Round 1 off the new Struddys Sports BRL Pre-Season competition kicked off across SEQ this weekend.
Here are the results from the first week of matches:
Round 1 Results
Wynnum Manly Redland City 46 (Mitchell Lollback 2, Hayden Crowley, Olsi Krasniqi, Dylan Eggins, Nathan Crowley, Lachlan Bristow, Mitch McMillan tries; Chris Green 7 goals) def Ipswich Jets 22 (Tu’u Maori 2, Fakahoko Teutau, Isimeeli Hafoka Tries; Haydan Lipp 3 goals) at North Ipswich Reserve
Valleys Diehards 40 (Jordan Ive, Shane Picker, Joel Bailey, Windsor Bowie, Zach Blair, Aiona Nona, Michael Bishay tries; Michael Bishay 3, Aiona Nona 2, Windsor Bowie goals) def West Brisbane Panthers 28 (Luke Brookes 2, Gideon Mzembe, James Leavai tries; James Sharkie 4 goals) at Emerson Park
Redcliffe Dolphins 40 (Alex Bishop 2, Brett Coutts, Dujuan Liolevave, John Brady, Adam Lawton, Ashley Harawira tries; Alex Bishop 6 goals) def Gaters 12 (Kieran Turner, Shaun Rees, Matt Lennon tries) at Dolphin Oval
Logan Brothers 54 (Dallas Anderson 4, Ihaka Watene 2, Ono So’Oialo, Daniel Tamou, Natal Tuia and Shane Higgins tries; Trent Shield 4, Ono So’Oialo 3 goals) def Normanby Hounds 12 (Joe Henderson and Hansell Semau tries; Matthew Currie 2 goals) at Davies Park
Easts Tigers 40 (Billy Walters 2, Brandon Downey, Michael Kai, Kurt Hatfield, Josh Everett, Jarrad Nolan tries; Jack Joass 4, Brandon Downey 2 goals) def Carina 8 (Kevin Stephensen, Dan Bristow tries) at Tapout Energy Stadium
** Tigers display strong early form
By Ethan James
The Easts Tigers earmarked themselves as one of the sides to watch in the Struddy’s Sports BRL pre-season competition following a comprehensive victory over Carina at Tapout Energy Stadium.
In the local derby, Easts opened up a 28-nil lead at halftime and battled through a snowballing injury toll to finish on top 40-8.
The Tigers lost lock Hayden Crockett (ribs) and former Melbourne Storm U20s representative Jack Joass (concussion) early in the contest and finished the match with a vacant bench, with half Liam Tyson and Kurt Hatfield succumbing to knee problems.
“The side has played together a bit (in the previous FOGS Cup competition) and they’ve learned to fight and scrap it out to get a win,” first year coach Jason Di Lizio said.
“At the end of the game we had front rowers on the wing and backrowers in the centres… it was a little bit all over the place.
“I thought Sam Bielefeld did a great job playing eighty minutes mostly in the middle, as did Ash Little.”
The Tigers came up against a Carina side that included Easts stalwarts Isaac Kaufmann and Kev Stephensen, as well as a host of former junior and reserve grade players.
“There was a bit of banter out there but definitely mutual respect between the two clubs, especially with guys like Kevvie and Isaac,” Di Lizio said.
“Of course we respect what they have given to the club and it’s great to see them out on the park and part of the competition.”
The Tigers scored thrice in the opening twenty minutes and took a strong lead into the sheds thanks to Michael Kai off a quick inside ball.
Billy Walters, the son of rugby league legend Kevin, crossed twice in a second half that finished at two tries a piece.
For Carina, Dan Bristow scored on the left wing and Stephensen nabbed a blindside try after making a long-range break.
Easts were one of three sides to earn maximum points in the opening round, with Redcliffe and Logan Brothers also registering big wins.
Dolphins five-eighth Alex Bishop picked up a personal haul of20 points (two tries and six goals) in his side’s 40-12 victory against Gaters.
Meanwhile, outside back Dallas Anderson was the star of the show at Davies Park, picking up four tries to help Brothers pass the fifty mark against fellow Souths Logan Magpies feeder club Gaters.
Valleys gave their diehard supporters plenty to cheer about at Emerson Park on Saturday, with the blue and whites coming back from an initial deficit to defeat West Brisbane Panthers 40-28.
The second round of the four-week competition continues this weekend.
Struddy’s Sports BRL Pre-season Competition Ladder (after Round One)
1. Logan Brothers 5 points
2. Easts Tigers 5
3. Redcliffe Dolphins 5
4. Valleys Diehards 4.5
5. W/M Redland City Seagulls 4
6. Ipswich Jets 1
7. West Brisbane Panthers 0.5
8. Gaters 0
9. Carina 0
10. Normanby Hounds 0
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