The Bilambil Jets have grabbed their first win of the season, defeating Runaway Bay 26-20 at Bycroft Oval on Saturday.
After losing their first two games and given the imposing Runaway Bay roster, the Jets started the game as underdogs but proved any doubters wrong with an impressive performance.
“I was wrapped for the boys,” Jets coach Scott Cooke said.
“I think we’ve improved over the last few weeks. We’re slowly piecing things together there. It was a big improvement from the first couple of games. They’ve been working hard, the boys.”
The Jets came out firing early and took a 12-0 lead into halftime.
Runaway Bay returned serve early in the second half by scoring three quick tries to gain the lead.
In a see-sawing second stanza the lead changed on three occasions before the Jets finally got home with Dion Belford scoring the winning try.
Cooke said the character his side showed in the second half was the most pleasing aspect of the win.
Another factor that will have Jets fans excited was the debut of two young guns; prop Nick Bond and hooker Zach Fryer.
Bond in particular caught the eye of spectators and should be a great addition to the squad now that he has finished up junior representative duties.
“We won’t get carried away with how either of them went but it just goes to show you that if we need them to step up they can do the job,” Cooke said.
“(Bond) has been down to training with us twice and I’ve heard about him through the other boys there and I know that he’s got a bit of respect from the other A-graders.
“He just tends to be one of those kids that attracts a good feel about him. I stayed in touch with him and hoped he would come back to Bilambil. When I spoke to him about whether he’d be playing for us after the Mal Meninga Cup he didn’t even flinch at it. He was keen.
“He didn’t play many minutes but he just filled that gap there for us when we got tired and he really did add some spark to us. I was really impressed with how Bondy went.”
In other third round three Bycroft Cup results the Burleigh Bears defeated Southport 28-24 at Owen Park, Tugun beat Tweed Heads 24-12 at Boyd Street and Cudgen picked up their first win of the year by defeating Currumbin 32-16 at Ned Byrne Oval.
A GRADE
BURLEIGH 28 (Tries: W. Wanahi 2, C. Keirnan 2, T. Chadburn, C. Toia Goals: W. Wanahi 2) def SOUTHPORT 24 (Tries: Tu Whakatihi 3, P. Hunt, D. Vinson Goals: M. Davis 2)
TUGUN 24 (Tries: C. Morris, D. Nash, M. Griese, R Clarke Goals: V. Buatava 4) def TWEED HEADS 12 (Tries: K. Kalo, C. Fleming Goals: K. Kalo, C. Fleming)
BILAMBIL 26 (Tries: B. Hicks, S. Murphy, T. James, D. Belford Goals: T. Canning 5 def RUNAWAY BAY 20 (Tries: S. Satogi, B. Thompson, A. Seufale, U. Pita Goals: C. Chapman 2)
CUDGEN 32 (Tries: B. Foggo 2, M. Donnelly 2, B. Andrews, J. Sleba Goals: B. Foggo 4 def CURRUMBIN 16 (Tries: T. Cassidy 2, B. Ratcliff Goals: R Worboys 2)
LADDER: Burleigh 6, Southport 4,Tweed Heads 4,Tugun 4, Runaway Bay 2, Bilambil 2, Cudgen 2, Currumbin 0.
RESERVE GRADE
LADDER: Southport 6, Tweed Heads 5, Burleigh 4, Runaway Bay 4, Tugun 3, Cudgen 2, Bilambil 0, Currumbin 0
U19
LADDER: Runaway Bay 6, Burleigh 6, Southport 4, Cudgen 4,Tweed Heads 2, Tugun 2, Currumbin 0.
POWRGARD CUP
Ormeau 22 def Nerang 0, Parkwood 40 def Coomera 12, Tweed Coast 22 def Mudgeeraba 12, Beaudesert 6 drew Jimboomba 6, Bye: Runaway Bay
LADDER: Runaway Bay 6, Ormeau 6, Beaudesert 4,Tweed Coast 4, Mudgeeraba 3, Jimboomba 3, Nerang 2, Parkwood 2, Coomera 0.
