and
sprinted through the gap for the try. Jace Van
Dijk kicked a beautiful sideline conversion and
Toowoomba were out to an early 6-0 lead.
Prop Corey Parker was
the catalyst for Toowoomba's next try, minutes
later. Parker barged his way through the
Dolphins defensive line and made a great run, giving his side great
position in their opponent's half. Following the
tackle, the Clydesdales spread the ball out wide and
Alex Wilson ran through a gaping hole to score. Van
Dijk added the extras and Toowoomba had raced out to a
12-0 lead after 10 minutes of play.
Things got worse for the Dolphins when Damien Richters
threw a forward pass to George Wilson, in their own
half. Redcliffe, previously, had got a few opportunities
to reply but made costly mistakes and the Richters'
forward pass added insult to injury. Shortly
after, the experienced Kerrod Walters found his way to
the line and put the ball right next to the posts. Van
Dijk kicked the conversion and the Clydesdales were in
complete control of the game, leading 18-0.
Redcliffe were making too many errors and another
defensive lapse saw Alex Wilson score his second try
of the afternoon, moments later. Following a
great break by Neale Wyatt, Wilson dived over the line
from dummy half to score in the corner. The
video referee was called in but Alex had clearly
scored a fair try and it was awarded. The
Dolphins' defenders were completely asleep and Wilson
had scored a very soft try. Try not converted
and it was starting to look ominous for Redcliffe,
with Toowoomba 22-0 after 25 minutes.
However, Redcliffe slowly worked their way back into
the game and George Wilson finally scored their first points
of the afternoon in the 30th minute. The
Dolphins got into the Clydesdales' territory and threw
the ball from one side of the field to other and Danny
Burke found an unmarked Wilson, who went over for the
four pointer. Damien Richters missed the
conversion but Redcliffe were finally on the
board. Toowoomba up 22-4.
Following the try, Redcliffe's intensity picked up and
they put on another try, just before half-time.
The try was a fantastic team effort and Richters
finished off the move, after receiving a ball from
Tony Gould. He was unable to convert his own try
but the Dolphins scored a much needed try and still
had a glimmer a hope of winning the game.
However, the Clydesdales still had a composing 22-8
lead at the break.
Knowing they had to score first to stay in the game,
the home side came out and immediately piled pressure
on the Clydesdales' line. The
video referee was called into play when Trent Purdon
looked to have gone in the corner for the try, just
minutes after the resumption of play in the second
half. The Redcliffe fans (and the ABC
commentators) were sure that Purdon had scored a fair
try but it was ruled that he had been put into
touch. A doubtful decision and had Trent scored,
it would have put Redcliffe back into the match.
The Dolphins dominated possession in the opening
minutes of the second half but just could not get over
the line to peg back the Clydesdales' large
lead. They had another try disallowed by the
video referee when Richters looked to have gone over
the line. However, he lost the ball over the
line and it was ruled accordingly. Another vital
opportunity wasted by the minor premiers.
Darren Mapp put the result beyond doubt when he
charged over the line for Toowoomba's fifth try of the
day. Mapp deserved the try, after
he had made a great run to put his side in good
attacking position. Minutes later, Darren
brushed off a few defenders to put the ball under the
posts. Van Dijk had no trouble kicking the goal
and Toowoomba up 28-8, heading for the first spot in
the grand final.
The floodgates opened up for the Clydesdales and
Darren Ingram scored a try, just minutes later.
It was a perfectly weighted grubber kick from Jace Van
Dijk that did the trick and Nathan Friend regathered
the ball, passing it to Ingram. Conversion
kicked and Toowoomba up 34-8.
Friend got his opportunity to score the next
Clydesdales' try when Paul Warwick attacked the line
and popped a pass to Van Dijk. Jace put Nathan
Friend into a gap and he sprinted 30 metres to score
yet another try for Toowoomba. Van Dijk kicked
an easy conversion and it was becoming all too easy for the
Clydesdales, up by a very healthy margin of 40-8.
However, they were not quite finished yet giving the
home side a touch-up and Chris Walker went over for a
try, moments later. Walker slid through some
ordinary defence and ran all the way to score the
try. Try converted and the Clydesdales were just
simply scoring at will. 46-8 and on their way to
Lang Park, in two weeks time.
Redcliffe scored a consolation try to Richters but
they had been comprehensively beaten by a red hot
side. The Dolphins simply had no answer for the
four try onslaught by Toowoomba and succumbed to their
worst ever Queensland Cup defeat. The
Clydesdales won the game by 46-12 and are well on the
way to winning this year's premiership.
Toowoomba were sensational and simply have the pace
out wide to cause all sorts of havoc for opposition
sides. They may look small in the forwards but
they do the job well enough to allow the play makers dictate
play. The Clydesdales have beaten
Redcliffe, Easts and Burleigh comfortably, in the past
three weeks, and will go in as raging favourites to
take out the grand final match.
As for Redcliffe, one word sums up today's performance
: dreadful. Handling errors, defensive lapses,
missing vital opportunities, you name it they did
it. No doubt their worst performance of the
season. It's not over yet for the Dolphins
but, by gee, they are going to have to improve tenfold
if they to get by the winner of Easts/Burleigh and
have another crack at Toowoomba on grand final
day. However, I think I have seen the team who
will take out the Bundy Gold Cup in 2000.
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