An intercept can often change the course of a match but it doesn't usually come in the form of a forward off a tap restart.
But that was the case for Ipswich reserve Ben Sullivan, whose timely run helped his team to a 34-22 victory over Wynnum Manly Redland City in the Brisbane Rugby League grand final rematch.
Sullivan broke a 16-all deadlock midway through the second half when he scored off up a Peter Whittaker break.
But it was his second try in the 67th minute that had the crowd talking.
Wynnum Manly tried to go two passes wide from a penalty tap restart but they didn't count on a flying Sullivan, who snaffled the ball and ran 40 metres untouched.
"I was sitting on the bench thinking 'he's going to run up and smash someone here' - and the next thing he's got the ball and away he went," Jets coach Mark Bishop said.
"That was enough to break them I think."
A huge cut our ball from halfback Chris Ash to his outside men saw Ipswich kick away 34-16, before a consolation effort from Wynnum Manly playmaker Brayden Josephs brought the final margin to 12 points.
The Jets took a 12-10 lead into the sheds in an absorbing tit-for-tat first half where they turned away multiple attacking raids.
"We like to call it our bread and butter, that we defend our line really well," Bishop said.
"But every time we made a slight mistake they were good enough to come back...we made it hard on ourselves and they kept coming."
Ipswich's goal line tactic of rushing the opposition dummy half conceded several penalites, but Bishop said his side would continue to push the envelope.
"Yeah, we are prepared to give them away," he said of the goal line penalties.
"It's about putting pressure on the dummy half at the play the ball. Once he picks the ball up you can tackle him.
"But it's a fine line between what they (the referee) condiser him having the ball and what we consider having the ball."
Both sides scored early in the second half to make it 16-all until Sullivan's pair saw the Jets kick clear.
They are one of two undefeated sides after a fortnight, with Gaters topping the table after their 30-0 shut out of an undermanned Easts on Saturday.
ROUND TWO RESULTS
Saturday 16 April
NORMANBY HOUNDS 26 (Mitchell Hallinan 2, Michael Crosby, Beau Ryan, Etipuke Collins tries; Jacob Thomas 3 goals) def VALLEYS DIEHARDS 16 (Andrew Lancaster 2, Tom Collins tries; Andrew Lancaster 2 goals) at Purtell Park, Bardon.
WEST BRISBANE PANTHERS 52 (Kyran Tanuvasa 4, Jack Mackin, Kennedy Pettyborne, Hayden Potts, Ryan Millard, Tyrone Lockrey, Harry Pondekas tries; Luke Pollock 6 goals) def CARINA 6 (Tom Price try; Matthew Craven goal) at Kev McKell Oval, Arana Hills.
GATERS 30 (Curtis Johnston, Dwayne Duncan, Shaun Rees, Troyden Watene, Takai Tikinau tries; Dwayne Duncan 3, Troyden Watene 2 goals) def EASTS TIGERS 0 at Suzuki Stadium, Langlands Park.
REDCLIFFE DOLPHINS 68 (Evander Cummins 3, Tyson Gamble 3, Glen Ellis, John Brady, Christian Hazard, Johnnie Fox, Ashley Harawira, Hayden Hansen tries; Tyson Gamble 7, Josh Beehag 3 goals) def LOGAN BROTHERS 6 (Ellery Tusa try; Ben Jackson goal) at Civic Park, Logan Central.
Sunday 17 April
IPSWICH JETS 34 (Ben Sullivan 2, Ben White, Josh Damen, Mikaere Beattie, Francis Leger tries; Mikaere Beattie 5 goals) def WYNNUM MANLY REDLAND CITY SEAGULLS 22 (Braydon Mitchell, Mitch McMillan, Marouna Benioni, Brayden Josephs tries; Tyson Brooks 3 goals) at North Ipswich Reserve.
LADDER
Win - 3 points, Draw - 2 pts, Loss - 1 pt
|
Played |
Won |
Draw |
Lost |
Bye |
For |
Agnst |
Pts |
Gaters |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
58 |
6 |
6 |
Ipswich Jets |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
62 |
44 |
6 |
Redcliffe Dolphins |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
90 |
34 |
4 |
West Bris. Panthers |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
76 |
40 |
4 |
Valleys Diehards |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
36 |
42 |
4 |
Normanby Hounds |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
32 |
44 |
4 |
Logan Brothers |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
40 |
92 |
4 |
Wynumm Manly RC |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
42 |
54 |
3 |
Easts Tigers |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
20 |
50 |
3 |
Carina |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
22 |
72 |
2 |
ROUND THREE
Saturday, April 23
Redcliffe Dolphins v Easts Tigers at Burpengary Sports Ground, 12:15pm
Valleys Diehards v Wynnum Manly Redland City Seagulls at Emerson Park, Grange, 3pm
Carina v Logan Brothers at Leo Williams Oval, Carina, 3pm
Normanby Hounds v Ipswich Jets at Purtell Park, Bardon, 3pm
Gaters v West Brisbane Panthers at South Pine Sports Complex, Albany Creek, 3:30pm
